[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 196 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H10142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REAFFIRMING THE COMMITMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROMOTE FREE, FAIR, 
            TRANSPARENT AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS IN BANGLADESH

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs be discharged from further consideration 
of H. Res. 1169, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1169

       Whereas Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 and 
     established a secular democratic state, which is home to 
     Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and atheists;
       Whereas Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country with 
     nearly 160,000,000 people;
       Whereas according to the United States Agency for 
     International Development maternal and child mortality rates 
     in Bangladesh have declined by more than 60 percent, 
     production of rice has tripled, and growth in gross domestic 
     product has averaged more than 6 percent annually for over a 
     decade;
       Whereas Bangladesh has fulfilled the criteria to initiate 
     graduation from the United Nations ``Least Developed 
     Country'' status and could become a middle-income country 
     within the next 3 years;
       Whereas in 2017, the generous people of Bangladesh welcomed 
     more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees following the Burmese 
     military and security force's crimes against humanity and 
     genocide against the Rohingya in Northern Rakhine State;
       Whereas in recent years, Bangladesh's democratic system has 
     faced challenges, including political violence, environmental 
     strain, Islamist militancy, a refugee crisis, and challenges 
     to freedom of speech and press;
       Whereas free, fair, transparent, and credible elections are 
     the cornerstone of every democracy;
       Whereas legitimate elections that respect fundamental 
     freedoms are characterized by transparency, accountability, 
     security, and accessibility for all voters;
       Whereas strong democracies worldwide make for better 
     trading partners, provide new market opportunities, improve 
     global health outcomes, and promote economic freedom and 
     regional security;
       Whereas attacks on democracy and democratic institutions 
     undermine the sacrifices of the Bangladeshi people and the 
     country's commitment to human rights and the rule of law;
       Whereas one of Bangladesh's main political parties 
     boycotted the 2014 general election due to concerns about the 
     impartiality of the electoral process;
       Whereas Bangladesh is scheduled to hold general elections 
     on December 30, 2018;
       Whereas democratic stability, regional security, and 
     economic prosperity in Bangladesh and South Asia are vital to 
     the national security interests of the United States;
       Whereas the United States-Bangladesh relationship is built 
     on a foundation of shared values and cooperation on issues 
     including economic growth and development, labor rights, 
     peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and the environment and 
     climate;
       Whereas the United States should more actively engage with 
     the Government of Bangladesh with respect to their shared 
     interests in safeguarding human rights, religious freedom, 
     and secular democracy in Bangladesh, while preventing the 
     growth of religious extremism and militancy; and
       Whereas repeated attacks on religious minorities, expanding 
     religious intolerance, and growing destabilization caused by 
     radical groups undermine United States economic and strategic 
     interests in Bangladesh: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
     promote free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 
     Bangladesh;
       (2) calls on the Government of Bangladesh to respect the 
     freedom of speech and of the press and to heed the Bangladesh 
     Election Commission's request to ensure security for 
     minorities and maintain communal harmony for a peaceful 
     election;
       (3) urges political leaders and judicial authorities in 
     Bangladesh to respect the will of voters and ensure that all 
     Bangladeshis will be able to participate freely in the 
     upcoming elections, and that the elections will be impartial 
     and inclusive; and
       (4) commends the government and people of Bangladesh for 
     their generosity in hosting Rohingya refugees despite the 
     hardships associated with responding to this man-made 
     humanitarian disaster created by the Burmese military and 
     security force's crimes against humanity and genocide against 
     the Rohingya in Northern Rakhine State.

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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