[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 417 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 417

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
    participation of the extremist FPO in the Government of Austria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2000

  Mr. Lantos (for himself, Mr. Horn, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. Crowley, Mrs. 
Morella, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Ackerman, 
Mr. Pallone, Mr. Gutierrez, and Ms. Schakowsky) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
    participation of the extremist FPO in the Government of Austria.

Whereas the extremist, racist, and xenophobic FPO has entered into a coalition 
        agreement and is participating in the new Government of Austria;
Whereas the leader of the FPO, Joerg Haider, praised Adolf Hitler's ``sound 
        employment policy'' and called Waffen SS veterans ``decent people with 
        character who stuck to their belief through the strongest headwinds'';
Whereas Joerg Haider and his party in the recent election campaign decried the 
        ``over-foreignization'' of Austria, which was an expression that was 
        coined and used by Nazi leaders;
Whereas at a time when the European Union, the United States, and other nations 
        are working actively to discourage ethnic hatred in the republics of the 
        former Yugoslavia and elsewhere, Joerg Haider shamelessly appealed to 
        racist sentiment and based his political campaign on racism and 
        xenophobia;
Whereas in the past Joerg Haider and his party have expressed fundamental 
        disagreement with the principles of freedom, democracy, and respect for 
        human rights, which are the foundation of a modern, democratic, open and 
        tolerant Europe and which Austria, as a member of the European Union, is 
        committed by treaty to uphold; and
Whereas the inclusion of the FPO in the Austrian governing coalition serves to 
        legitimize and encourage the extreme right in other countries of Europe: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the right of the Austrian people to express 
        their political views through a democratic election, but also 
        reaffirms the right and the obligation of the United States 
        House of Representatives to express its opposition to the anti-
        democratic, racist, and xenophobic views that have been 
        expressed by Joerg Haider and other leaders of the FPO, and, 
        because of these publicly expressed views, to state its 
        opposition to the party's participation in the Austrian 
        Government;
            (2) condemns the insulting, racist, and xenophobic 
        statements which have been made over many years by Joerg 
        Haider, the leader of the FPO, and by other leaders of the 
        party;
            (3) expresses profound regret and dismay that the FPO under 
        the leadership of Joerg Haider will play a major role in the 
        new Government of Austria;
            (4) commends the leaders of the European Union, the 
        fourteen other member states of the European Union, Canada, 
        Norway, and other countries which have expressed their serious 
        concerns regarding the participation of the FPO in the 
        Government of Austria;
            (5) calls upon the President, the Secretary of State, and 
        other officials and agencies of the United States Government to 
        emphasize to Austrian Government officials our dissatisfaction 
        with the inclusion of the FPO in the Government by, among other 
        things, (a) not promoting or accepting any official contacts at 
        a political level with officials of the Austrian Government 
        which includes the FPO, (b) giving no support to Austrian 
        candidates seeking positions in international organizations, 
        and (c) receiving ambassadors of Austria only at a technical 
        level;
            (6) urges Members of Congress to refuse to meet with 
        ministers and other political leaders of the Government of 
        Austria and to refuse to meet with members of the Austrian 
        Parliament who are members of the parties participating in the 
        governing coalition;
            (7) calls upon the American people and others to show their 
        strong disapproval of the participation of the FPO in the 
        Austrian governing coalition by refusing to travel to Austria, 
        to use Austrian products and services, including Austrian 
        airlines, and to invest in Austrian businesses; and
            (8) directs the Clerk of the House to send a copy of this 
        resolution to the Secretary of State with the request that it 
        be forwarded to the President of Austria.
                                 <all>