[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 67 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 67

Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the news media and 
freedom of expression are vital to the development and consolidation of 
democracy in Russia and that the United States should actively support 
                             such freedoms.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 23, 1999

 Mr. Lantos (for himself, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Gejdenson, and Mr. Bereuter) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
   the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the 
    Committee on Banking and Financial Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the news media and 
freedom of expression are vital to the development and consolidation of 
democracy in Russia and that the United States should actively support 
                             such freedoms.

Whereas the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union has brought 
        new and unique opportunities for democratic political change and the 
        development of market-oriented economic reform in Russia, but the recent 
        economic difficulties in that country have created turbulent and 
        difficult conditions for the Russian people;
Whereas one of the most important means of assuring the continuation of 
        democratic government and the ultimate guarantee of individual freedom 
        and respect for human rights is an open, independent and free news 
        media;
Whereas a free news media can exist only in an environment that is free of state 
        control of the news media, that is free of any form of state censorship 
        or official coercion of any kind, and that is protected and guaranteed 
        by the rule of law;
Whereas freedom of the news media and freedom of expression in Russia today are 
        threatened by elements in the Government, the Duma and elsewhere 
        throughout Russian society which are opposed to freedom of the press and 
        freedom of expression;
Whereas the State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
        1998 notes that ``federal, regional, and local governments continued to 
        exert pressure on journalists by depriving them of access to 
        information, using accreditation procedures to limit access, removing 
        them from their jobs and bringing libel suits against them, and 
        violating their human rights'';
Whereas the Country Reports further notes that in the past year ``between 250 
        and 300 lawsuits and other legal actions were brought by the Government 
        against journalists and journalistic organizations during the year in 
        response to unfavorable coverage of government policy or operations'' 
        and ``in the vast majority of such cases, the Government succeeded in 
        either intimidating or punishing the journalist''; and
Whereas the Duma recently adopted legislation establishing a ``Supreme Council'' 
        with a mandate to review the content of television and radio programs 
        and authority to suspend and/or revoke a broadcaster's license: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) a free news media is vital to the development and 
        consolidation of democracy and the development of a civil 
        society in Russia;
            (2) freedom of the news media and freedom of expression 
        must be safeguarded against those forces which would limit or 
        suppress these fundamental human rights;
            (3) Russian Government leaders, including the President, 
        the Prime Minister, and Members of the Russian Parliament, 
        should fully support freedom of the news media and the right of 
        free expression in Russia;
            (4) the United States should actively support freedom of 
        expression and freedom of the news media through our programs 
        of assistance to Russia;
            (5) when considering requests by the Russian government for 
        loans or other economic assistance from the International 
        Monetary Fund and other international financial institutions, 
        the United States government should take into account the 
        extent to which Russian government authorities support the 
        full, free, and unfettered freedom of the news media and 
        freedom of expression in deciding whether to support such 
        requests; and
            (6) the President and the Secretary of State are requested 
        to convey to appropriate Russian Government officials, 
        including the President, the Prime Minister, and the Minister 
        of Foreign Affairs, this expression of the views of the 
        Congress.
                                 <all>