IV 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 546 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 14, 2012 Mr. Schock submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of State should raise the travel advisory for Egypt from the current level of Travel Alert, in place since November 7, 2011, to Travel Warning, the highest level of travel security advisory, until all 43 detained nongovernmental organization workers are given the freedom to leave Egypt.

Whereas democracy and respect for human rights have long been central components of the foreign policy of the United States; Whereas democratic governance requires government to be responsive, transparent, and effective for all citizens; Whereas a robust civil society is necessary for democracy to thrive; Whereas countries undergoing a transition to democracy often must build a system of civil society from the ground up; Whereas nongovernmental organizations around the world operate on a nonpartisan basis to strengthen the processes and systems necessary for successful democracy, as well as increasing voter knowledge and citizen engagement; Whereas nongovernmental organizations promote civil society and play a key role in protecting human rights, human dignity, and human progress; Whereas nongovernmental organizations are essential to the development and success of free societies and play a vital role in ensuring accountable democratic government; Whereas the public interest is best served when private citizens and members of civil society are able to choose the aims, organizations, and causes they support; Whereas acknowledgment of governments’ authority to regulate entities within their territory to promote the public welfare requires that such laws and administrative measures should protect, not impede, the peaceful operation of nongovernmental organizations and be enforced in an apolitical, fair, transparent, and consistent manner; Whereas the Government of Egypt, since January 2012, has placed the names of 43 nongovernmental organization workers, of whom 19 are United States citizens, on a no exit list, effectively detaining them in the country; and Whereas on February 5, 2012, the Government of Egypt has referred these same 43 nongovernmental organization workers to criminal court: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department of State should raise the travel advisory for Egypt from the current level of Travel Alert, in place since November 7, 2011, to Travel Warning, the highest level of travel security advisory, until all 43 detained nongovernmental organization workers are given the freedom to leave Egypt.