109 SRES 26 IS: Commending the people of Iraq on the U.S. Senate 2005-01-31 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.

III 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 26 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 31, 2005 Mr. Lugar submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Commending the people of Iraq on the election held on January 30, 2005, of a 275-member Transitional National Assembly and of provincial and regional governments and encouraging further steps toward establishment of a free, democratic, secure, and prosperous Iraq.

Whereas on January 30, 2005, for the first time in over 50 years, the citizens of Iraq had the opportunity to vote in a free election, to choose their own leaders, and to begin the process of writing their own constitution; Whereas the election in Iraq was held despite imperfect conditions, threats to voters, candidates, and election workers, and acts of violence by those seeking to prevent the voice of the majority of the people of Iraq from being heard; Whereas an estimated 14,300,000 Iraqis were registered to vote at more than 5,000 polling stations across Iraq and in 14 other countries; Whereas a majority of individuals who were eligible to vote participated in the election and the final results of the election will be certified on February 15, 2005; Whereas, the newly elected 275-member Transitional National Assembly of Iraq will include at least 25 percent female representation, will serve as the national legislature of Iraq, and will name a Presidency Council consisting of a President and 2 Vice Presidents that will appoint a new Prime Minister of Iraq and approve the selection of cabinet ministers; Whereas the Transitional National Assembly will draft a national constitution that will be presented to the people of Iraq for their approval in a national referendum to be held in October 2005 and that will lead to the election of a constitutional government in Iraq; Whereas the election establishes a credible process for governing Iraq under a mandate from the majority of the people of Iraq and reflects the will of the people for a new Iraq in which all communities are represented and terrorism is eliminated; Whereas the election was a historic step towards development of democracy for the people of Iraq and an inspiration to all those in the region who are striving to achieve democracy in their own countries; Whereas the United States is committed to facilitating the development of a strong and proud Iraq that is built by the people of Iraq through their unified efforts and their commitment to protecting the territorial integrity and national unity of Iraq; Whereas President George W. Bush stated after the election in Iraq that the world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East; and Whereas the United States Government stands ready to work with the new Government of Iraq to build a free, democratic, secure, and prosperous Iraq: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)recognizes that, on January 30, 2005, the people of Iraq elected a 275-member Transitional National Assembly and leaders of provincial and regional governments in Iraq in an election that has been widely described as free and fair; (2)recognizes this election is a milestone in the development of democracy in Iraq, commends the people of Iraq on the election, and congratulates the new members of the Transitional National Assembly and the leaders of the provincial and regional governments; (3)commends the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq for its administration of the election and commends the United Nations Mission in Iraq for the provision of expert technical assistance and training to the Commission; (4)expresses its respect for the freely expressed will of the people of Iraq, its admiration for their courage in the face of intimidation, threats, and acts of violence, and its intention to work with the new Government of Iraq to help the people of Iraq realize the opportunity for a more peaceful and prosperous future; (5)urges the new leadership of Iraq to move forward with drafting the constitution, upholding the rule of law, and holding a referendum on the new constitution in October 2005; (6)urges all members of the international community to help Iraq end the violent insurgency which is destabilizing the region and help Iraq build the necessary political, economic, and security infrastructure essential to establish a viable, democratic state and improve the lives of the people of Iraq; and (7)reaffirms the commitment of the United States to help the people of Iraq succeed in building their own government and fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Iraq for a free, united, peaceful, and prosperous Iraq.