[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 521 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 521

     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that in 
 international negotiations, including United Nations conferences, the 
    United States should defend fundamental human rights to family, 
                         conscience, and life.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2000

Mr. DeMint (for himself, Mr. Pitts, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Shadegg, Mr. Weldon 
 of Florida, Mr. Graham, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. 
Coburn, Mr. Souder, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. McIntosh, 
  Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Terry, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. Hayes, and Mr. Istook) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that in 
 international negotiations, including United Nations conferences, the 
    United States should defend fundamental human rights to family, 
                         conscience, and life.

Whereas, since 1985, there have been a series of conferences organized by the 
        United Nations to address women's rights and health;
Whereas one of these United Nations conferences, Beijing+5 occurred the week of 
        June 5, 2000;
Whereas some international delegations, including the U.S. delegation, are 
        promoting a new term ``sexual rights'', which could apply not only to 
        adults, but also to children as young as 10 years old;
Whereas this broad and vague language could promote the sexual abuse of children 
        and deny parents' rights to protect their children;
Whereas this broad and vague phrase ``sexual rights'' could also promote the 
        spread of prostitution worldwide;
Whereas, according to newspaper reports, the U.S. delegation to the Beijing+5 
        conference is ``leading efforts to avoid condemning prostitution as a 
        `form of abuse' of women'';
Whereas, according to reports, in recent negotiations at the U.N. Convention on 
        Transnational Organized Crime in Vienna, the administration has 
        supported limiting international efforts to combat ``forced 
        prostitution'';
Whereas the prostitution of women and children in any form and under any 
        circumstances constitutes exploitation;
Whereas prostitution degrades women and children by treating them as commodities 
        rather than human beings worthy of respect;
Whereas prostitution has detrimental effect on society as a whole including 
        ruined lives and increased health care, law enforcement, and welfare 
        costs;
Whereas prostitution contributes to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, 
        including HIV;
Whereas the vast majority of women and children who are forced, enticed, or 
        otherwise induced to consent to participate in prostitution come from 
        the lowest socioeconomic strata in society;
Whereas the United States delegation reportedly opposes language that calls the 
        pornography industry an exploiter of women; and
Whereas, in article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Member 
        States declared, ``The family is the natural and fundamental group unit 
        of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State'': 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges the President of 
the United States to direct any present or future U.S. delegations to 
worldwide conferences to:
            (1) adopt a negotiating policy that prostitution in any 
        form or circumstance degrades human dignity and violates basic 
        human rights;
            (2) oppose broad and vague ``sexual rights'' language for 
        adults and children;
            (3) call upon the international community to end all forms 
        of prostitution and aggressively pursue organizations and 
        individuals exploiting women and children through prostitution; 
        and
            (4) defend the fundamental human rights to family, 
        conscience, and life.
                                 <all>