Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding so-called "honor killings".

Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States: (1) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), should work with foreign law enforcement and judicial agencies to enact legal system reforms to more effectively address the investigation and prosecution of "honor crimes" (where women around the world are killed and maimed in the name of family honor) and make resources available to local organizations to provide refuge and rehabilitation for victims of such crimes and their children; and (2) should communicate its concern over the high rate of honor-related violence toward women worldwide to the United Nations (UN) and request that the appropriate UN bodies propose actions to be taken to encourage these countries to demonstrate strong efforts to end the violence.

Calls for: (1) the Department of State to include in yearly Country Reports on Human Rights Practices information relating to the incidence of "honor violence" in foreign countries, the steps taken by foreign governments to address the problem, and all relevant actions taken by the United States to reduce the incidence of such violence and to increase investigations and prosecutions of such crimes; and (2) the President and the Secretary of State to communicate directly with leaders of countries where "honor killings," dowry deaths, and related practices are endemic, to convey the Nation's concerns over these human rights violations and urge these leaders to investigate and prosecute such acts as murder.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov