Save Darfur Coalition Praises House Passage of Funds for Darfur Peacekeeping, Humanitarian Aid

Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Subcommittee Chairwoman Lowey, Ranking Member Wolf ensure that critical needs are met

WASHINGTON – The Save Darfur Coalition praised the House of Representatives for its appropriation yesterday of approximately $800 million in supplemental assistance targeted at protecting Darfuri civilians, advancing diplomacy, supporting democratic elections and meeting pressing humanitarian needs in Darfur and throughout Sudan.

“The House approved these funds at a critical time when the security situation for Darfuris throughout Sudan is extremely precarious and the humanitarian situation is increasingly dire,” said Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler.

This section of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 (H.R. 2642), which passed the House by a vote of 256-166, includes crucial funding to protect civilians by training, equipping and operating the UNAMID civilian protection force. In addition, the bill contains urgently needed funds for emergency food aid, funds to assist the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan to ramp up diplomacy to secure a lasting political solution to the crisis and resources to assist in preparation for a potentially watershed national election in Sudan next year.

“The coalition commends Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, Subcommittee Ranking Member Frank Wolf and Speaker Nancy Pelosi for making Darfur a priority,” said Fowler. “Despite difficult budgetary pressures and many competing priorities, both domestic and international, Congress has echoed the growing constituency of conscience in this nation and made clear that it will not stand idly by while genocide takes place in Darfur.”