# What This Resolution About El Salvador Actually Does

This is a resolution—basically a formal statement of what Congress believes and wants to happen—about the United States' role in El Salvador's civil war that ended in 1992. The resolution acknowledges that America provided significant military support to the Salvadoran government during a brutal 12-year conflict that killed over 75,000 people, and it calls on the U.S. government to take several steps to help address the ongoing damage from that war.

The resolution lays out a historical record of what happened: the U.S. funded and trained the Salvadoran military throughout the 1980s, and according to a UN Truth Commission investigation, the government forces we supported were responsible for over 85 percent of the killings, torture, and disappearances. The resolution specifically mentions major atrocities like the El Mozote massacre in 1981, where Salvadoran soldiers trained by the U.S. killed roughly 1,000 civilians including hundreds of children. It also details the 1989 murder of six Jesuit priests by Salvadoran military members. By documenting this history, the resolution is essentially saying the U.S. bears some responsibility for what happened and should help fix the problems that resulted.

What the resolution actually asks for includes: the President formally acknowledging U.S. involvement in the war, increased American funding for education, violence prevention, job training, and human rights protections in El Salvador, and extending legal protections for Salvadorans currently in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status. It also urges Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for these immigrants and pursue broader immigration reform. The resolution recognizes that many Salvadorans fled to the U.S. to escape the violence, and some later formed gangs that continue causing problems today—suggesting that better support for El Salvador and for Salvadoran immigrants could help address these ongoing issues.

Acknowledging the role of the United States in El Salvador's civil war and urging increased United States support for strengthening civil society, human rights protections, and for humanitarian and development assistance for El Salvador.

Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]

 <p>This resolution urges the President to formally acknowledge U.S. involvement in the civil war in El Salvador from 1979-1992. The resolution also condemns the atrocities committed by all sides of the war and supports transitional justice for the victims.</p>