STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2065-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.C.R. No. 185

S.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 185, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DENOUNCING RUSSIA'S ACTIONS CAUSING A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN UKRAINE AND URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO SUPPORT UKRAINIAN REFUGEES AND TO INCREASE THE REFUGEE LIMITS FOR THE UNITED STATES AND INCREASE FUNDING RELATED TO THOSE EFFORTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to denounce Russia's actions causing a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and urge the United States Congress to take concrete action to support Ukrainian refugees and to increase the refugee limits for the United States and increase funding related to those efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Community Services.

Your Committee finds that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a devastating humanitarian crisis, with millions of Ukrainians, many of them women, children, and the elderly, fleeing the country. Your Committee further finds that countries like Poland, Romania, and Moldova are taking a disproportionate number of Ukrainian refugees compared to the rest of the world. According to the UN Refugee Agency, as of March 31, 2022, Poland had received 2,384,814 refugees, Romania had received 623,627 refugees, and Moldova had received 390,1987 refugees. Although the United States has taken some steps toward helping Ukrainian refugees, your Committee finds that additional, concrete steps should be taken to provide further support to address this ongoing crisis.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 185, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Culture, Arts, & International Affairs,

____________________________

CEDRIC ASUEGA GATES, Chair