Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 95.djvu/36

 95 STAT. 10

PUBLIC LAW 97-8—APR. 9, 1981 Public Law 97-8 97th Congress Joint Resolution

Apr. 9, 1981 [S.J. Res. 61]

African Refugee Relief Day. Designation authorization.

To authorize and request the President to issue a proclamation designating April 9, 1981, as "African Refugee Relief Day".

Whereas there are more than four million refugees on the continent of Africa, and more than half of the world's refugees are African; Whereas these refugees, who are primarily women and children, have typically crossed hundreds of miles to escape the ravages of armed conflict, drought, and political unrest; Whereas world attention has focused on the plight of the more than one million refugees in Somalia who have fled the war in Ogaden, are suffering greatly from disease and malnutrition, and are being housed in overcrowded camps in which more than 90 per centum of the refugees are women and children; Whereas approximately twenty-seven African countries are confronted with refugee problems, and generally lack sufficient resources to provide these victims with necessary sustenance; and Whereas the Organization for African Unity and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees mil convene an international conference in Geneva on April 9 and 10, 1981, to develop a plan of action to respond to this grave crises: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation designating April 9, 1981, as "African Refugee Relief Day" and calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day by (1) increasing their awareness of the plight of African refugees; and (2) foregoing one meal and using the funds that otherwise would have been spent on such meal to make contributions to recognized private voluntary agencies providing care and relief for such refugees. Approved April 9, 1981.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 61: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 127 (1981): Apr. 7, considered and passed Senate and House.

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