[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 942 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 942

   Recognizing the centennial anniversary on August 5, 2006, of the 
                     Iranian constitution of 1906.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2006

Mr. King of Iowa submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
              to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the centennial anniversary on August 5, 2006, of the 
                     Iranian constitution of 1906.

Whereas in 1906, one hundred years ago, the people of Iran rose in a peaceful 
        democratic revolution against arbitrary, despotic rulers;
Whereas the people of Iran chose to confront these rulers with peaceful 
        assemblies of thousands of people in the public spaces of Iran until 
        these rulers received their demands;
Whereas these rulers bowed to the wishes of the people on August 5, 1906, and 
        issued a decree for the convocation of a freely elected assembly, the 
        Majles, to write a democratic constitution;
Whereas the Iranian constitution, written pursuant to the decree of 1906, was a 
        democratic instrument providing for--

    (1) the establishment of an independent judiciary;

    (2) the establishment of an independent legislature with members 
directly elected by the people;

    (3) socio-political progress, including the separation of religion from 
the affairs of government; and

    (4) the commitment of the government to the territorial integrity of 
Iran;

Whereas the maneuvering of the imperial powers and a fundamentalist clergy 
        crushed the democratic aspirations represented in the constitution of 
        1906;
Whereas the Iranian constitution of 1906 has nevertheless remained in the 
        forefront of the aspirations of the Iranian people throughout decades of 
        a long struggle towards progress, civil society, and democracy;
Whereas those ideals were abolished by the clerical-led dictatorship of the 
        Ayatollahs in 1979; and
Whereas August 5, 2006, would be an appropriate day to recognize the centennial 
        anniversary of the Iranian constitution of 1906: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the centennial anniversary of the Iranian 
        constitution of 1906;
            (2) is mindful of the democratic revolution of 1906 that 
        lead to the drafting of the Iranian constitution; and
            (3) expresses its profound hope that the people of Iran 
        will once again enjoy a democratic government in the spirit of 
        the Iranian constitution of 1906.
                                 <all>