WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) will hold a press conference on Thursday April 10, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. in the House Radio/TV Gallery (H-321) to urge Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to use a small portion of Iraq’s expected $25 billion surplus to address the serious refugee crisis.

Mr. Delahunt, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight has held a series of hearings examining the plight of the nearly five million Iraqis who have been displaced by violence. Over 2.5 million Iraqis are internally displaced (the “IDPs”) and another 2 million have fled to neighboring countries.

With the increase in the price of oil, the Iraqi Government is expected to end the year with a budgetary surplus of $25 billion. This week, Delahunt joined with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to invite other Members to co-sponsor a letter to Prime Minister al-Maliki asking that Iraq provide $1 billion of this surplus to help the displaced. In addition to Mr. Hastings, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Joe Pitts (R-PA), Frank Wolff (R-VA), Chris Shays (R-CT), and Bob Inglis (R-SC) have also signed on.

Who:  Reps. Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Alcee Hastings (D-FL)

What:  Press conference to announce letter to al-Maliki on Iraqi Refugee Crisis

Where:  H-321, House Radio/TV Gallery

When:  1:00 PM., Thursday April 10, 2008

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