[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1090 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1090

Honoring the esteemed former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the 
                     occasion of his 90th birthday.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 8, 2008

   Mr. Jefferson (for himself and Mr. Payne) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the esteemed former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the 
                     occasion of his 90th birthday.

Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 
        1918;
Whereas he joined the African National Congress (``ANC'') in 1944 and was 
        engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party's apartheid 
        policies after 1948;
Whereas, after the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela led the effort to 
        set up of a military wing within the ANC;
Whereas, in 1964, when many fellow leaders of the ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe 
        were arrested, Nelson Mandela was brought to stand trial with them for 
        plotting to overthrow the government by violence;
Whereas his statement from the dock received considerable international 
        publicity, on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, including Nelson Mandela, 
        were sentenced to life imprisonment;
Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated at Robben Island 
        Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on 
        the mainland;
Whereas Nelson Mandela consistently refused to compromise his political position 
        to obtain his freedom while in prison;
Whereas the Congressional Black Caucus was instrumental in bringing an end to 
        South Africa's apartheid system;
Whereas, under the leadership of Representative Ronald V. Dellums and after 
        nearly 14 years of battle, in 1986, the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act 
        of 1986 was finally agreed to by both Houses of Congress, calling for 
        sanctions against South Africa and stated preconditions for lifting the 
        sanctions, including the release of all political prisoners including 
        Nelson Mandela;
Whereas this bill was so strong that it withstood a veto by President Reagan 
        making this the first time in the 20th century that a President had a 
        foreign policy veto overridden;
Whereas Nelson Mandela became widely accepted as the most significant black 
        leader in South Africa and in the world and became a potent symbol of 
        resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength;
Whereas Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990;
Whereas, after his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's 
        work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost 4 
        decades earlier;
Whereas, in 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside South 
        Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Nelson Mandela 
        was elected President of the ANC;
Whereas South Africa's first democratic elections in which full enfranchisement 
        was granted were held on April 27, 1994, and Nelson Mandela, as leader 
        of the ANC, was inaugurated on May 10, 1994, as the country's first 
        black President;
Whereas, as President from May 1994 until June 1999, Nelson Mandela presided 
        over the transition from minority rule and apartheid, winning 
        international respect for his advocacy of national and international 
        reconciliation; and
Whereas Nelson Mandela has received many South African, foreign, and 
        international honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (which was 
        shared with Frederik Willem de Klerk), the Order of Merit and the Order 
        of St. John from Queen Elizabeth II and the Presidential Medal of 
        Freedom from George W. Bush: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
            (1) honors former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on 
        the occasion of his 90th birthday on July 18, 2008, and extends 
        best wishes to him and his family;
            (2) honors his many accomplishments;
            (3) congratulates him for his efforts to promote dialogue 
        to peacefully resolve conflicts between people in Africa and 
        around the world; and
            (4) celebrates his contributions to South Africa, the 
        United States, and the international community.
                                 <all>