Political Quotes

“Mr. President, this Sunday, June 20, the world will observe the tenth annual World Refugee Day. On this day, we call attention to humanity's efforts, through the United Nations, the work of individual governments, and of nongovernmental organizations, to alleviate the plight of those forced from their homes by conflict or hatred. Sadly, while the world's commitment to these refugees is great, the scope of the problem is even greater. Last year, more than 43 million people were forcibly displaced from their homes, the largest number since the mid-1990s. At the same time, data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees show that the number of refugees who resettled in 2009 was at the lowest level in two decades. These figures, just for 2009, include more than 2.8 million people who have fled homes in Afghanistan, more than 1.7 million people from Iraq, more than half a million in Somalia, nearly half a million from the Democratic Republic of Congo. These stunning numbers represent the human cost of humanity's inability to live in peace. These seemingly endless millions represent mothers who struggle to feed their babies, children unable to go to school, families without dependable access to clean water or food or medical care. They are without homes, and if the world is silent to their pleas for aid, they will be without hope. Fortunately, this human tragedy has prompted global action, with the United States in the lead. The Refugee Act of 1980 guides U.S.…”