[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 250 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 250

   Expressing the sense of the Congress in support of efforts by the 
  Government of Mexico, and the major political parties and concerned 
 members of civic society in Mexico, to reform Mexico's political and 
        electoral processes and ensure free and fair elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 17, 1994

Mr. Bonior (for himself, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Berman, Mr. Brown of Ohio, 
  Mr. Engel, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. LaFalce, Mr. 
 Lewis of Georgia, Mrs. Meek, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mr. Rush, Mr. 
   Serrano, Mrs. Thurman, Ms. Velazquez, and Mr. Wynn) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Congress in support of efforts by the 
  Government of Mexico, and the major political parties and concerned 
 members of civic society in Mexico, to reform Mexico's political and 
        electoral processes and ensure free and fair elections.

Whereas the United States and Mexico share a common border;
Whereas the people of the United States and the people of Mexico have extensive 
        cultural and historical ties that bind together families and communities 
        across national boundaries;
Whereas a close relationship between the United States and Mexico, based on 
        mutual respect and understanding, is important to the peoples of both 
        nations;
Whereas the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is designed to increase 
        trade, promote expanded economic activity, and enhance cooperation on 
        issues of mutual interest between the United States and Mexico, entered 
        into force on January 1, 1994;
Whereas the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement presents 
        new opportunities for an even closer relationship between the United 
        States and Mexico;
Whereas the development of such a relationship is currently hampered by several 
        obstacles, including allegations of irregularities in Mexico's electoral 
        process;
Whereas since 1929 Mexico's ruling Revolutionary Institutional Party has 
        maintained exclusive control over Mexico's electoral apparatus, 
        including voter registration lists and processes, vote tabulation 
        systems, and all bodies responsible for election oversight, review, and 
        certification;
Whereas assertions have previously surfaced that the ruling party has 
        inappropriately manipulated this apparatus to win municipal, state, and 
        federal elections;
Whereas specific instances of electoral irregularities and fraud were widely 
        reported during elections held in the State of Yucatan in December 1993, 
        including voter turnout rates that approached or exceeded 100 percent in 
        at least 20 voting districts and a statewide electrical power failure as 
        ballots were being counted;
Whereas specific instances of electoral fraud were widely reported during 
        elections held in the State of Morelos in March 1994, including massive 
        manipulation of the electoral registry;
Whereas the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
        1993 outlines continuing reports of serious abuses of human rights and 
        labor rights, and serious abuses of indigenous populations in Mexico, 
        which many analysts trace to a lack of genuine democracy in Mexico's 
        political system;
Whereas this history and pattern of events have contributed to growing concerns 
        on the eve of national elections scheduled for August 1994 about 
        political and social stability in Mexico, highlighted by armed unrest in 
        the State of Chiapas, and by civil demonstrations calling for democratic 
        reform throughout the country;
Whereas Mexican leaders from across the political spectrum have recognized the 
        need for political and electoral reform and have begun to take steps to 
        achieve these goals;
Whereas in January 1994 Mexico's major political parties joined together in an 
        agreement, known as the Agreement for Peace, Democracy and Justice, 
        designed to reform Mexico's electoral system and to establish procedures 
        for free and fair elections;
Whereas this agreement calls for the establishment of an independent election-
        monitoring authority and requirements that all parties receive fair 
        treatment by the mass media;
Whereas the Government of Mexico announced in February 1994 its intention to 
        present an electoral reform package to a special legislative session of 
        the Mexican Congress, including provisions that would place 
        international visitors at polling stations, guarantee egalitarian media 
        access for all political parties, and put the Federal Electoral 
        Institute under nonpartisan direction;
Whereas the Mexican Congress met in a special session in March 1994 to adopt the 
        constitutional amendments that are needed to form the basis of these 
        electoral reforms, and met in April and May 1994 to adopt the necessary 
        statutory changes;
Whereas the presence of international observers can enhance the confidence of 
        the Mexican people that their votes will be respected; and
Whereas the spirit of the North American Free Trade Agreement requires the 
        United States and Mexico to cooperate in achieving high standards of 
        democracy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) expresses its support for the efforts of the Government 
        of Mexico and the major political parties and concerned members 
        of civic society in Mexico to reform that country's political 
        and electoral processes and to ensure free and fair elections;
            (2) urges the Government of Mexico and the major political 
        parties and concerned members of civic society in Mexico to 
        implement fully in law and in practice, in advance of the 
        August 1994 elections, the reforms enumerated in the Agreement 
        for Peace, Democracy and Justice of January 1994, including--
                    (A) the establishment of impartial and autonomous 
                electoral authorities at the federal, state, and local 
                levels;
                    (B) guaranteed egalitarian access to the media;
                    (C) assuring the reliability of the electoral 
                register and voter identification lists; and
                    (D) prohibition of the use of public resources for 
                the benefit of any political party or electoral 
                campaign; and
            (3) endorses the invitation extended by the Government of 
        Mexico, and the major political parties and concerned members 
        of civic society in Mexico, to representatives of the United 
        Nations to provide technical assistance to domestic Mexican 
        election observers, supports the expansion of that invitation 
        to include full scale international observation of the upcoming 
        elections, and encourages representatives of the United Nations 
        to work closely and directly with domestic Mexican observers 
        during that process.

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