Introducing the African Descent Affaris Act in Recognitions of the International Decade for People of African Descent

Floor Speech

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Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill recognizing persons of African descent on the occasion of the December 10, 2014 launch of the International Decade for People of African Descent.
As our country fights to realize justice for Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Aiyana Jones, John Warner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and many others, we must not forget the names--Stephen Lawrence, Oury Jalloh, Mark Duggan, Zyed Benna, Bouna Traore, and many others--who are victims of similar injustices in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

The International Decade provides an opportunity to join efforts with countries around the globe to, over the next 10 years, develop and implement national strategies honoring the vast contributions of people of African Descent and to combat continuing issues of prejudice and discrimination such as those currently gripping our nation.

To aid these efforts, I have introduced the African Descent Affairs Act. The Act seeks to improve the situation of people of African descent around the world by establishing within our State Department a Global Office of African Descent Affairs to establish global foreign policy and assistance strategies for people of African descent. Furthermore, it creates a ``President Obama Fund'' to support anti-discrimination and empowerment efforts by African descent-led civil society organizations, and requires annual State Department human rights reports to include a section on discrimination faced by people of African descent. U.S. foreign policy strategies such as these have improved the situation of vulnerable groups internationally and would greatly assist in responding to increasing levels of prejudice and discrimination faced by people of African descent around the globe.

The International Decade reaffirms the importance of inclusion and the full and equal participation of people of African descent around the world in all aspects of political, economic, social, and cultural life. I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the collective history and achievements made by people of African descent on the occasion of the launch of the Decade by supporting the African Descent Affairs Act.

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