Darfur Peace and Accountability Act ( HR 3127).  It was introduced in the House by Reps. Hyde, Payne, Smith, Lantos, Royce,  Tancredo, Wolf, Jackson-Lee, and Capuano.

Highlights of the bill include:

 --Sense of Congress language reaffirming the finding of genocide, urging expansion and a stronger mandate for the AU mission; calling on the U.S. to render assistance to efforts of the ICC in Darfur; calling for "additional, dispositive measures" if the AU mission fails to stop the genocide; and calling for appointment of a Presidential Envoy for Sudan;

--Asset and travel sanctions against individuals designated by the President as responsible for atrocities in Darfur (allowing a Presidential waiver);

--Authorization to the Administration to provide assistance to reinforce the AU mission (AMIS), "including but not limited to"

logistics, transport, communications, training, command and control, technical, and aerial surveillance;

--Instructions to use the U.S. voice, vote, and influence to advocate NATO reinforcement of AMIS, "including but not limited to" assets to deter air strikes against civilians, logistical, transport, communications, training, technical, command and control, aerial surveillance, and intelligence support;

--Denial of entry at U.S. ports to cargo ships or oil tankers engaged in business or trade in the oil sector of Sudan or involved in the shipment of goods for use by Sudan Armed Forces;

--Prohibition of non-humanitarian assistance from countries which violate the military embargo imposed by UNSCR 1556 and 1591;

--Direction to the Administration to pursue passages of a UNSC resolution expanding AMIS, pressing on peace talks, imposing individual sanctions, and calling for suspension of Sudan's rights and privileges of membership in the General Assembly; and,

--Reporting requirements on sanctions imposed by the Comprehensive Peace in Sudan Act (2004) and on the status of the AMIS mission and U.S. assistance to it.

While the new legislation doesn't include explicit authorization for the use of force or the establishment of a no fly zone, we think that it does provide the President with broad flexibility to reiforce the African Union mission.  Hopefully, it will put more pressure on the Administration to take action.

Martha Heinemann

Save Darfur Coalition

www.savedarfur.org

202.682.9224