[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 30 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 30

    Condemning efforts to undermine democracy in Hungary and urging 
  President Trump to defend the universal human rights and democratic 
              norms under attack by the Orban government.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             January 25 (legislative day, January 24), 2019

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Murphy) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Condemning efforts to undermine democracy in Hungary and urging 
  President Trump to defend the universal human rights and democratic 
              norms under attack by the Orban government.

Whereas the United States and Hungary have a shared history dating to the times 
        of Lajos Kossuth, whose bust graces the halls of the United States 
        Congress;
Whereas Hungarians have come to the United States since its founding as 
        immigrants and refugees, enriching our national fabric;
Whereas the United States first established diplomatic relations with Hungary in 
        1921;
Whereas the United States supported Hungary's accession to the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization in 1999, improving Hungary's national security and 
        building upon our common alliance;
Whereas NATO member states have collectively identified corruption and poor 
        governance, including within member states, as ``security challenges 
        which undermine democracy, the rule of law and economic development'';
Whereas Viktor Orban has led the Fidesz party since 2003 and has continuously 
        served as Hungary's Prime Minister since 2010;
Whereas, since 2010, the Fidesz government has retained a super majority in 
        Parliament despite not winning a majority of votes, and Prime Minister 
        Orban has systematically undermined the Hungarian Constitution, 
        independent media and judiciary;
Whereas Hungary's 2011 law on religion discriminates against some minority 
        faiths by stripping legal recognition from more than 300 previously 
        recognized faiths, violating their rights to freedom of association and 
        freedom of religion, and has spurred a legal challenge from a range of 
        religious faiths in Hungary, including the Hungarian Evangelical 
        Fellowship and Mennonite, reform Jewish, and Buddhist congregations;
Whereas, following the 2014 Parliamentary elections in Hungary, the OSCE noted 
        that Fidesz enjoyed an undue advantage because of restrictive campaign 
        regulations, biased media coverage, and campaign activities that blurred 
        the separation between political party and the state;
Whereas Prime Minister Orban used his parliamentary super majority to redraw 
        Hungary's electoral map and reduce the number of seats in Hungary's 
        Parliament, providing an advantage which has allowed the Prime Minister 
        to more easily remain in power;
Whereas the Government of Hungary created the National Media and Communications 
        Agency and empowered it to impose fines against independent media 
        outlets for coverage the government finds unbalanced or offensive;
Whereas, in November 2018, more than 400 media publications, websites, 
        television channels and radio stations in Hungary, already concentrated 
        in the hands of a few owners, were donated, without compensation, by 
        their owners to a central holding company which, according to a 
        subsequently passed law, is exempt from competition oversight;
Whereas, according to the Department of State's 2017 report on human rights, 
        Hungary has passed a series of laws modifying the judicial system by 
        restricting the Constitutional Court, altering the rules for electing 
        Constitution Court justices, and vested the president of the National 
        Office for the Judiciary, a position appointed by the parliament, with 
        significant decision-making power;
Whereas, according to a Human Rights Watch analysis of Hungary's judicial 
        reforms since 2011, changes to the judiciary have undermined an 
        important check on the government by curbing the judiciary's 
        independence, forcing nearly 300 judges into early retirement, and 
        imposing limitations on the Constitutional Court's ability to review 
        laws and complaints;
Whereas the Government of Hungary has enacted legislation stigmatizing non-
        governmental organizations that receive financial support from abroad, 
        drawing a legal challenge from the European Court of Justice;
Whereas, in 2017, the Government of Hungary adopted a law on nongovernmental 
        organizations that, according to the Department of State, ``unfairly 
        burdens a targeted group of Hungarian civil society organizations, many 
        of which focus on fighting corruption and protecting human rights and 
        civil liberties'';
Whereas, in February 2018, more than 250 nongovernmental organizations signed a 
        letter in opposition to Hungary's ``escalating effort to crackdown on 
        the legitimate work of civil society groups in Hungary seeking to 
        promote and defend human rights, provide legal and social services to 
        people in need in the country, and publicly express dissenting opinions 
        in the press and online'';
Whereas, in 2018, the Government of Hungary adopted amendments to a law on 
        ``aiding illegal migration'', which criminalizes the provision of 
        assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers, including public advocacy and 
        humanitarian assistance, and makes the distribution of know-your-rights 
        leaflets punishable by up to one year in prison;
Whereas, in 2018, the Government of Hungary introduced a 25-percent tax on 
        organizations that engage in disfavored speech regarding immigration, 
        thereby establishing a content-based punishment to restrict free speech;
Whereas, in 2017, the Government of Hungary enacted a law requiring the 
        mandatory detention of all asylum-seekers in ``transit camps'' while 
        their asylum applications are reviewed and permitting the immediate 
        deportation of certain asylum-seekers to Serbia;
Whereas, in response, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said 
        that ``this new law violates Hungary's obligations under international 
        and EU laws, and will have a terrible physical and psychological impact 
        on women, children and men who have already greatly suffered''; and
Whereas the erosion of democratic institutions and norms in Hungary has been 
        found to be in clear violation of the European Union's values, resulting 
        in the initiation of sanctions proceedings against the Orban government: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) rejects the Government of Hungary's efforts to 
        undermine the independence of the judiciary, restrict civil 
        society groups, infringe on the freedom of the press, and 
        violate the rights of asylum-seekers in Hungary; and
            (2) urges the President to vigorously defend the universal 
        freedoms and democratic norms under attack by the Orban 
        government in Hungary.
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