[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 257 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 257

 To provide for United States participation in the Inter-Parliamentary 
                     Union, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 9, 2015

   Ms. Lee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for United States participation in the Inter-Parliamentary 
                     Union, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY 
              UNION.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), founded in 1889, 
        is the world organization of national parliaments comprising 
        over 160 parliaments (including all the major allies of the 
        United States) and working closely with the regional 
        parliamentary organizations on all continents.
            (2) The core mission of the IPU is the promotion of 
        parliamentary democracy, the elaboration of standards and 
        criteria for democratic parliamentary practice, the protection 
        of human rights, the political empowerment of women, and 
        greater transparency and accountability at the global level, 
        which are in line with United States interests and priorities.
            (3) Congress was a founding member of the IPU, and played 
        an active and prominent role for many decades.
            (4) The main concerns of Congress, including the scheduling 
        of main Assembly and arrears, have been fully addressed by the 
        IPU.
            (5) Through the activities of the IPU, the United States 
        can usefully promote its core values of freedom, democracy, and 
        human rights, and help build stronger parliaments around the 
        world.
    (b) United States Participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union.--
Notwithstanding section 2503 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and 
Restructuring Act of 1998 (division G of Public Law 105-277)--
            (1) the Secretary of State is authorized----
                    (A) to facilitate the readmission and participation 
                of the United States in the Inter-Parliamentary Union; 
                and
                    (B) to pay expenses to meet the annual obligations 
                of membership in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in 
                accordance with the assessments determined by the 
                Governing Council; and
            (2) the majority leader of the Senate, in consultation with 
        the minority leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House 
        of Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader of 
        the House of Representatives, are authorized to designate 
        Members of Congress to serve as delegates to the Assembly of 
        the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
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