[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 450 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 450

   Reaffirming the United States-Egypt partnership and the Egyptian 
people's right to free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections on March 
                               26, 2018.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2018

   Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Reaffirming the United States-Egypt partnership and the Egyptian 
people's right to free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections on March 
                               26, 2018.

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Egypt have long-shared a strong 
        bilateral working relationship;
Whereas respect for democracy, human rights, and civil liberties are fundamental 
        principles of the United States and critical to our national security 
        objectives;
Whereas the Government and people of Egypt have played a critical role in global 
        and regional politics;
Whereas a strong United States-Egypt partnership is important for the peace, 
        stability, and prosperity of the Middle East;
Whereas the people and Government of the United States have a deep and abiding 
        interest in Egypt's prosperity, political progress, and long-term 
        stability;
Whereas an inclusive government responsive to the needs of all of its citizens, 
        including religious minorities, is vital for such stability and 
        prosperity;
Whereas international and public confidence in any electoral process is an 
        essential element for advancing inclusive, representative forms of 
        government;
Whereas Egypt will hold a presidential election on March 26, 2018;
Whereas the Department of State's 2016 Human Rights Report noted that the 2015 
        parliamentary election raised ``concern[s] about restrictions on 
        freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and expression and their 
        negative effect on the political climate surrounding elections'';
Whereas the same report notes that the 2014 presidential election raised 
        ``serious concerns regarding constraints on the freedoms of expression 
        and association and limits on freedom of the press leading up to the 
        election which prevented free political participation and severely 
        compromised the broader electoral environment'';
Whereas the Government of Egypt, through legal action and a highly restrictive 
        new law, has created a hostile environment for nongovernmental 
        organizations (NGOs), which provide essential services to the people of 
        Egypt and for whom peaceful association for civic activities is a 
        fundamental right;
Whereas the United States Government reprogrammed and withheld some assistance 
        to Egypt in August 2017 due in part to the inability to certify, as 
        required by Congress, ``that Egypt is advancing democracy and human 
        rights'';
Whereas the Department of State, in an August 23, 2017, press briefing, reported 
        that it was ``unable to certify that Egypt is advancing democracy and 
        human rights'';
Whereas, in January 2018, Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert 
        affirmed that the United States supports ``free and fair elections'' in 
        Egypt and said, ``We support a timely and credible electoral process and 
        believe it needs to include the opportunity for citizens to participate 
        freely in Egyptian elections. We believe that that should include 
        addressing restrictions on freedom of association, peaceful assembly, 
        and also expression.'';
Whereas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Egypt on February 12, 2018, and 
        stated during a joint press availability with Egyptian Foreign Minister 
        Sameh Shoukry, ``With the presidential elections planned for the end of 
        March, the United States, as it does in all countries, supports a 
        transparent and credible electoral process, and all citizens being given 
        the right and the opportunity to participate freely and fairly.'';
Whereas President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in a televised interview on 
        September 16, 2016, with CBS Evening News, said, ``We uphold the 
        principles of respecting people, of honoring their rights.'';
Whereas President el-Sisi has asserted his commitment to term limits and free 
        and fair elections over the years, stating in a CNBC interview on 
        November 6, 2017, ``There is no president who will sit in the chair 
        without the will of the Egyptian people . . . the one that is in the 
        president's seat will not be able to stay after the term allowed by the 
        law and the constitution. And what determines this will be the vote of 
        the Egyptian people.'';
Whereas all credible opposition candidates in Egypt's 2018 presidential election 
        faced pressure, harassment, or arrest and subsequently withdrew their 
        candidacies;
Whereas several prominent Egyptian opposition politicians released a statement 
        on January 28, 2018, calling for Egyptians ``to boycott these elections 
        . . . not only for the absence of the idea of electoral competition, but 
        also because [it] is an obvious first step toward changing the 
        Constitution, removing the limit on presidential terms and eliminating 
        all chances of a peaceful transfer of power'';
Whereas, in the same statement, these political figures went on to note that 
        ``the security and administrative practices taken by the current system 
        [are intended] to prevent any fair competition in the upcoming elections 
        . . . spreading a climate of security fear, media bias . . . and then 
        with a tight schedule that does not provide a real opportunity for 
        competitors to put themselves and their programs forward''; and
Whereas the only current opposition candidate, Mr. Moussa Mostafa Moussa, is 
        from the Al-Ghad party, which has no seats in parliament, and only a few 
        days before declaring his candidacy led a campaign called ``We Support'' 
        calling for el-Sisi's reelection: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reasserts its commitment to the United States-Egypt 
        partnership and to advancing the common interests of both 
        countries;
            (2) recognizes that Egypt faces legitimate security threats 
        and expresses condolences for the loss of life suffered by the 
        Egyptian people in attacks by violent extremist organizations;
            (3) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
        democracy, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law, 
        including the universal rights of freedom of assembly, freedom 
        of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of association;
            (4) expresses support for human rights, civil liberties, 
        and rule of law in Egypt, and for elections that are free, 
        fair, and credible;
            (5) notes that a lack of progress in these areas will 
        undermine Egypt's security and economic stabilization;
            (6) supports the people of Egypt, who are entitled to 
        determine their own destiny, including selecting their 
        political leadership through a fair and credible electoral 
        process without fear of or intimidation by their government;
            (7) urges the Government of Egypt to take meaningful steps 
        to enable free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections in March 
        2018 and in the future;
            (8) expresses concern regarding the intimidation and 
        detention of credible opposition candidates, as well as the 
        restrictive environment for nongovernmental organizations and 
        media;
            (9) calls on the United States Government, foreign 
        governments, and parliaments to speak out in support of the 
        right of the Egyptian people to free, fair, and credible 
        elections; and
            (10) encourages the President to appoint an Assistant 
        Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and a United States 
        Ambassador to Egypt to bolster diplomatic engagement with the 
        Government of Egypt, electoral stakeholders, and civil society 
        as well as consistently raise issues of human rights, rule of 
        law, and governance.
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