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K00630 Summary:

BILL NOK00630
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORCahill
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
 
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K00630 Text:

 
Assembly Resolution No. 630
 
BY: M. of A. Cahill
 
        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        June  20, 2017, as World Refugee Day in the State of
        New York, in conjunction with the observance of  the
        United Nations World Refugee Day
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness  of  issues  that
affect the lives of citizens of New York State and the world; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Office  of  the  United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees was established in December of  1950  to  lead  and  coordinate
international  action  to  protect refugees and resolve refugee problems
worldwide; and
 
  WHEREAS The United Nations  High  Commissioner  for  Refugees  (UNHCR)
reports that there are more refugees in the world today than at any time
since World War II, and half of the world's refugees are children; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The UNHCR has determined that 1.19 million refugees are in
need of immediate resettlement; and
 
  WHEREAS These refugees  who  need  to  be  resettled  include  torture
survivors,  people  with  severe  medical conditions, LGBTI individuals,
children alone, and women and children at risk - all of whom who  cannot
return  home  and cannot stay in their host country due to their extreme
vulnerability; and
 
  WHEREAS These refugees are  also  fleeing  armed  conflict  and  human
rights  abuses  in  Africa,  the  Middle  East,  Southeast Asia, Central
America, and other regions; and
 
  WHEREAS, According to the United  Nations  every  minute  24  people
leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror; and
 
  WHEREAS  Amnesty  International  reports  that  more  than half of the
world's refugees are hosted by only 10  countries,  and  many  of  these
countries  do  not have adequate resources to keep refugees fed, housed,
or safe, leaving some refugees to survive on less  than  fifty  cents  a
day; and
 
  WHEREAS  According  to  the  United  Nations a refugee does not get to
choose to be resettled in the United States or the country of his or her
choice; and
 
  WHEREAS, Even if a refugee is a candidate for  resettlement  in  the
United  States,  he  or  she  must  still be found admissible under U.S.
immigration law; and
 
  WHEREAS, Refugees are the  most  vetted  individuals  to  enter  the
United  States and must undergo an 18-24 month process, which, according
to the U.S. Department of State,  includes  biometric  security  checks,
Department  of  Homeland  Security interviews, cultural orientation, and
medical checks; and
 
 
  WHEREAS,   According   to  the  U.S.  Department  of  Temporary  and
Disability Assistance, between October 1, 2016 and March 31,  2017,  the
United States admitted 39,098 refugees; and
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  important  to  pay  tribute  to  the dedication of
humanitarian workers both domestically and abroad who devote their lives
to ensuring that vulnerable people can find a home; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Office of Refugee Resettlement at the  U.S.  Department
of  Health  and  Human  Services  has released that International Rescue
Committee (IRC), Hebrew  Immigrant  Aid  Society  (HIAS),  Church  World
Service (CWS), Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), Episcopal
Migration  Ministries  (EMM),  United  States Committee for Refugees and
Immigrants (USCRI), Lutheran Immigration and  Refugee  Services  (LIRS),
United  States  Conference  of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and World Relief
Corporation (WR), some of the organizations responsible  for  resettling
refugees   in   our  community,  along  with  numerous  other  community
organizations and religious institutions have resettled more than  5,028
refugees  in  New  York  since  October 2015 from more than 40 countries
including Afghanistan, Burma, Iraq and Syria; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and
Migration data consistently ranks New York among the  top  five  in  the
Nation for accepting refugees; and
 
  WHEREAS,  There  continue  to be individuals and families in need of
refuge and the support of New York State; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That the New York State Assembly declares its support  for
the  resettlement  of  refugees in New York State and urges other states
and local communities  to  join  in  supporting  a  national  effort  to
resettle the most vulnerable refugees; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew Cuomo to proclaim June 20,  2017,  as  World
Refugee Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance
of United Nations World Refugee Day; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M Cuomo, Governor of  the  State  of
New  York,  and  Filippo  Grandi,  United  Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees.
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