[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 237 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 237

   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Senate 
  Committee on Foreign Relations should hold hearings and the Senate 
    should act on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
                 Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 19, 1999

Mrs. Boxer (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. 
  Feinstein, Ms. Collins, Ms. Landrieu, and Ms. Snowe) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was ordered to lie over, under the rule

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States Senate 
  Committee on Foreign Relations should hold hearings and the Senate 
    should act on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
                 Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Whereas the United States has shown leadership in promoting human rights, 
        including the rights of women and girls, and was instrumental in the 
        development of international human rights treaties and norms, including 
        the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of 
        Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW);
Whereas the Senate has already agreed to the ratification of several important 
        human rights treaties, including the Genocide Convention, the Convention 
        Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
        Rights, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial 
        Discrimination;
Whereas CEDAW establishes a worldwide commitment to combat discrimination 
        against women and girls;
Whereas 165 countries of the world have ratified or acceded to CEDAW and the 
        United States is among a small minority of countries, including 
        Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, and Sudan, which have not;
Whereas CEDAW is helping combat violence and discrimination against women and 
        girls around the world;
Whereas CEDAW has had a significant and positive impact on legal developments in 
        countries as diverse as Uganda, Colombia, Brazil, and South Africa, 
        including, on citizenship rights in Botswana and Japan, inheritance 
        rights in Tanzania, property rights and political participation in Costa 
        Rica;
Whereas the Administration has proposed a small number of reservations, 
        understandings, and declarations to ensure that U.S. ratification fully 
        complies with all constitutional requirements, including states' and 
        individuals' rights;
Whereas the legislatures of California, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New 
        York, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Vermont have endorsed U.S. 
        ratification of CEDAW;
Whereas more than one hundred U.S.-based, civic, legal, religious, education, 
        and environmental organizations, including many major national 
        membership organizations, support U.S. ratification of CEDAW;
Whereas ratification of CEDAW would allow the United States to nominate a 
        representative to the CEDAW oversight committee; and
Whereas 1999 is the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of CEDAW by the UN 
        General Assembly: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should hold 
        hearings on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
        Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); and
            (2) the Senate should act on CEDAW by March 8, 2000, 
        International Women's Day.
                                 <all>