Numerous bills pending in Congress could make a difference for the people of Darfur if passed and implemented. We have listed current bills to keep you abreast of important Darfur-related legislation so that you can pressure your elected officials to take action on these proposed laws.

Funding for the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS)

The 2007 appropriations bill (H.R. 5522) has passed in the House and is still waiting to be voted on in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that controls foreign spending (as of mid-July 2006), chaired by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). This bill includes $170 million for peacekeeping, of which the House has recommended setting aside $41.4 million for Darfur. This will be insufficient for the under-resourced AU mission.

Funding for a UN mission

The 2007 appropriations bill (H.R. 5672) has passed in the House and the relevant Senate subcommittee. It is waiting for a vote before the full Senate Committee on Appropriations (as of mid-July 2006), chaired by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS). It includes $441 million for UN peacekeeping in all of Sudan, which includes the existing mission in southern Sudan. This will not be enough to support both this mission and a likely mission to Darfur. At least an additional $100 million will be necessary for 2007. The United States is responsible for over 25 percent of all UN peacekeeping dues, and having sufficient funding will facilitate the deployment of a mission to Darfur.

Support for NATO assistance in Darfur

In March 2006, Sen. Biden (D-DE) introduced a resolution (h. Res. 723) calling for a NATO-established no-fly zone and a NATO bridging force on the ground in Darfur to protect civilians in the interim until a UN mission can be deployed. This resolution passed unanimously. The companion resolution in the House (H. Res. 723) has 117 co-sponsors as of mid-July 2006, but it is stalled in the International Relations Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL).