[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 14, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PASSAGE OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 135, ESTABLISHING 
                 HOUSE DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 1-year 
anniversary of passage of House Resolution 135, which established the 
House Democracy Assistance Commission. Upon the resolution's passage, 
16 appointments were made, and I was honored to be appointed as 
chairman of this effort by Speaker Hastert; and I know that my 
colleague, David Price, the ranking minority member, was equally 
honored to be appointed by Ms. Pelosi as the ranking minority member.
  Mr. Speaker, as you know, the purpose of the House Democracy 
Assistance Commission is to strengthen legislatures in emerging 
democracies. In recent years, we have seen that the spread of democracy 
cannot be contained; but these new democracies have little experience 
in the actual practice of democracy. Over our 230-year history, we have 
learned that elections are relatively easy. It is the mechanics, 
practice, and procedure of democracy that is far more difficult.
  Many fledgling democracies have a long history of authoritarian rule. 
The revolutions that sweep dictators and reformers in often center 
around charismatic leaders that, with popular support, secure the 
levers of executive power.
  But as our Founding Fathers understood, the people's branch of 
government, the legislature, serves as the safeguard, ensuring that new 
leaders did not lead their nations back down towards a path of 
dictatorship. Acting as a check on executive power by conducting 
oversight and overseeing the national budget are necessary authorities 
for a parliament to exercise if democracy is to flourish.
  Unfortunately, parliamentarians working in authoritarian systems 
often have no incentive or ability to learn about their rights and 
responsibilities as members of parliament. The commission has seen it 
in Georgia, where decades of Communist rule emasculated the parliament. 
We see it in Macedonia where Tito's rule and the Balkan wars made 
democratic rule impossible. We have seen it in Kenya, where the plague 
of African corruption has stalled democratic reform. We have seen it in 
Indonesia, where the strong-armed rule of Suharto reduced parliament to 
an afterthought. We have seen it in East Timor, the newest nation on 
the globe, which has no history of self-government, democratic or 
otherwise.
  Mr. Speaker, the commission has or soon will travel to these places 
to provide peer-to-peer technical assistance to these legislatures at 
their request. We hope to soon be working in Afghanistan, Lebanon, 
Ukraine, and Iraq as well. America has long extolled the virtue of 
democracy to our neighbors abroad. Our commission allows the House of 
Representatives to do its part to keep democracy on the march.
  We know that democracy remains a work in progress for all of us, but 
global progress requires that democracy works. It is our obligation to 
help new democracies by sharing the lessons that we have learned.
  From Tbilisi to Dili, from Kabul to Nairobi, from Beirut to Baghdad, 
Mr. Speaker, stronger democracies make stronger allies; and through our 
work we will come closer to securing the undeniable right of freedom 
for all.

                          ____________________