Earl Blumenauer: “As we approach the last week of our work this session, there are 2 million people trapped in the unfolding nightmare in…”

“As we approach the last week of our work this session, there are 2 million people trapped in the unfolding nightmare in Darfur; 500 people a day being killed as we prepare for the holiday season. Since we are going to be delaying the work of the House until the end of January, this week is also the last chance for us to act to at least keep the African Union peacekeepers on the job; 7,300 people for an area the size of Texas seems like a fragile reed with which to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The Defense Appropriations train leaving the station could contain $50 million, which would be the smallest of steps to halt what all of us here say we condemn. We all ought to ask ourselves what we are going to do about it this week. ____________________”