[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 867 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 867

Expressing support for the work of the National Endowment for Democracy 
                             in Venezuela.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 20, 2004

 Mr. Lantos (for himself, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Berman, and Mr. 
Gallegly) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the work of the National Endowment for Democracy 
                             in Venezuela.

Whereas the 1999 Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela authorizes 
        Venezuelan citizens to petition for a recall vote on elected officials, 
        including the President of Venezuela;
Whereas a Venezuelan civic organization known as Sumate assisted Venezuelan 
        citizens to petition the Government of Venezuela for a recall referendum 
        on the mandate of President Hugo Chavez Frias;
Whereas a recall referendum on the mandate of President Hugo Chavez Frias was 
        held, and the recall of President Chavez was rejected by a majority of 
        voters on August 15, 2004;
Whereas the National Endowment for Democracy is a private, nonprofit 
        organization which was created in 1983 to strengthen democratic 
        institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts and enjoys 
        broad, bipartisan support in the United States Congress;
Whereas the National Endowment for Democracy has funded democracy-promoting 
        activities in more than 80 countries around the globe;
Whereas on September 12, 2003, the National Endowment for Democracy made a grant 
        to Sumate in the amount of $53,400 for a voter education project in 
        Venezuela;
Whereas a review by the National Endowment for Democracy of the financial and 
        narrative documents of the grant made to Sumate by the Endowment found 
        that amounts under the grant were properly expended for activities that 
        were approved by the Endowment's Board of Directors;
Whereas allegations from senior officials of the Venezuelan Government prompted 
        the Public Prosecutor's Office in the judicial system of the Venezuelan 
        Government to seek to prosecute leaders of Sumate on charges of 
        conspiring with the National Endowment for Democracy to overthrow 
        Venezuela's government;
Whereas international funding of nongovernmental organizations by private, 
        nonprofit organizations to promote and defend democracy has become a 
        widely accepted international practice;
Whereas in no other country has a local nongovernmental organization or its 
        leaders been charged with treason or a like offense for receiving 
        funding from the National Endowment for Democracy to promote democratic 
        rights, institutions, and processes; and
Whereas Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias recently stated his desire for 
        better relations with the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its firm support for the efforts of the 
        National Endowment for Democracy to promote democracy around 
        the world;
            (2) commends all Venezuelans who have peacefully exercised 
        the political rights which are accorded to them under 
        Venezuela's Constitution to resolve their differences by 
        democratic means and abhors all acts of political violence;
            (3) views charges filed against members of the Venezuelan 
        civic organization known as Sumate of conspiring with the 
        National Endowment for Democracy to overthrow Venezuela's 
        government as politically motivated; and
            (4) would welcome a decision by the Government of the 
        Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela not to prosecute Venezuelan 
        citizens, including citizens associated with Sumate, for 
        activities that were protected under the laws and Constitution 
        of Venezuela when those activities were carried out.
                                 <all>