[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 799 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 799

  Congratulating the people of Ukraine for conducting free, fair, and 
 transparent parliamentary elections on March 26, 2006, and commending 
               their commitment to democracy and reform.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2006

Mr. Gallegly (for himself, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Ms. 
 Kaptur, and Mr. Levin) submitted the following resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Congratulating the people of Ukraine for conducting free, fair, and 
 transparent parliamentary elections on March 26, 2006, and commending 
               their commitment to democracy and reform.

Whereas the 2004 Orange Revolution, in which hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian 
        citizens engaged in peaceful demonstrations in Kiev and elsewhere to 
        protest the unfair runoff presidential election on November 21, 2004, 
        and the declaration by the Ukrainian Central Election Commission that 
        Viktor Yanukovich had won a majority of the votes, set Ukraine on the 
        path toward democracy;
Whereas on December 26, 2004, following a ruling of the Ukrainian Supreme Court 
        that the runoff presidential election was invalid and that a new 
        election be held, the people of Ukraine again went to the polls in what 
        the consensus of domestic and international observers declared as a more 
        democratic, transparent, and fair election process with fewer problems 
        than in the first round and invalidated November 21, 2004, vote;
Whereas on January 10, 2005, the election victory of opposition leader Viktor 
        Yushchenko as President was certified by the Ukrainian Central Election 
        Commission;
Whereas the United States maintains strong and friendly relations with the 
        people and Government of Ukraine;
Whereas the elections to Ukraine's parliament, known as Verkhovna Rada, were 
        held on March 26, 2006;
Whereas the March 26, 2006, elections were the first parliamentary elections 
        since 2002 and reflect the provisions of a new election law that calls 
        for the Verkhovna Rada to be elected according to the proportional 
        election system with votes allocated to political parties rather than 
        the previous law under which half of the representatives were elected on 
        a proportional basis and half were elected directly on a district-by-
        district basis;
Whereas the parliament was elected in a free and fair multiparty election and in 
        accordance with international standards;
Whereas the conduct of these elections provide further evidence that the people 
        of Ukraine are building a democratic society based on free elections, 
        human rights, and the rule of law;
Whereas Ukraine is one of 55 participating States in the Organization for 
        Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), all of which have adopted the 
        1990 Copenhagen Document containing specific commitments relating to the 
        conduct of elections;
Whereas the OSCE-led International Observation Mission deemed the election to be 
        basically in accordance with the 1990 Copenhagen Document and respected 
        the fundamental and civil rights, such as freedom of expression and 
        assembly, allowing voters to make informed choices;
Whereas democratic elections are instrumental in furthering Ukraine's stated 
        desire to integrate into the European Union and the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO);
Whereas on February 17, 2006, the United States announced it had granted Ukraine 
        the status of market economy and on March 6, 2006 the United States and 
        Ukraine signed a market accession agreement promoting bilateral economic 
        cooperation and bringing Ukraine closer to accession to the World Trade 
        Organization;
Whereas on March 23, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation 
        terminating the application of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 
        (commonly known as the ``Jackson-Vanik amendment'') to Ukraine and 
        granting Ukraine permanent normal trade relations; and
Whereas 2006 was designated in Ukraine as the year of reforms in the areas of 
        court and administrative systems, energy saving, municipal economy, 
        health protection, agriculture, education and pension provision: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) commends the people and Government of Ukraine for 
        holding free, fair, and transparent parliamentary elections on 
        March 26, 2006;
            (2) commends the people and Government of Ukraine for their 
        commitment to democracy and freedom; and
            (3) acknowledges and welcomes the strong relationship 
        between the United States and Ukraine and pledges its continued 
        support for the strengthening of a fully free and open 
        democratic system in Ukraine, and reaffirms its support for 
        Ukraine's independence, territorial sovereignty, and Ukraine's 
        full integration into the international community of 
        democracies.
                                 <all>