[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 88 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 88

  Expressing solidarity with the people of Egypt in their democratic 
   aspirations as they begin a new chapter in their country's proud 
                                history.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 2011

 Mr. Schiff submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing solidarity with the people of Egypt in their democratic 
   aspirations as they begin a new chapter in their country's proud 
                                history.

Whereas, on January 14, 2011, after weeks of demonstrations over rising food 
        costs and high unemployment, the people of Tunisia drove out President 
        Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years in power;
Whereas the lack of a political opposition and an independent media in Tunisia 
        had resulted in a lack of governmental accountability and fostered the 
        growth of corruption, cronyism, and unresponsiveness to the needs of 
        Tunisia's young and increasingly well-educated population;
Whereas similar conditions exist throughout much of the Arab Middle East 
        resulting in high youth unemployment, poor economic performance, and 
        brutal treatment of ordinary citizens by their security services;
Whereas the revolution in Tunisia was facilitated by the use of social media 
        internally and its ideals and images were transmitted around the world 
        on the Internet and television;
Whereas, on the evening of January 25, 2011, President Barack Obama told the 
        Nation in his State of the Union address that ``the United States of 
        America stands with the people of Tunisia, and supports the democratic 
        aspirations of all people.'';
Whereas young Egyptian democracy activists, inspired by the events in Tunisia 
        and harboring the same fervent desire for democracy, opportunity, and an 
        end to corruption in their own country, used social media to organize a 
        ``Day of Rage'' on January 25, 2011;
Whereas the size of the demonstrations in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, and elsewhere 
        were the largest seen in Egypt in decades and continued to grow in the 
        ensuing days despite the widespread use of tear gas, rubber-coated 
        bullets, clubs by security services, and hundreds of deaths and many 
        thousands wounded;
Whereas the Egyptian security services ``shut down'' mobile phone and Internet 
        service in a futile attempt to prevent organizers from arranging further 
        protests;
Whereas, on January 28, 2011, after 24 protestors were killed and more than 
        1,000 wounded by the police and progovernment thugs in 1 day, the 
        Egyptian army took up positions in the streets of Cairo;
Whereas the Egyptian army pledged not to fire on protestors and called their 
        grievances ``legitimate'';
Whereas, on February 1, 2011, President Hosni Mubarak announced that he would 
        not seek another term and would resign from the presidency following the 
        election for his successor in September and that his newly-appointed 
        Vice President, Omar Suleiman, would open a dialogue with the full range 
        of those in opposition to his regime;
Whereas, on February 5, 2011, and February 6, 2011, the demonstrators met with 
        Vice President Suleiman and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq to discuss a 
        political transition and to reiterate their central demand that 
        President Mubarak step down in order to begin the process of building a 
        new Egypt and to ensure an electoral process free from manipulation;
Whereas, on February 6, 2011, President Barack Obama stated that ``the Egyptian 
        people want freedom, they want free and fair elections, they want a 
        representative government, they want a responsive government'';
Whereas Egyptian workers demonstrated their solidarity with the protestors on 
        February 8, 2011, when they began strikes across Egypt;
Whereas, in a speech on February 10, 2011, that was widely expected to be his 
        resignation, President Mubarak told Egyptians that he would remain in 
        office, while delegating some of his powers to Vice President Suleiman 
        and beginning a process of national dialogue and reform;
Whereas the people of Egypt did not believe that the transition to a new 
        government could begin as long as President Mubarak remained in office 
        and vowed to continue their demonstrations;
Whereas President Barack Obama issued a statement saying that after President 
        Mubarak's February 10, 2011, speech, ``too many Egyptians remain 
        unconvinced that the government is serious about a genuine transition to 
        democracy.''; and
Whereas President Mubarak resigned as President of Egypt on February 11, 2011, 
        and relinquished control to the Egyptian army: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) stands in solidarity with the people of Egypt in their 
        democratic aspirations and as they begin a new chapter in their 
        country's proud history;
            (2) condemns the use of violence against unarmed protestors 
        by the Egyptian security services and hired gangs of thugs, 
        urges the release of any peaceful protestors who remain in 
        custody, and calls for an end to the imposition of emergency or 
        martial law;
            (3) deplores the targeted beatings and arrests of Egyptian 
        and international journalists, as well as human rights and 
        democracy advocates;
            (4) expresses its gratitude to the Egyptian army for their 
        restraint and for remembering that their mission is to 
        safeguard the people of Egypt; and
            (5) calls upon the Government of Egypt and the political 
        opposition to work together to transition Egypt to a credible 
        democracy with respect for universal rights, including minority 
        rights, and a new era for the Egyptian people.
                                 <all>