On December 6, the House approved, by voice vote, a bill (S. 2125) to increase aid and promote security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The House International Relations Committee approved the measure on September 13 (see The Source, 9/15/06). The Senate approved S. 2125 on June 29 (see The Source, 6/30/06). The bill will now go to the White House for President Bush’s signature.
Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) stated, “More than 40,000 women and children have been systematically raped and tortured at the hands of the armed forces of the Congo, perpetrators of genocide from neighboring Rwanda and an increasing intricate array of militia groups.” He commended the legislation for promoting “accountability for those who have committed atrocities and gross human rights violations.”
Noting that “more than 600 Congolese children die every single day, and even more are displaced, sexually abused or victimized by abduction as child soldiers,” Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) called the bill “an important step on the long road towards bringing peace and prosperity to the Congo.”
