PRINTER'S NO. 2109
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
137
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY D. WILLIAMS, KINSEY, SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS,
N. NELSON, SANCHEZ, HERRIN, ISAACSON, FREEMAN, SAPPEY,
HOHENSTEIN, STURLA, FITZGERALD, GILLEN, SCHWEYER, WEBSTER,
MALAGARI AND MADDEN, SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
A RESOLUTION
Urging the administrations of President Joseph Biden and
Governor Tom Wolf to work together on resettlement efforts of
Afghan refugees in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Weeks before the scheduled withdrawal of American
forces, the Taliban led a military campaign to retake control of
Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of Afghan civilians attempted to flee the
country after the fall of Afghanistan's capital Kabul; and
WHEREAS, Afghans and foreign nationals attempting to escape
through Hamid Karzai International Airport were made to pass
through Taliban checkpoints; and
WHEREAS, Scenes at the airport were chaotic; and
WHEREAS, Tens of thousands of Afghans risked their lives to
help the United States military in Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, United States military veterans are angry and
frustrated that so many of their Afghan colleagues have been
abandoned in Afghanistan; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
WHEREAS, Over 300,000 Afghan civilians were affiliated with
the American mission in Afghanistan over the past two decades;
and
WHEREAS, Of the 300,000 Afghan civilians who were affiliated
with the American military, only a small portion qualified for
refugee protection in the United States; and
WHEREAS, A top priority of the Federal government has been to
evacuate the estimated 88,000 Afghans who directly aided the
American military; and
WHEREAS, In his speech to the nation on August 16, 2021,
President Joseph Biden stated there were plans to evacuate more
Afghan families; and
WHEREAS, The Biden Administration prepared to temporarily
relocate approximately 30,000 Afghans with special visas to two
military installations in Texas and Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, The Biden Administration negotiated with several
countries in the Middle East and central Asia to temporarily
host Afghans until they can be resettled in the United States;
and
WHEREAS, Since August 14, 2021, over 105,000 people have been
airlifted from Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, As of August 25, 2021, more than 8,600 evacuees have
arrived in the United States through Washington Dulles
International Airport in Virginia; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia International Airport was the
second airport in the nation to welcome Afghan refugees; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has a long history of accepting
refugees, including Anabaptists escaping religious persecution
in the 1700s and Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s; and
WHEREAS, Today, Lancaster County is known as the country's
20210HR0137PN2109 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
refugee capital due to resettlement efforts for individuals from
conflict-ridden countries; and
WHEREAS, According to the United States State Department,
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are two of 25 cities that the
Federal government plans to resettle Afghan special visa
holders; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania should make it clear that it is ready,
willing and able to accept Afghan refugees; and
WHEREAS, It would be unconscionable to permanently abandon
Afghans who risked their lives to support the United States and
our military; and
WHEREAS, Accepting Afghan refugees is a moral imperative;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
administrations of President Joseph Biden and Governor Tom Wolf
to work together on resettlement efforts of Afghan refugees in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, United
States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, United States
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, United States
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Pennsylvania Governor Tom
Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Acting
Secretary Meg Snead.
20210HR0137PN2109 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24