[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 50 (Thursday, March 22, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1955-S1956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 450--REAFFIRMING THE UNITED STATES-EGYPT PARTNERSHIP 
 AND THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO FREE, FAIR, CREDIBLE, AND PEACEFUL 
                      ELECTIONS ON MARCH 26, 2018

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

                              S. Res. 450

       Whereas the Governments of the United States and Egypt have 
     long-shared a strong bilateral working relationship;
       Whereas respect for democracy, human rights, and civil 
     liberties are fundamental principles of the United States and 
     critical to our national security objectives;
       Whereas the Government and people of Egypt have played a 
     critical role in global and regional politics;
       Whereas a strong United States-Egypt partnership is 
     important for the peace, stability, and prosperity of the 
     Middle East;
       Whereas the people and Government of the United States have 
     a deep and abiding interest in Egypt's prosperity, political 
     progress, and long-term stability;
       Whereas an inclusive government responsive to the needs of 
     all of its citizens, including religious minorities, is vital 
     for such stability and prosperity;
       Whereas international and public confidence in any 
     electoral process is an essential element for advancing 
     inclusive, representative forms of government;
       Whereas Egypt will hold a presidential election on March 
     26, 2018;
       Whereas the Department of State's 2016 Human Rights Report 
     noted that the 2015 parliamentary election raised 
     ``concern[s] about restrictions on freedoms of peaceful 
     assembly, association, and expression and their negative 
     effect on the political climate surrounding elections'';
       Whereas the same report notes that the 2014 presidential 
     election raised ``serious concerns regarding constraints on 
     the freedoms of expression and association and limits on 
     freedom of the press leading up to the election which 
     prevented free political participation and severely 
     compromised the broader electoral environment'';
       Whereas the Government of Egypt, through legal action and a 
     highly restrictive new law, has created a hostile environment 
     for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which provide 
     essential services to the people of Egypt and for whom 
     peaceful association for civic activities is a fundamental 
     right;
       Whereas the United States Government reprogrammed and 
     withheld some assistance to Egypt in August 2017 due in part 
     to the inability to certify, as required by Congress, ``that 
     Egypt is advancing democracy and human rights'';
       Whereas the Department of State, in an August 23, 2017, 
     press briefing, reported that it was ``unable to certify that 
     Egypt is advancing democracy and human rights'';
       Whereas, in January 2018, Department of State Spokesperson 
     Heather Nauert affirmed that the United States supports 
     ``free and fair elections'' in Egypt and said, ``We support a 
     timely and credible electoral process and believe it needs to 
     include the opportunity for citizens to participate freely in 
     Egyptian elections. We believe that that should include 
     addressing restrictions on freedom of association, peaceful 
     assembly, and also expression.'';
       Whereas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Egypt on 
     February 12, 2018, and stated during a joint press 
     availability with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, 
     ``With the presidential elections planned for the end of 
     March, the United States, as it does in all countries, 
     supports a transparent and credible electoral process, and 
     all citizens being given the right and the opportunity to 
     participate freely and fairly.'';
       Whereas President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in a 
     televised interview on September 16, 2016, with CBS Evening 
     News, said, ``We uphold the principles of respecting people, 
     of honoring their rights.'';
       Whereas President el-Sisi has asserted his commitment to 
     term limits and free and fair elections over the years, 
     stating in a CNBC interview on November 6, 2017, ``There is 
     no president who will sit in the chair without the will of 
     the Egyptian people. . . the one that is in the president's 
     seat will not be able to stay after the term allowed by the 
     law and the constitution. And what determines this will be 
     the vote of the Egyptian people.'';
       Whereas all credible opposition candidates in Egypt's 2018 
     presidential election faced pressure, harassment, or arrest 
     and subsequently withdrew their candidacies;
       Whereas several prominent Egyptian opposition politicians 
     released a statement on January 28, 2018, calling for 
     Egyptians ``to boycott these elections. . . not only for the 
     absence of the idea of electoral competition, but also 
     because [it] is an obvious first step toward changing the 
     Constitution, removing the limit on presidential terms and 
     eliminating all chances of a peaceful transfer of power'';
       Whereas, in the same statement, these political figures 
     went on to note that ``the security and administrative 
     practices taken by the current system [are intended] to 
     prevent any fair competition in the upcoming elections. . . 
     spreading a climate of security fear, media bias. . .and then 
     with a tight schedule that does not provide a real 
     opportunity for competitors to put themselves and their 
     programs forward''; and
       Whereas the only current opposition candidate, Mr. Moussa 
     Mostafa Moussa, is from the Al-Ghad party, which has no seats 
     in parliament, and only a few days before declaring his 
     candidacy led a campaign called ``We Support'' calling for 
     el-Sisi's reelection: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reasserts its commitment to the United States-Egypt 
     partnership and to advancing the common interests of both 
     countries;
       (2) recognizes that Egypt faces legitimate security threats 
     and expresses condolences for the loss of life suffered by 
     the Egyptian

[[Page S1956]]

     people in attacks by violent extremist organizations;
       (3) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
     democracy, human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of 
     law, including the universal rights of freedom of assembly, 
     freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of 
     association;
       (4) expresses support for human rights, civil liberties, 
     and rule of law in Egypt, and for elections that are free, 
     fair, and credible;
       (5) notes that a lack of progress in these areas will 
     undermine Egypt's security and economic stabilization;
       (6) supports the people of Egypt, who are entitled to 
     determine their own destiny, including selecting their 
     political leadership through a fair and credible electoral 
     process without fear of or intimidation by their government;
       (7) urges the Government of Egypt to take meaningful steps 
     to enable free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections in 
     March 2018 and in the future;
       (8) expresses concern regarding the intimidation and 
     detention of credible opposition candidates, as well as the 
     restrictive environment for nongovernmental organizations and 
     media;
       (9) calls on the United States Government, foreign 
     governments, and parliaments to speak out in support of the 
     right of the Egyptian people to free, fair, and credible 
     elections; and
       (10) encourages the President to appoint an Assistant 
     Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and a United 
     States Ambassador to Egypt to bolster diplomatic engagement 
     with the Government of Egypt, electoral stakeholders, and 
     civil society as well as consistently raise issues of human 
     rights, rule of law, and governance.

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