[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 404 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 404

    Congratulating the people and Governments of Argentina, Chile, 
   Guatemala, and Uruguay for completing their recent and successful 
                     democratic national elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2000

Mr. Gallegly submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Congratulating the people and Governments of Argentina, Chile, 
   Guatemala, and Uruguay for completing their recent and successful 
                     democratic national elections.

Whereas on October 24, 1999, approximately 20 million Argentines, representing 
        80 percent of all registered voters went to the polls, and elected a new 
        President for the first time in 10 years;
Whereas this election, the fourth successive free Presidential election in 
        Argentina since democracy was restored in 1983, was celebrated as a true 
        consolidation of democracy by both major political parties;
  Whereas on November 23, 1999, with close to 95 percent of the 2.2 million 
        registered voters going to the polls, the people of Uruguay elected 
        their first President since the implementation of new constitutional 
        reforms enacted in 1996;
Whereas this election, the fourth consecutive free, democratic, Presidential 
        election held in Uruguay since the end of military rule, reflects the 
        deepening of democracy in that country;
Whereas on November 7, 1999, the people of Guatemala went to the polls to elect 
        national leaders for the first time since the signing of the 1996 peace 
        accords which ended over 30 years of internal conflict;
Whereas on December 26, 1999, 41 percent of the registered voters of Guatemala 
        completed the second round of what has been called the most important 
        election in Guatemala's modern history by electing a new President;
Whereas on January 16, 2000, with close to 7 million of the 8 million registered 
        voters going to the polls, the people of Chile completed their second 
        round of voting for a new executive and elected the first Chilean 
        President representing the center-left coalition since 1973;
Whereas the January election represents rising expectations that a strong 
        economic and cultural consolidation may take place in the southern 
        portion of Latin America;
Whereas all of these elections demonstrate the strength and diversity of each 
        nation's democracy and signal a growing confidence that all political 
        parties, however diverse, can work cooperatively to strengthen the 
        consolidation of democracy in the hemisphere; and
Whereas these open, fair, and democratic elections should be broadly commended: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates the people and Governments of Argentina, 
        Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay for the successful completion of 
        democratic multiparty elections for President;
            (2) congratulates Presidents Fernando de La Rua of 
        Argentina, Jorge Battle of Uruguay, Alfonso Portillo of 
        Guatemala, and Ricardo Lagos of Chile on their recent election 
        victories and their strong commitment to democracy and free-
        market oriented economies;
            (3) commends all the citizens and political parties of 
        Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay for their 
        participation in the democratic process and their strong 
        support for the strengthening of their democracies; and
            (4) reaffirms United States friendship with each nation and 
        our unequivocal commitment to encouraging democracy and 
        peaceful development throughout Latin America.
                                 <all>