[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 24 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 24

 Supporting efforts by the Government and people of Colombia to pursue 
                     peace and regional stability.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 2, 2021

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Supporting efforts by the Government and people of Colombia to pursue 
                     peace and regional stability.

Whereas, in 2016, the Government of Colombia concluded a historic peace 
        agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army 
        (FARC-EP) aimed at addressing the historical causes of the half-a-
        century armed conflict in Colombia, and the Government of Colombia is 
        currently working to implement that agreement;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and Colombia have forged 
        a resolute bond through a shared commitment to support peace, human 
        rights, democracy, the rule of law, and security throughout the Western 
        Hemisphere and the world, which has been bolstered by the support of 
        hundreds of thousands of Colombian Americans and their contributions to 
        life in the United States;
Whereas, in 2000, the Government of Colombia achieved a national consensus to 
        build state capacity, and the United States committed to combat 
        organized crime, drugs, and violence through its foreign assistance in 
        support of Plan Colombia;
Whereas Plan Colombia and its successor, Peace Colombia, have received 
        consistent support from each United States President since 1999, and 
        from both Democrats and Republicans in the United States Congress;
Whereas, while the Government of Colombia contributed more than 95 percent of 
        funds over the duration of Plan Colombia, the political leadership, 
        technical advice, military assistance, and intelligence-sharing role of 
        the United States, along with the $11,000,000,000 appropriated by the 
        United States Congress through Plan Colombia and Peace Colombia to 
        combat narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organizations, 
        strengthen democratic governance, promote economic growth, and defend 
        human rights, played a key role in helping to transform a country on the 
        brink of collapse into an increasingly peaceful and prosperous 
        democracy, while also safeguarding important United States interests;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made major investments and shown strong 
        leadership, often at great cost and sacrifice, to consolidate domestic 
        security, socioeconomic development, and the rule of law;
Whereas, since 2000, levels of crime and violence have decreased significantly 
        in Colombia, with annual per capita homicide rates declining from 62 per 
        100,000 people in 1999 to a low of 24.5 per 100,000 people in 2015;
Whereas the alignment of improved security and sound economic policies has 
        translated into steady growth in the gross domestic product of Colombia, 
        which increased from approximately $86,000,000,000 in 1999 to more than 
        $309,000,000,000 in 2017, and led to greater foreign direct investment, 
        which grew from approximately $1,500,000,000 in 1999 to one of the 
        highest in Latin America at an estimated $14,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas the United States and Colombia enjoy a robust economic relationship, 
        with United States goods and services trade with Colombia totaling an 
        estimated $36,400,000,000 in 2017, supporting more than 100,000 jobs in 
        the United States;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made impressive strides in reducing 
        poverty since 2005, with the poverty rate decreasing from 64 percent in 
        1999 to 27 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank;
Whereas, since 1999, the Government of Colombia has expanded its presence across 
        all 32 territorial departments, has contributed to the professionalism 
        of the Colombian judiciary, and has improved the capacity of the Army, 
        Navy, Air Force, and National Police of Colombia;
Whereas Colombia is one of the United States most consistent and strategic 
        partners through its support of United States diplomatic objectives at 
        the United Nations and efforts made in combating transnational organized 
        crime and increased security and rule of law abroad;
Whereas, in 2017, Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and became the first NATO partner 
        country in Latin America;
Whereas the gains Colombia has made are threatened by an escalating crisis in 
        Venezuela, which has led to an influx of more than 1,800,000 Venezuelans 
        into Colombia, and the need for continued financial support to implement 
        the peace agreement;
Whereas the internal armed conflict victimized all Colombians, including women, 
        children, and Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples, resulted in one of 
        the largest populations of internally displaced persons in the world, 
        and has led to the repeated targeting of leading representatives of 
        civil society, including trade unionists, journalists, human rights 
        defenders, and other community activists who remain at grave risk from 
        guerrilla groups, successors to paramilitary groups, organized criminal 
        organizations, and corrupt officials and individuals;
Whereas efforts to achieve lasting peace in Colombia must address the hardships 
        faced by victims of the armed conflict, including implementing the Law 
        on Victims and Restitution of Land of 2011;
Whereas the prospects for national reconciliation and sustainable peace in 
        Colombia rely on the effective delivery of justice for victims of the 
        conflict, long-term solutions for individuals who have been displaced, 
        and the ability to hold accountable perpetrators of violations of human 
        rights and international humanitarian law, particularly obligations 
        under Article 3 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of 
        Civilian Persons in Time of War, done at Geneva August 12, 1949 
        (commonly referred to as the ``Fourth Geneva Convention'');
Whereas the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the transitional justice 
        mechanism created for the purpose of ensuring accountability in the 
        context of Colombia's internal armed conflict, is fundamental to the 
        implementation of the peace agreement and the consolidation of peace in 
        the country;
Whereas implementation of the peace agreement faces serious challenges, 
        including a dramatic increase of coca cultivation and cocaine 
        production, a spike in violent attacks against civilians, including 
        social leaders implementing peace agreement programs, and the enormous 
        burden of a mass exodus of Venezuelans fleeing the authoritarian regime 
        of Nicolas Maduro; and
Whereas, on August 29, 2019, Luciano Marin Arango, also known as Ivan Marquez, 
        and Seuxis Hernandez Solarte, also known as Jesus Santrich, along with 
        other members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), 
        publicly called for the renewal of armed conflict in Colombia and for 
        increased cooperation between the FARC and the National Liberation Army 
        (ELN), two organizations that are designated by the United States as 
        foreign terrorist organizations under section 219 of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189): Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms the steadfast support of the Government and 
        people of the United States for the people of Colombia in their 
        pursuit of peace and stability so they can live in a country 
        free of violence, impunity, injustice, and organized crime;
            (2) lauds efforts to bring an end to Colombia's internal 
        armed conflict;
            (3) commends the work of the United Nations Verification 
        Mission in Colombia in overseeing the implementation of the 
        2016 peace agreement and the disarmament and reintegration of 
        former combatants;
            (4) urges authorities in Colombia to hold accountable 
        perpetrators of violations of human rights and international 
        humanitarian law, particularly obligations under the Geneva 
        Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in 
        Time of War, done at Geneva August 12, 1949 (commonly referred 
        to as the ``Fourth Geneva Convention'');
            (5) encourages the Government of Colombia to protect 
        vulnerable populations who remain at risk in Colombia, 
        including defenders of human rights, individuals facing threats 
        due to participation in crop substitution programs, internally 
        displaced persons, Afro-descendant and indigenous leaders and 
        communities, and demobilized combatants;
            (6) condemns the assassinations of social leaders and 
        demobilized combatants, and the decision of certain senior 
        members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to 
        return to arms and hostilities and strengthen their alliance 
        with the National Liberation Army (ELN), which threatens the 
        consolidation of lasting peace;
            (7) reaffirms the importance of the extradition treaty 
        between Colombia and the United States as an important part of 
        the bilateral relationship that has promoted the interests of 
        justice in both countries for decades;
            (8) encourages the Secretary of State to develop a 
        comprehensive strategy to assist the Government of Colombia in 
        managing the impacts of the crisis in Venezuela while 
        continuing the successful implementation and sustainability of 
        the peace agreement and stabilization of territories previously 
        in conflict in Colombia, and to further strengthen the close 
        bilateral partnership between the United States and Colombia;
            (9) reaffirms its commitment to its partnership with the 
        Government and people of Colombia on issues of mutual interest, 
        including security, counter-narcotics cooperation, combating 
        transnational organized crime, ensuring justice for individuals 
        who have caused harm to populations in the United States and 
        Colombia, reintegration of former FARC combatants, inclusive 
        economic growth and investment with a focus on disadvantaged 
        communities, health cooperation, and educational and cultural 
        exchanges that strengthen diplomatic relations; and
            (10) commits to furthering the bilateral relationship 
        between the United States and Colombia by working with leaders 
        in the public and private sectors, as well as civil society in 
        both countries, to ensure that the United States-Colombia 
        relationship remains a pillar of United States foreign policy 
        in the Western Hemisphere.
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