[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 329 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 329

   Calling for the support of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian 
     citizens, equal access to justice and due process of law, and 
            transparent and accountable governance in Egypt.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2013

Mr. Franks of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Sires, Mr. Pitts, and Mr. Holt) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Calling for the support of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian 
     citizens, equal access to justice and due process of law, and 
            transparent and accountable governance in Egypt.

Whereas in recent weeks, an estimated 30,000,000 Egyptians in a majority of 
        Egypt's 27 provinces gathered to protest the widespread failures of 
        former President Mohamed Morsi and the Government of Egypt and its 
        violations of the most basic rights of all Egyptian citizens, including 
        Egyptian women, minorities, and those publicly dissenting from its views 
        and policies;
Whereas the participants in the June 30, 2013, popular protests far outnumbered 
        those involved in the protests and demonstrations of January and 
        February 2011;
Whereas the Egyptian people have expressed aspirations for a government that 
        protects the human rights of all Egyptians, including the rights of 
        religious freedom, free expression, free assembly, and free association;
Whereas in the midst of political transition and uncertainty in Egypt since 
        Egypt's 2011 revolution, lawlessness has prevailed and women and members 
        of minority religious and ethnic communities are targets of violent 
        attacks;
Whereas Egypt has a strong national interest in securing a stable, credible, 
        inclusive government based on vital democratic institutions and 
        transparent processes that reflect the will of the Egyptian people;
Whereas the United States has a strong national interest in encouraging the 
        interim government, Egyptian military, and people of Egypt to secure 
        popular aspirations for economic development and a stable, transparent, 
        credible, and inclusive government that respects human rights, 
        fundamental freedoms, and rule of law; and
Whereas democracy requires inclusiveness, transparency, respect for human and 
        minority rights, and commitment to the rule of law: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports economic and political reforms that uphold the 
        fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens, equal access to 
        justice, due process, and transparent and accountable 
        governance;
            (2) supports the establishment of credible and transparent 
        processes and institutions which are inclusive of all 
        democratic, political movements and parties;
            (3) calls on interim Egyptian President Adly Mansour and 
        the Government of Egypt to expeditiously and responsibly 
        restore the Egyptian Constitution and rule of law, turn over 
        power to an elected government through free and fair elections, 
        foster democratic reforms and institutions with an inclusive 
        political process, and protect the independence of the 
        judiciary;
            (4) urges the process of amending the Egyptian Constitution 
        to be transparent and secure broad consensus, including among 
        democratic opposition members, women, and ethnic and religious 
        minorities, so that the rights of all Egyptian citizens are 
        upheld and protected, particularly freedoms of conscience, 
        expression, assembly, and religion;
            (5) urges the Egyptian Armed Forces and security services 
        to respect the rights of all Egyptian citizens, including the 
        right to peaceful assembly, due process, and free and fair 
        trials;
            (6) urges a full restoration of media and civil society 
        freedoms, including protecting media and journalists from undue 
        harassment or interference and overturning the verdicts in the 
        recent case in which 43 United States citizens, Egyptians, and 
        others were given harsh sentences for their work to support 
        democracy in Egypt;
            (7) calls on the Government of Egypt to continue to meet 
        its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty; and
            (8) calls on interim President Mansour and the Egyptian 
        Armed Forces to end the climate of impunity, end arbitrary 
        arrests and politically motivated detentions, prosecute acts of 
        violence, and make the protection of the basic security of all 
        Egyptian citizens an urgent priority.
                                 <all>