[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 123 (Friday, August 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S9091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AFGHANISTAN'S UPCOMING ELECTIONS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 251.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 251) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that the Government of Afghanistan, with the support 
     of the international community, should fulfill its 
     obligations to ensure that women fully participate as 
     candidates and voters in the August 20, 2009, presidential 
     and provincial council elections in Afghanistan.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statement relating to the resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 251) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 251

       Whereas women in Afghanistan play a critical role in 
     establishing accountable governance, fostering economic 
     development, and securing peace in Afghanistan;
       Whereas many women in Afghanistan face rising insecurity 
     and consequent physical and verbal violence in seeking 
     political office and exercising their constitutional right to 
     vote;
       Whereas the Afghan Independent Electoral Commission has 
     made efforts to consult with domestic and international 
     organizations advocating for full inclusion of all people in 
     Afghanistan in the elections, and has called on the donor 
     community to assist its efforts to open and staff all 
     appropriate polling places throughout Afghanistan; and
       Whereas women's rights activists and civil society 
     representatives from throughout Afghanistan gathered on June 
     25, 2009, and decided to launch the Five Million Afghan Women 
     Campaign, a campaign of 5,000,000 women of Afghanistan to 
     support eligible women's political participation in order to 
     ensure the rule of law and gender equality: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the brave women and women-led 
     organizations of Afghanistan on the launch of the Five 
     Million Afghan Women Campaign;
       (2) urges the Government of Afghanistan to ensure that 
     sufficient staffing is in place in women's polling stations, 
     including security staff and equipment and appropriate 
     polling place personnel;
       (3) urges the Government of Afghanistan and the religious, 
     community, and cultural leaders of Afghanistan to make every 
     effort to encourage eligible women to participate in the 
     August 20, 2009, elections;
       (4) urges the Government of Afghanistan to fully include 
     women in formal committees and bodies charged with election 
     security and related processes;
       (5) urges the Government of Afghanistan and the Independent 
     Electoral Commission to continue to consult with the Afghan 
     Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Afghan Independent Human 
     Rights Commission, and women-led nongovernmental 
     organizations regarding women's participation in the 
     elections, in order to guarantee a free and fair election 
     process, including providing equal access for women 
     candidates to media outlets as well as ensuring adequate 
     security and transportation for women voters on election day;
       (6) encourages the Secretary of State, including through 
     the United States Agency for International Development, to 
     continue to mobilize funding and resources of the United 
     States for programs throughout Afghanistan to raise the 
     awareness of women in Afghanistan regarding governance, 
     increase women's political participation in the August 20, 
     2009, and future elections, and support such women's ability 
     to exercise their rights as citizens; and
       (7) urges the new Government of Afghanistan elected on 
     August 20, 2009, to employ and engage women in meaningful 
     roles and positions in such new government.

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