[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 619 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 619

 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the people 
                              of Honduras.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 8, 2009

Mr. Mack (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Burton of Indiana, 
 Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Lincoln Diaz-
Balart of Florida, Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. McCotter, Mr. 
Wamp, and Mr. Bilirakis) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the people 
                              of Honduras.

Whereas in November 2005, Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales was elected as President of 
        Honduras;
Whereas shortly after being inaugurated as President of Honduras, Zelaya forged 
        close ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban rulers Fidel 
        and Raul Castro;
Whereas, on October 9, 2008, Honduras joined the Bolivarian Alternative of the 
        Americas (ALBA), an initiative launched by Chavez which includes 
        Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela;
Whereas in March of 2009, President Zelaya issued a decree calling on the 
        National Statistics Institute to hold a popular referendum to determine 
        if the country should include a fourth ballot box during the general 
        elections scheduled to be held on November 29, 2009;
Whereas the fourth ballot box would consult Hondurans about whether the country 
        should convene a national constituent assembly to amend the 
        constitution;
Whereas the Honduras Constitution forbids a president from seeking re-election;
Whereas, on May 21, 2009, the Attorney General of Honduras recommended that the 
        Honduran courts hold that President Zelaya's proposed referendum was 
        illegal and unconstitutional;
Whereas, on May 27, 2009, a Honduran lower court judge declared President 
        Zelaya's proposed referendum illegal;
Whereas, on June 17, 2009, a Honduran Appeals Court upheld the lower court 
        ruling declaring President Zelaya's proposed referendum illegal;
Whereas, on June 19, 2009, the Honduran Supreme Court ordered the Honduran 
        security forces not to provide any support for the proposed referendum;
Whereas, on June 23, 2009, the Honduran National Congress passed a plebiscite 
        and referendum law that prevents referendums from occurring within 180 
        days of a general election;
Whereas, on June 24, 2009, President Zelaya dismissed the Chairman of the Joint 
        Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Minister for refusing to provide support 
        for the proposed unconstitutional referendum;
Whereas, on June 25, 2009, the Honduran Supreme Court ruled that the Chairman of 
        the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Minister were to be 
        reinstated;
Whereas, on June 25, 2009, the Honduran National Congress began debate on 
        whether to censure President Zelaya for pushing ahead with his proposed 
        illegal referendum;
Whereas, on June 27, 2009, President Zelaya led a violent mob that stormed a 
        military base to seize and distribute ballots for the illegal 
        referendum;
Whereas several sectors of Honduras were opposed to this referendum, including 
        the legislature, the judiciary, the Attorney General, the Human Rights 
        Commission, the Catholic Church, evangelical groups, business 
        associations, and four of the five political parties represented in the 
        National Congress, including President Zelaya's own party;
Whereas, on June 28, 2009, just hours before the polls were to open for the 
        illegal referendum, the Honduran military arrested President Zelaya 
        pursuant to a court order, and later exiled him from the country;
Whereas the Honduran Supreme Court has stated that the military acted on its 
        orders, and the Honduran Congress passed a decree removing President 
        Zelaya from office and replacing him with the President of Congress, 
        Roberto Micheletti;
Whereas since his removal, Mr. Zelaya has been flown around the hemisphere by 
        Hugo Chavez's private jets; and
Whereas since Mr. Zelaya's inaugural, Honduras has been plagued by lowered 
        living standards as poverty, violence, unemployment, and inflation, 
        which has remained high: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its strong support for the people of 
        Honduras;
            (2) condemns Mr. Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales for his 
        unconstitutional and illegal attempts to alter the Constitution 
        of Honduras; and
            (3) calls on all parties to seek a peaceful resolution that 
        is both legal and constitutional.
                                 <all>