[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 90 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 43
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 90
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Fifth Summit of the
Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 18, and
19, 2009.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 30, 2009
Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Menendez, and Mr.
Nelson of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
March 31, 2009
Reported by Mr. Kerry, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Fifth Summit of the
Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 18, and
19, 2009.
Whereas the First Summit of the Americas, held in December 1994 in Miami,
Florida, resulted in a comprehensive Plan of Action, issued by the
region's democracies, which included initiatives on strengthening
democracy, promoting human rights, combating corruption, furthering
sustainable economic development, encouraging environmental
conservation, and committing to access to universal basic education and
health care throughout the Americas;
Whereas 3 Summits of the Americas and 2 Special Summits of the Americas have
been convened since 1994, resulting in additional initiatives on
sustainable development, strengthening democratic practices and good
governance, the environment, economic relations, combating HIV/AIDS and
other diseases, and numerous other areas of mutual interest and shared
responsibility throughout the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas on July 21, 2008, the Draft Declaration of Commitment by the Summit
Implementation Review Group proposed an agenda for the Fifth Summit of
the Americas to discuss promoting human prosperity, energy security,
environmental sustainability, public security, democratic governance,
and the Summit's implementation and review process; and
Whereas on February 10, 2009, President Barack Obama stated that he would attend
the Fifth Summit of the Americas to ``create the kind of partnership
based on respect that the people of Latin America are looking for and
that will be beneficial to the United States'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
(1) to express support for the Fifth Summit of the Americas
as an effective multilateral forum, convened in the spirit of
cooperation and partnership for the 34 democratically elected
heads of state of the region to address shared challenges and
foster collaboration throughout the Western Hemisphere;
(2) that the Fifth Summit provides the United States with
an early opportunity to reinvigorate and strengthen its
engagement with the countries of the Western Hemisphere,
especially in--
(A) finding common solutions to the global economic
crisis;
(B) promoting energy security; and
(C) combating threats to public and personal
security, including threats from terrorism,
international narcotics cartels, and organized criminal
groups;
(3) that the United States is prepared to work with the
countries of the Western Hemisphere on advancing an agenda of
human prosperity, including--
(A) encouraging multilateral development
institutions to invest in micro- to medium-sized
enterprises;
(B) continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS, vector-
borne, and noncommunicable diseases;
(C) raising the standard of living of the people in
the region who currently live in poverty;
(D) eradicating child labor;
(E) recommitting to the Millennium Development
Goals; and
(F) supporting investment in public health and
education throughout the Western Hemisphere;
(4) that the United States should use the Fifth Summit of
the Americas to strengthen cooperation by working with other
nations to formulate and implement a regional energy strategy
to promote--
(A) increased technology and information sharing;
(B) regulatory harmonization;
(C) integration; and
(D) renewable and alternative energy sources;
(5) to welcome civil society and nongovernmental
organizations at the Fifth Summit, and to encourage their
observation and active participation in the Summit's decision-
making process to strengthen democratic governance, the rule of
law, freedom of the press, and civil society in the Western
Hemisphere; and
(6) to set achievable and measurable goals, based on areas
of consensus, and to strengthen followup mechanisms to review
the implementation, reporting, and progress of Summit
initiatives.
Calendar No. 43
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 90
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Fifth Summit of the
Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 18, and
19, 2009.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 31, 2009
Reported without amendment