Recognizes April 4, 2025, as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, reaffirming U.S. leadership in eliminating landmines and unexploded ordnance worldwide.
Tammy Baldwin
Senator
WI
This resolution recognizes April 4, 2025, as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, reaffirming U.S. leadership in eliminating landmines and unexploded ordnance. It acknowledges the global impact of these hazards, highlights U.S. efforts in providing assistance for conventional weapons destruction, and reaffirms the commitment to supporting humanitarian demining efforts worldwide, including the goal of clearing mined areas by 2025. The resolution also recognizes communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, including the many Hmong, Cham, Cambodian, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Lao, Montagnard, and Vietnamese people who supported and defended the United States Armed Forces during the conflict in Southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s. It urges continued U.S. funding and leadership in addressing mine contamination as a critical humanitarian issue.
Senate Resolution Designates April 4, 2025 for Mine Awareness, Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to Global Demining Efforts
This Senate resolution officially recognizes April 4, 2025, as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. More than just marking a date, it serves as a strong statement reaffirming the United States' long-standing leadership role and financial commitment to clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) – dangerous remnants of conflict – across the globe.
The Lingering Threat Underfoot
The resolution doesn't mince words about the ongoing danger. It highlights that landmines and UXO remain a deadly threat in at least 60 countries, contributing to over 141,500 recorded deaths and injuries since 2001. Think about everyday activities – farming, kids playing, rebuilding communities – all made perilous by these hidden hazards. The text specifically notes the recent surge in contamination in places like Ukraine, where an estimated third of the country needs demining, alongside ongoing challenges in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Burma. It also gives a nod to the lasting impact in Southeast Asia, recognizing the communities in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who were allies during past conflicts and still live with the consequences.
U.S. Role and Renewed Pledge
The resolution underscores the significant U.S. investment in tackling this problem: over $5.09 billion provided to more than 125 countries since 1993 for conventional weapons destruction, plus over $350 million from USAID's Leahy War Victims Fund since 1989. It explicitly backs the goals of the 2014 Maputo Declaration, which aims for significant progress in clearing mined areas. By passing this resolution, the Senate signals its intent to continue supporting these vital international demining programs, maintain U.S. leadership in the field, and keep the focus on clearing these dangerous legacies of war as a critical humanitarian priority. It's a formal acknowledgment of the risks faced by deminers and a commitment to helping create safer ground worldwide.