109 HCON 312 IH: Urging the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw or modify proposed legislation that would have the effect of severely restricting the establishment, operations, and activities of domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations in the Russian Federation. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-12-08 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 312 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 8, 2005 Mr. Hyde (for himself and Mr. Lantos) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Urging the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw or modify proposed legislation that would have the effect of severely restricting the establishment, operations, and activities of domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations in the Russian Federation.

Whereas Russian Federation President Putin has stated that modern Russia’s greatest achievement is the democratic process [and] the achievements of our civil society; Whereas the unobstructed establishment and free and autonomous operations and activities of nongovernmental organizations and a robust civil society free from excessive government control are central and indispensable elements of a democratic society; Whereas the free and autonomous operations of nongovernmental organizations in any society necessarily encompass activities, including political activities, that are contrary to government policies; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has proposed the adoption of legislation that would have the effect of severely restricting the establishment, operations, and activities of domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations in the Russian Federation, including imposing unprecedented restraints on foreign assistance; Whereas regardless of the stated intent of the Government of the Russian Federation, the restrictions in this legislation will impose disabling restraints on the establishment, operations, and activities of nongovernmental organizations and on civil society throughout the Russian Federation; Whereas the stated concerns of the Government of the Russian Federation regarding the use of nongovernmental organizations by foreign interests and intelligence agencies to undermine the Government of the Russian Federation and the security of the Russian Federation as a whole can be addressed by more limited and appropriate measures; Whereas the proposed legislation has already passed its first reading in the State Duma and is scheduled for its second reading on an expedited basis; Whereas Russia’s many tragedies and the suffering of her people in the past centuries were made deeper and more enduring by the Russian Government’s distancing of the country from the West and rejection of its practices and institutions; Whereas Russia’s destiny and the interests of her people lie in her assumption of her rightful place as a full and equal member of the Western community of democracies; and Whereas the proposed measures of the Government of the Russian Federation are incompatible with membership in that community: Now, therefore, be it

That Congress— (1)urges the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw the proposed legislation that would have the effect of severely restricting the establishment, operations, and activities of domestic and foreign nongovernmental organizations in the Russian Federation or to modify the legislation to ensure the unobstructed establishment and free and autonomous operations and activities of such nongovernmental organizations in accordance with the practices universally adopted by the Western democracies, including the provisions regarding foreign assistance; and (2)in the event the proposed legislation is not withdrawn or sufficiently modified, urges the State Duma and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly to amend the measures contained in the legislation to ensure these same freedoms.