[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1081-S1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO BRING AN END TO VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY BOKO 
  HARAM, AND URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA TO CONDUCT TRANSPARENT, 
                    PEACEFUL, AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of 
S. Res. 65 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 65) supporting efforts to bring an 
     end to violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, and urging the 
     Government of Nigeria to conduct transparent, peaceful, and 
     credible elections.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I further ask unanimous consent that the Menendez 
amendment to the resolution be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 252) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to, 
as follows:

              (Purpose: To provide a complete substitute)

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following: ``That the Senate--
       (1) condemns Boko Haram for its violent attacks, 
     particularly the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, 
     especially women and girls, and the use of children as 
     fighters and suicide bombers;
       (2) stands with--
       (A) the people of Nigeria in their right to live free from 
     fear or intimidation by state or nonstate actors, regardless 
     of their ethnic, religious, or regional affiliation;
       (B) the people of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger who are 
     increasingly at risk of becoming victims of Boko Haram's 
     violence; and
       (C) the international community in its efforts to defeat 
     Boko Haram;
       (3) supports the Abuja Accord, and calls on candidates, 
     party officials, and adherents of all political movements to 
     comply with the code of conduct spelled out therein, by 
     refraining from any rhetoric or action that seeks to demonize 
     or delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or 
     otherwise inflame tensions;
       (4) condemns any and all abuses of civilians by security 
     forces of the Government of Nigeria;
       (5) urges the Government of Nigeria to--
       (A) adhere to the new timeline for elections announced by 
     INEC on February 7, 2015;
       (B) refrain from using security concerns as a pretext for 
     impeding the democratic process and using the security 
     apparatus for political purposes in connection with the 
     elections;
       (C) ensure elections are credible, transparent, and 
     peaceful;
       (D) prioritize the safety and security of Nigerians 
     vulnerable to Boko Haram attacks;
       (E) implement a comprehensive, civilian security-focused 
     response to defeat Boko Haram that addresses political and 
     economic grievances of citizens in the north;
       (F) improve the capacity and conduct of Nigeria's security 
     forces, including respect for human rights, and take steps to 
     hold accountable through a transparent process those members 
     of the security forces responsible for abuses;
       (G) recognize that security forces are intended to protect 
     the safety and security of all citizens equally; and
       (H) cooperate with regional and international partners to 
     defeat Boko Haram;
       (6) urges all Nigerians to engage in the electoral process, 
     to insist on full enfranchisement, and to reject inflammatory 
     or divisive rhetoric or actions; and
       (7) reaffirms that the people of the United States will 
     continue to stand with the people of Nigeria in support of 
     peace and democracy.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I know of no further debate on this measure.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there any further debate?
  Hearing none, the question is on agreeing to the resolution.
  The resolution (S. Res. 65), as amended, was agreed to.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that 
the Menendez substitute amendment to the preamble be considered; that 
the Rubio amendment to the Menendez amendment to the preamble be 
considered and agreed to; that the Menendez substitute, as amended, be 
agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and the motions 
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 253) is as follows:

                    (Purpose: To amend the preamble)

       Amend the preamble to read as follows:
       Whereas Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, with 
     the largest economy;
       Whereas the Governments of the United States and Nigeria 
     have had a strong bilateral relationship, and Nigeria has 
     been a valued partner of the United States since its 
     transition to civilian rule;
       Whereas the Government of Nigeria is currently confronted 
     with threats to internal security by terrorists, insurgents, 
     and communal violence that have caused considerable 
     population displacement, and at the same time must administer 
     transparent and peaceful elections with a credible outcome;
       Whereas the government and those who aspire to hold office 
     in Nigeria must demonstrate the political will to address 
     both of these challenges in a responsible way, including by 
     ensuring full enfranchisement, with particular emphasis on 
     developing a means for enfranchisement for the hundreds of 
     thousands displaced by violence;
       Whereas the members of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati 
     wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, have terrorized the 
     people of Nigeria with increasing violence since 2009, 
     targeting military, government, and civilian sites in 
     Nigeria, including schools, mosques, churches, markets, 
     villages, and agricultural centers, and killing thousands and 
     abducting hundreds of civilians in Nigeria and the 
     surrounding countries;
       Whereas the Department of State named several individuals 
     linked to Boko Haram, including its leader, Abubakar Shekau, 
     as Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2012, and 
     designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization 
     (FTO) in November 2013;
       Whereas, in May 2014, the United Nations Security Council 
     added Boko Haram to its al Qaeda sanctions list, and on 
     January 19, 2015, the United Nations Security Council issued 
     a presidential statement condemning the recent escalation of 
     attacks in northeastern Nigeria and surrounding countries and 
     expressing concern that the situation was undermining peace 
     and security in West and Central Africa;
       Whereas the over 200 school girls abducted by Boko Haram on 
     April 14, 2014, from the Government Girls Secondary School in 
     the northeastern state of Borno, whose kidnapping sparked 
     domestic and international outrage spawning the Twitter 
     campaign #BringBackOurGirls, are still missing;
       Whereas the militant group is an increasing menace to the 
     countries along Nigeria's northeastern border, prompting the 
     African Union, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the European 
     Union, and the United Nations Security Council to recognize 
     that there must be a regional response;

[[Page S1082]]

       Whereas the United States Government has stepped forward to 
     offer assistance through intelligence sharing, bilateral and 
     international sanctioning of Boko Haram leaders, 
     counterterrorism assistance through the Global Security 
     Contingency Fund program for countries in the region to 
     counter the militant group, and humanitarian services to 
     populations affected by and vulnerable to Boko Haram 
     violence;
       Whereas Boko Haram emerged partially as a response to 
     underdevelopment in northeastern Nigeria, and inequality, 
     elite impunity, and alleged human rights abuses by security 
     forces may be fueling anti-government sentiment;
       Whereas it is clear that a military approach alone will not 
     eliminate the threat of Boko Haram, and gross human rights 
     abuses and atrocities by security forces causes insecurity 
     and mistrust among the civilian population;
       Whereas it is imperative that the Government of Nigeria 
     implement a comprehensive, civilian security focused plan 
     that prioritizes protecting civilians and also addresses 
     legitimate political and economic grievances of citizens in 
     northern Nigeria;
       Whereas Nigeria is scheduled to hold national elections in 
     the coming weeks, and the elections appear to be the most 
     closely contested in Nigeria since the return to civilian 
     rule;
       Whereas election-related violence has occurred in Nigeria 
     in successive elections, including in 2011, when nearly 800 
     people died in clashes following the presidential election;
       Whereas President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, General 
     Muhammadu Buhari, and other presidential candidates pledged 
     to reverse this trend by signing the ``Abuja Accord'' on 
     January 14, 2015, in which they committed themselves and 
     their campaigns to refraining from public statements that 
     incite violence, to running issue-based campaigns that do not 
     seek to divide citizens along religious or ethnic lines, and 
     to supporting the impartial conduct of the electoral 
     commission and the security services;
       Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry visited Nigeria on 
     January 25, 2015, to emphasize the importance of ensuring the 
     upcoming elections are peaceful, nonviolent, and credible;
       Whereas, despite the Nigerian Independent National 
     Electoral Commission's (INEC) views that preparations were 
     ``sufficient to conduct free, fair and credible elections as 
     scheduled,'' at the repeated urging of security officials, 
     INEC announced on February 7, 2015, the postponement of the 
     elections by six weeks, and elections will now take place on 
     March 28 and April 11, 2015;
       Whereas tensions in the country remain high, and either 
     electoral fraud or violence could undermine the credibility 
     of the upcoming election;
       Whereas the people of Nigeria aspire for a fair, 
     competently executed, and secure electoral process, as well 
     as an outcome that can be accepted peacefully by all 
     citizens; and
       Whereas it is in the best interest of the United States to 
     maintain close ties with a politically stable, democratic and 
     economically sound Nigeria: Now, therefore, be it

  The amendment (No. 254) was agreed to, as follows:

  (Purpose: To illustrate the extreme degree of religious intolerance 
                      demonstrated by Boko Haram)

       Insert after the seventh whereas clause of the preamble the 
     following:
       Whereas Boko Haram calls for the universal implementation 
     of what it considers ``pure'' Shari'ah law, has called on all 
     Christians to leave northern Nigeria, and perpetrates 
     targeted violent attacks against Christians, churches, 
     schools, mosques, and Muslim critics;

  The amendment (No. 253) in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows:

                               S. Res. 65

       Whereas Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, with 
     the largest economy;
       Whereas the Governments of the United States and Nigeria 
     have had a strong bilateral relationship, and Nigeria has 
     been a valued partner of the United States since its 
     transition to civilian rule;
       Whereas the Government of Nigeria is currently confronted 
     with threats to internal security by terrorists, insurgents, 
     and communal violence that have caused considerable 
     population displacement, and at the same time must administer 
     transparent and peaceful elections with a credible outcome;
       Whereas the government and those who aspire to hold office 
     in Nigeria must demonstrate the political will to address 
     both of these challenges in a responsible way, including by 
     ensuring full enfranchisement, with particular emphasis on 
     developing a means for enfranchisement for the hundreds of 
     thousands displaced by violence;
       Whereas the members of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati 
     wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, have terrorized the 
     people of Nigeria with increasing violence since 2009, 
     targeting military, government, and civilian sites in 
     Nigeria, including schools, mosques, churches, markets, 
     villages, and agricultural centers, and killing thousands and 
     abducting hundreds of civilians in Nigeria and the 
     surrounding countries;
       Whereas the Department of State named several individuals 
     linked to Boko Haram, including its leader, Abubakar Shekau, 
     as Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2012, and 
     designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization 
     (FTO) in November 2013;
       Whereas, in May 2014, the United Nations Security Council 
     added Boko Haram to its al Qaeda sanctions list, and on 
     January 19, 2015, the United Nations Security Council issued 
     a presidential statement condemning the recent escalation of 
     attacks in northeastern Nigeria and surrounding countries and 
     expressing concern that the situation was undermining peace 
     and security in West and Central Africa;
       Whereas Boko Haram calls for the universal implementation 
     of what it considers ``pure'' Shari'ah law, has called on all 
     Christians to leave northern Nigeria, and perpetrates 
     targeted violent attacks against Christians, churches, 
     schools, mosques, and Muslim critics;
       Whereas the over 200 school girls abducted by Boko Haram on 
     April 14, 2014, from the Government Girls Secondary School in 
     the northeastern state of Borno, whose kidnapping sparked 
     domestic and international outrage spawning the Twitter 
     campaign #BringBackOurGirls, are still missing;
       Whereas the militant group is an increasing menace to the 
     countries along Nigeria's northeastern border, prompting the 
     African Union, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the European 
     Union, and the United Nations Security Council to recognize 
     that there must be a regional response;
       Whereas the United States Government has stepped forward to 
     offer assistance through intelligence sharing, bilateral and 
     international sanctioning of Boko Haram leaders, 
     counterterrorism assistance through the Global Security 
     Contingency Fund program for countries in the region to 
     counter the militant group, and humanitarian services to 
     populations affected by and vulnerable to Boko Haram 
     violence;
       Whereas Boko Haram emerged partially as a response to 
     underdevelopment in northeastern Nigeria, and inequality, 
     elite impunity, and alleged human rights abuses by security 
     forces may be fueling anti-government sentiment;
       Whereas it is clear that a military approach alone will not 
     eliminate the threat of Boko Haram, and gross human rights 
     abuses and atrocities by security forces causes insecurity 
     and mistrust among the civilian population;
       Whereas it is imperative that the Government of Nigeria 
     implement a comprehensive, civilian security focused plan 
     that prioritizes protecting civilians and also addresses 
     legitimate political and economic grievances of citizens in 
     northern Nigeria;
       Whereas Nigeria is scheduled to hold national elections in 
     the coming weeks, and the elections appear to be the most 
     closely contested in Nigeria since the return to civilian 
     rule;
       Whereas election-related violence has occurred in Nigeria 
     in successive elections, including in 2011, when nearly 800 
     people died in clashes following the presidential election;
       Whereas President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, General 
     Muhammadu Buhari, and other presidential candidates pledged 
     to reverse this trend by signing the ``Abuja Accord'' on 
     January 14, 2015, in which they committed themselves and 
     their campaigns to refraining from public statements that 
     incite violence, to running issue-based campaigns that do not 
     seek to divide citizens along religious or ethnic lines, and 
     to supporting the impartial conduct of the electoral 
     commission and the security services;
       Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry visited Nigeria on 
     January 25, 2015, to emphasize the importance of ensuring the 
     upcoming elections are peaceful, nonviolent, and credible;
       Whereas despite the Nigerian Independent National Electoral 
     Commission's (INEC) views that preparations were ``sufficient 
     to conduct free, fair and credible elections as scheduled,'' 
     at the repeated urging of security officials, INEC announced 
     on February 7, 2015, the postponement of the elections by six 
     weeks, and elections will now take place on March 28 and 
     April 11, 2015;
       Whereas tensions in the country remain high, and either 
     electoral fraud or violence could undermine the credibility 
     of the upcoming election;
       Whereas the people of Nigeria aspire for a fair, 
     competently executed, and secure electoral process, as well 
     as an outcome that can be accepted peacefully by all 
     citizens; and
       Whereas it is in the best interest of the United States to 
     maintain close ties with a politically stable, democratic and 
     economically sound Nigeria: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns Boko Haram for its violent attacks, 
     particularly the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, 
     especially women and girls, and the use of children as 
     fighters and suicide bombers;
       (2) stands with--
       (A) the people of Nigeria in their right to live free from 
     fear or intimidation by state or nonstate actors, regardless 
     of their ethnic, religious, or regional affiliation;
       (B) the people of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger who are 
     increasingly at risk of becoming victims of Boko Haram's 
     violence; and
       (C) the international community in its efforts to defeat 
     Boko Haram;

[[Page S1083]]

       (3) supports the Abuja Accord, and calls on candidates, 
     party officials, and adherents of all political movements to 
     comply with the code of conduct spelled out therein, by 
     refraining from any rhetoric or action that seeks to demonize 
     or delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or 
     otherwise inflame tensions;
       (4) condemns any and all abuses of civilians by security 
     forces of the Government of Nigeria;
       (5) urges the Government of Nigeria to--
       (A) adhere to the new timeline for elections announced by 
     INEC on February 7, 2015;
       (B) refrain from using security concerns as a pretext for 
     impeding the democratic process and using the security 
     apparatus for political purposes in connection with the 
     elections;
       (C) ensure elections are credible, transparent, and 
     peaceful;
       (D) prioritize the safety and security of Nigerians 
     vulnerable to Boko Haram attacks;
       (E) implement a comprehensive, civilian security-focused 
     response to defeat Boko Haram that addresses political and 
     economic grievances of citizens in the north;
       (F) improve the capacity and conduct of Nigeria's security 
     forces, including respect for human rights, and take steps to 
     hold accountable through a transparent process those members 
     of the security forces responsible for abuses;
       (G) recognize that security forces are intended to protect 
     the safety and security of all citizens equally; and
       (H) cooperate with regional and international partners to 
     defeat Boko Haram;
       (6) urges all Nigerians to engage in the electoral process, 
     to insist on full enfranchisement, and to reject inflammatory 
     or divisive rhetoric or actions; and
       (7) reaffirms that the people of the United States will 
     continue to stand with the people of Nigeria in support of 
     peace and democracy.

                          ____________________