[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 485 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 485

To encourage the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 
      abide by constitutional provisions regarding the holding of 
presidential elections in 2016, with the aim of ensuring a peaceful and 
                orderly democratic transition of power.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 9, 2016

    Mr. Flake (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Durbin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
To encourage the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 
      abide by constitutional provisions regarding the holding of 
presidential elections in 2016, with the aim of ensuring a peaceful and 
                orderly democratic transition of power.

Whereas the United States Government has supported and will continue to support 
        the principle that the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
        (in this resolution referred to as ``the DRC'') should choose their own 
        government in accordance with their constitution and all relevant laws 
        and regulations;
Whereas the constitution of the DRC requires that elections be held in time for 
        the inauguration of a new president on December 19, 2016, when the 
        current presidential term expires;
Whereas, on March 30, 2016, the United Nations Security Council adopted 
        Resolution 2277, which called upon the Government of the DRC and its 
        national partners, including the CENI (Independent National Electoral 
        Commission), ``to ensure a transparent and credible electoral process, 
        in fulfillment of their primary responsibility to create propitious 
        conditions for the forthcoming elections . . . scheduled for November 
        2016 in accordance with the Constitution'' and urged the Government of 
        the DRC and all relevant parties to ensure an electoral environment 
        conducive to a ``free, fair, credible, inclusive, transparent, peaceful, 
        and timely electoral process, in accordance with the Congolese 
        constitution'';
Whereas events in the DRC over the last year and a half have called into serious 
        question the commitment of the Government of the DRC to hold such 
        elections on the required timeline, and President Joseph Kabila has not 
        publicly committed to stepping down at the end of his term;
Whereas there are 12 presidential elections slated to take place on the 
        continent of Africa by the end of 2017, and what transpires in the DRC 
        will set an important example for the leaders of those countries; and
Whereas many observers have expressed concern that failure to move ahead with 
        elections in the DRC could lead to violence and instability inside the 
        DRC, which could reverberate throughout central Africa's Great Lakes 
        region: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) urges the Government of the DRC and all other relevant 
        parties to engage in a credible, independently monitored, and 
        technical dialogue to reach consensus on a way forward on 
        establishing a detailed electoral calendar and organizing 
        elections;
            (2) urges the Government of the DRC to respect the 
        constitution of the DRC and, as constitutionally required, to 
        ensure a free, open, peaceful, and democratic transition of 
        power;
            (3) expresses its solidarity with the people of the DRC to 
        choose their own government in an atmosphere free of violence, 
        threats, and intimidation by the government or other parties, 
        including the release of Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala;
            (4) commits to maintain vigilance and scrutiny of the 
        electoral process in the DRC, to help ensure that all United 
        States Government activities contribute fully and robustly to 
        the above-mentioned objectives; and
            (5) pledges to examine continuously the use of all 
        available and appropriate means to ensure these objectives, 
        including the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals 
        or entities responsible for violence and human rights 
        violations and undermining democratic processes in the DRC.
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