[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6282-6284]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING QATAR FOR COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AND WOMEN'S 
                                SUFFRAGE

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) congratulating the State 
of Qatar and its citizens for their commitment to democratic ideals and 
women's suffrage on the occasion of Qatar's historic elections of a 
central municipal council on March 8, 1999, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 35

       Whereas His Highness, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, 
     the Emir of Qatar, issued a decree creating a central 
     municipal council, the first of its kind in Qatar;
       Whereas on March 8, 1999, the people of the State of Qatar 
     held direct elections for a central municipal council;
       Whereas the central municipal council has been structured 
     to have members from 29 election districts serving 4-year 
     terms;
       Whereas Qatari women were granted the right to participate 
     in this historic first municipal election, both as candidates 
     and voters;
       Whereas this election demonstrates the strength and 
     diversity of the State of Qatar's commitment to democratic 
     expression;
       Whereas the United States highly values democracy and 
     women's rights;
       Whereas March 8 is recognized as International Women's Day, 
     and is an occasion to assess the progress of the advancement 
     of women and girls throughout the world; and
       Whereas this historic event of democratic elections and 
     women's suffrage in the State of Qatar should be honored: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) commends His Highness, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-
     Thani, the Emir of Qatar, for his leadership and commitment 
     to suffrage and the principles of democracy;
       (2) congratulates the citizens of the State of Qatar as 
     they celebrate the historic election for a central municipal 
     council; and
       (3) reaffirms that the United States is strongly committed 
     to encouraging the suffrage of women, democratic ideals, and 
     peaceful development throughout the Middle East.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Lee) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to enter into the Record and say the 
remarks that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), were he here, 
would be delivering. He is at the White House today. I would like to 
give his remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us today is House Concurrent 
Resolution 35, a concurrent resolution congratulating the State of 
Qatar and its citizens for their commitment to democratic ideals and 
women's suffrage on

[[Page 6283]]

the occasion of Qatar's historic elections of a central municipal 
council on March 8, 1999.
  The gentleman from New York is the primary sponsor of this measure 
and wanted to particularly thank the cochairs of the Congressional 
Women's Caucus, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), for their support for these 
elections and their cosponsorship of this resolution.
  Qatar is a strong ally of the United States in the Persian Gulf and 
is moving toward the 21st century under the leadership of His Highness, 
Sheikh Hamad, the Emir of Qatar. That leadership includes expanding the 
civic contribution to Qatar's governance.
  Our colleagues will agree that the United States highly values 
democracy and women's rights. So we were more than pleased to learn of 
the successful municipal elections that Qatar had conducted in which 
women, as well as men, were granted the right to vote and run as 
candidates.
  House Concurrent Resolution 35 applauds the Emir of Qatar for his 
leadership and commends the citizens of Qatar for participating in this 
important civic function. Clearly, this election demonstrates the 
strength and diversity of the State of Qatar's commitment to democratic 
expression.
  House Concurrent Resolution 35 also reaffirms that the United States 
is strongly committed to encouraging the suffrage of women, of 
democratic ideals, and peaceful development throughout the Middle East.
  We therefore were pleased to learn that the Qatari Government is in 
the process of drafting a constitution. This document, once adopted, 
will cause the creation of a Qatari parliament.
  Mr. Speaker, in discussions with Qatari officials, they informed us 
that the State of Qatar considers the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan as 
their structural model. Congress therefore looks forward to these 
developments and to maintaining and strengthening its relationship with 
Qatar.
  House Concurrent Resolution 35 celebrates an important milestone in 
the development of Qatar, and I urge our colleagues to join me in 
extending our congratulations to all its citizens by lending their 
support to this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I 
rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 35, regarding the recent 
historic elections of a central municipal council in Qatar, and I 
strongly commend the cochairs of our Women's Caucus, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Kelly), who traveled to Qatar to monitor these elections.
  Mr. Speaker, the decree issued by the Emir of Qatar establishing the 
central municipal council was the first of its kind. The council was 
structured to have members from 29 election districts serving 4-year 
terms. For the first time in Qatar history, open elections were ordered 
and in an unprecedented decision women were granted the right to 
participate both as candidates and as voters. While these elections 
were at the municipal level, they were an important expression of a 
commitment to democratic ideals and the first step toward advancing 
women's rights in the region. The elections took place on March 8, 
1999, a day also celebrated as International Women's Day, further 
emphasizing the significance of women's suffrage. It is important for 
the United States Congress to recognize this historic event and to 
support it as a turning point towards democracy and equal rights for 
women in Qatar.
  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today 
in support of H. Con. Res. 35 to honor the State of Qatar and its 
citizens on the historic elections that took place there on March 8. I 
am pleased to have this opportunity to share my recent experiences in 
Qatar.
  I had the great honor to travel to this Persian Gulf country as an 
election observer with my colleague Sue Kelly, with whom I serve as co-
chair of the Women's Caucus.
  This marks an historic step toward women having seats at all tables, 
not only the kitchen table, but the peace table, the economic 
development table, and international affairs table. All of these 
opportunities begin with full voting privileges for both men and 
women--a first among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries of the 
world.
  By comparison, Kuwait has an elected parliament which exercises 
limited legislative and oversight powers, but women are not allowed to 
vote.
  Oman has an elected Consultative Council, however only selected male 
and female citizens are enfranchised and the Sultan retains the final 
say over the composition of the Council.
  Bahrain had an elected parliament which was dissolved by the Emir in 
1975.
  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have no elected 
institutions.
  I congratulate the citizens of Qatar on this important step for 
women. It took America 145 years to give women the right to vote; it 
took Qatar only 27 years. It is wonderful to see Qatar giving rights to 
women while other countries like Afghanistan are taking them away. In 
Afghanistan, women and girls are not permitted to work or to go to 
school, and they have limited access to health care or prenatal care.
  We live in a world economy and we must recognize that elections and 
democracy help us in our shared world. An elected government is a more 
stable government. Qatar's step toward democracy directly benefits the 
United States because it leads us toward stability and peace. It is 
important for our nation to support the democratic steps of our allies 
in the Persian Gulf.
  It is important to remember that democracy is a journey, not a 
destination. With the historic step of allowing both men and women to 
participate in its first-ever municipal elections, Qatar has taken the 
first step toward embracing democracy.
  The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, is committed to 
democracy and has even talked of continuing towards democracy by having 
an elected parliament. He has already made great strides in education 
and economic development. I was proud to represent the United States 
and meet with members of Parliament from United Kingdom, France, 
Germany, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Oman and Kuwait--who came to witness 
these historic elections.
  I was impressed by how carefully planned the election was. Two 
hundred and forty-two candidates ran in 29 election districts to serve 
four-year terms on a central municipal council. Six women ran for 
office. While none of the women won, Dr. Wadha Al Suwaidi came in 
second in her district by only 28 votes to Nasser Faleh al Dosari.
  I had the opportunity to meet with many candidates. They were well 
educated, and well prepared. Many had very impressive credentials as 
ambassadors, teachers, and each had prepared a platform of issues on 
everything from libraries, bridges, and garbage to parks, nurseries, 
and recycling.
  The scene on election day was extraordinary. It looked a lot like an 
American election, complete with banners, posters and campaign 
materials. The election was held on a national holiday and schools and 
many businesses were closed. Many schools were used as polling places, 
and candidates set up nearby tents to continue campaigning throughout 
the day.
  We saw many long lines in Qatar, and there was a better than 95 
percent voter turnout of the registered voters. It reminded me of the 
long lines seen during South Africa's first election with people 
standing in lines for hours in the hot sun.
  It was a very fair election. They even sealed the ballot boxes with 
wax during prayer breaks.
  I met with many of the candidates. One of the female candidates who I 
met, Mouza Abdullah Al-Maliki, has been working for the vote for 
several years. In 1993, she was part of a group that petitioned the 
previous Emir for the vote. She is very grateful to have the vote. She 
told me, ``It means democracy, it means freedom, it means awareness for 
women in all aspects of her life.''
  To celebrate the first ever direct elections in which women have been 
allowed to participate in the Gulf, it is important that we pass H. 
Con. Res. 35 congratulating Qatar on its historic elections. I hope 
that we will be able to move this bill quickly to show America's 
support for democracy and universal suffrage throughout the world.


                            Additional Facts

  Dr. Wadha al Suwaidi came in second in her district by only 28 votes 
to Nasser Faleh al Dosari. This is very significant because 50 women in 
her district didn't vote.
  Of the approximately 600,000 people in the country, there are 150,000 
Qatari citizens. Of these, about 75,000 are eligible (over age 18

[[Page 6284]]

and not a member of the police or military force.) Approximately 23,000 
registered, which was split almost 50-50 between men and women.
  I saw our American embassy in Qatar, which was recently evacuated. It 
stood--exposed and vulnerable--right on a busy intersection. Our 
embassy workers are currently working in makeshift areas, some are even 
working out of their homes. I hope that work on the new embassy 
continues, and that our state department personnel will soon be able to 
work in a safer environment.
  In Lebanon, 3 of 128 Members of Parliament are women. One of them is 
Mouauad Naela whose daughter lives in New York City.
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank Chairman Gilman, 
and Ranking Member Gejdenson for giving me time to share my support for 
H. Con. Res. 35, as well as observations from my trip to Qatar last 
month.
  I recently visited Qatar with my colleague, Carolyn Maloney, to 
witness their historic election on March 8, and lend encouragement to 
the process that they are beginning. While we were in Qatar, we had the 
opportunity to meet with the women candidates and Qatari citizens, as 
well as the Minister of Municipal Affairs, the Foreign Minister and the 
Emir's wife, Shaykha Mouza who has been a leader in the effort to bring 
American institutions of higher education to Qatar in addition to 
organizing the municipal council elections, which took place on March 
8.
  In many countries in that region, women lead very sheltered lives and 
are unable to do many activities that we take for granted. Women are 
often unable to drive, much less go on to study in college. In Qatar, 
we saw women doing these things. We saw them everywhere you would 
expect to see women here in the U.S. interacting in a perfectly normal 
way, the same way that we do in many instances. This is rather 
progressive stance for many countries in this region.
  On election day, as I traveled with other members of the delegation 
to the election sites, I was quite pleased to see the widespread 
support for the elections and the candidates. The election sites were 
full of life. Campaign materials and supporters were abundant. Qataris 
were lined up waiting to have their chance to cast their vote. What is 
more, I think that there are lessons we could learn from the candidates 
in Qatar as they sat together, sharing coffee with each other, each 
wishing the other success, even though they were running against one 
another. They were there together celebrating the beginnings of 
democracy and representation.
  I also thought that the elections were well organized, those who 
worked at the polling sites did so with the dignity and excitement one 
would expect for a nation's first endeavor towards democracy.
  I realize that there has been concern about the relatively low number 
of people eligible to vote in the elections. There are approximately 
160,000-180,000 citizens in the nation. Just as in the United States 
there is eligibility criteria for voting. In order to be able to vote, 
you must be the daughter or son of a father who is a Qatari citizen and 
was born and raised there. As in the U.S., 18 is the minimum voting 
age, and the last criteria is, interestingly enough, that the person 
cannot be a member of the military or be employed by the Ministry of 
the Interior. The Qataris have concerns about mixing politics and their 
military forces. The final number of those eligible to vote has not 
been reported. However, we do know that of the approximate 22,000 
people registered to vote, approximately 45% were women.
  The queen, Shaykha Mouza spoke to the issue of the careful balance 
that needs to be struck between the traditional, conservative aspects 
of their society and the drive to move towards a parliamentary 
democracy. This is only the first election for a municipal council 
which is advisory in nature, but it is a valid step. I believe that it 
is important for us and for Qatar, that we pass this resolution 
congratulating the Emir's efforts on behalf of his nation.
  As we all know, governing is a difficult task. It is a deliberative 
and often slow process, but the important thing is that the process 
moves forward. We need to salute and congratulate this nation for their 
step forward and encourage them to continue on their journey to the 
great experiment called democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent 
Resolution 35, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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