[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 579 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 579

Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Nelson Mandela on the 
                        centenary of his birth.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 18, 2018

    Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Flake, Mr. Booker, Mr. 
Isakson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. 
  Murphy, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Reed, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. 
 Baldwin, Ms. Warren, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Donnelly, and Mr. Whitehouse) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Nelson Mandela on the 
                        centenary of his birth.

Whereas Nelson Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, as Rolihlahla Mandela in the 
        village of Mvezo in the Eastern Cape of South Africa;
Whereas Nelson Mandela became a political activist as a young man and engaged in 
        diverse acts of civil disobedience and resistance during the struggle 
        against apartheid, the state-enforced system of racial segregation and 
        systematic oppression maintained by the former white minority government 
        of South Africa;
Whereas Nelson Mandela was arrested twice in 1952 for his participation in the 
        Defiance Campaign, which involved the organized contravention of 
        apartheid laws through acts of civil disobedience, and received a 
        suspended sentence of imprisonment with hard labor;
Whereas, on August 5, 1962, as a leader of the African National Congress and the 
        African National Congress Youth League, Nelson Mandela was arrested for 
        his activism to end the discriminatory policies of apartheid;
Whereas, on June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela was found guilty of all charges 
        against him and sentenced to life imprisonment;
Whereas the global movement to release Nelson Mandela and end the South African 
        system of apartheid--

    (1) employed international economic sanctions, such as the sanctions 
under the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-440; 100 
Stat. 1086); and

    (2) included the condemnation of apartheid by countless citizens, 
artists, intellectuals, and activists of the United States;

Whereas, on February 11, 1990, under increasing international pressure and 
        domestic campaign efforts, Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 
        27 years, 6 months, and 1 week of continuous incarceration;
Whereas, on his release, Nelson Mandela earned international recognition for 
        leading efforts to foster reconciliation, peace, and democracy and for 
        bringing about a negotiated transition ending the apartheid system and 
        establishing universal suffrage and equal rights for all South Africans;
Whereas, on July 4, 1993, former President Bill Clinton awarded Nelson Mandela 
        and Frederik Willem de Klerk the Philadelphia Liberty Medal;
Whereas, on October 1, 1993, the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Nelson 
        Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk ``for their work for the peaceful 
        termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations of a 
        new democratic South Africa'';
Whereas, between April 16 and April 29, 1994, the citizens of South Africa voted 
        in the first fully representative, multiracial national elections in the 
        history of South Africa;
Whereas, on May 9, 1994, the National Assembly elected Nelson Mandela as 
        President of the Republic of South Africa under a government of national 
        unity;
Whereas, during his term as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, Nelson 
        Mandela--

    (1) led the peaceful transition from apartheid minority rule to 
multicultural, multiracial, and multiparty democracy; and

    (2) played a critical role in the ongoing efforts of South Africa to 
foster national reconciliation;

Whereas, on July 29, 1998, Congress awarded Nelson Mandela the Congressional 
        Gold Medal;
Whereas the decision of Nelson Mandela to step down after 1 term as the elected 
        President of South Africa was a commendable act exemplifying his 
        commitment to democratic principles and serves as a model for elected 
        leaders around the globe;
Whereas, on July 9, 2002, former President George W. Bush honored Nelson Mandela 
        with the Presidential Medal of Freedom;
Whereas, on November 10, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously 
        adopted a resolution to designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela 
        International Day;
Whereas the United States was a proud sponsor of the resolution;
Whereas, on December 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95;
Whereas former President George W. Bush called Nelson Mandela ``one of the great 
        forces for freedom and equality of our time'';
Whereas former President Barack Obama called Nelson Mandela ``the last great 
        liberator of the 20th century'' and observed that ``Mandela taught us 
        the power of action, but he also taught us the power of ideas; the 
        importance of reason and arguments; [and] the need to study not only 
        those who you agree with, but also those who you don't agree with'';
Whereas, on July 28, 2014, former President Barack Obama renamed the Young 
        African Leaders Initiative fellowship the ``Mandela Washington 
        Fellowship for Young African Leaders'' in honor of Nelson Mandela;
Whereas July 18, 2018 marks the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, which 
        provides an opportunity for people around the world to reflect on his 
        life and promote his legacy;
Whereas, through the leadership of Nelson Mandela, the notion and spirit of 
        ``Ubuntu'', a South African term referring to the interconnectedness and 
        harmony of humanity, has spread throughout the world; and
Whereas Nelson Mandela leaves a legacy that transcends his time and place in 
        history and will guide and inspire future generations: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Nelson 
        Mandela;
            (2) celebrates the leadership and commitment of Nelson 
        Mandela to fighting discrimination, poverty, and inequality and 
        to promoting human rights and justice for all;
            (3) recognizes the shared history between South Africa and 
        the United States, the embedded legacies of racial 
        discrimination and division in both countries, and the shared 
        and continuing efforts to overcome those challenges in the 
        manner exemplified by Nelson Mandela;
            (4) encourages the Administration of President Donald Trump 
        to foster the enduring relationship between the people and 
        governments of South Africa and the United States; and
            (5) encourages people around the world to reflect on the 
        importance of tolerance, forgiveness, and peace in honor of the 
        centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.
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