[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 80 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 80

   Expressing the sense of the Congress that an important factor in 
 relations between the United States and Romania, including whether to 
   restore most favored nation treatment to the products of Romania, 
 should be actions by the Government of Romania to improve conditions 
               for children institutionalized in Romania.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 7, 1993

   Mr. Gordon (for himself, Mr. Frost, Ms. Norton, Mr. Gallegly, Mr. 
Synar, Mr. Hall of Ohio, Mr. Neal of North Carolina, Mr. Towns, and Mr. 
    Lazio) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
  referred jointly to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Ways and 
                                 Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Congress that an important factor in 
 relations between the United States and Romania, including whether to 
   restore most favored nation treatment to the products of Romania, 
 should be actions by the Government of Romania to improve conditions 
               for children institutionalized in Romania.

Whereas the Romanian people endured 43 years of suffering under a repressive 
        Communist dictatorship installed by the Soviet Union that routinely 
        sanctioned severe violations of human rights;
Whereas this Communist regime, led by the late President Nicolae Ceausescu, had 
        a policy of placing orphans and children not wanted by their parents in 
        prison-like orphanages under unhealthy and degrading conditions;
Whereas the Romanian people have overthrown the Ceausescu regime and created a 
        new government under a constitution that guarantees human rights, 
        including protection of children and the young without regard to 
        handicap or to ethnic origin;
Whereas the new Government of Romania held local and national elections in 
        February and September 1992 that, while not perfect, were said by 
        international observers to be free and fair;
Whereas considerable progress has reportedly been made by the Government of 
        Romania in reducing human rights abuses;
Whereas the situation of orphans and the handicapped has improved with 
        international assistance in the three years since the Romanian 
        revolution brought to light the appalling conditions that existed for 
        children institutionalized in Romania, too many children remain housed 
        in institutions who, with appropriate medical care, could be adopted or 
        reintegrated into society;
Whereas some of these institutions continue to fail to provide adequate and 
        healthy conditions and do not meet European or United States norms for 
        facilities or therapy;
Whereas the Romanian Parliament is currently considering legislation to remove 
        certain impediments to legal adoption; and
Whereas Congress has considered restoring most favored nation treatment to the 
        products of Romania: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that an important factor in 
improving relations, including trade relations, with Romania, should be 
actions by the Government of Romania to--
            (1) improve the welfare of institutionalized children, 
        including those with handicaps and those who are members of 
        ethnic minorities; and
            (2) ease bureaucratic impediments to adoption not required 
        by consideration of the welfare of the children concerned.

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