[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5272]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 5272]]

SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES SHOULD ENCOURAGE FREE 
          AND FAIR ELECTIONS AND RESPECT FOR DEMOCRACY IN PERU

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on International Relations be discharged from further consideration of 
the Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 43) expressing the sense of 
Congress that the President of the United States should encourage free 
and fair elections and respect for democracy in Peru, and ask for its 
immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate joint resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from New York?
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for 
yielding to me.
  This resolution, Mr. Speaker, makes an important statement of 
American policy towards Peru. It was passed unanimously by the Senate.
  Independent election monitors in Peru have expressed grave doubts 
about the fairness of the electoral process now under way in Peru.
  This resolution notes the absence of free and fair elections in Peru 
would constitute a major setback for the Peruvian people and for 
democracy in the hemisphere. It could result in instability in Peru and 
could jeopardize United States anti-narcotic objectives in Peru and the 
region.
  Mr. Speaker, at this moment, Peru's electoral authorities are moving 
to finalize the vote count for the first round of that election. It is 
important that the House add its voice to the unanimous voice in the 
Senate and send a proper signal of U.S. support for democracy in Peru.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I want 
to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) for bringing 
this resolution to the floor.
  This resolution really comes at a very decisive moment in Peru's 
history. The votes from this past Sunday's election in Peru are being 
counted as we speak. International and Peruvian observers have already 
declared the electoral process to be damaged. The Organization of 
American States, the National Democratic Institute, and the Carter 
Center are among them.
  Mr. Speaker, I have served as an international observer in the recent 
Nigerian elections and also in the elections in South Africa several 
years ago. We must value the importance of our international observers 
in their understanding and clarification of what is taking place 
abroad.
  These nonpartisan Peruvian observers also have included the well-
respected group Transparencia, and they have noted that the Fujimori 
government has attempted to unfairly manipulate this process to 
President Fujimori's advantage.
  Now, the legitimacy of the entire process is in the balance. Pre-
election polls and, more telling, election day exit polls and 
independent quick counts all point to President Fujimori's coming short 
of the 50 percent vote needed to win in the first round. Official vote 
counts appear to be inching toward 50 percent while independent 
tabulations show the count to be 47 to 49 percent.
  This resolution, S.J. Res. 43, actually calls on Peru's government to 
ensure a clean, legitimate electoral process. For the Peruvian people 
and for the U.S.-Peruvian relations, we implore President Fujimori's 
efforts, and we implore him to do the right thing in this instance.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate joint resolution, as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 43

       Whereas presidential and congressional elections are 
     scheduled to occur in Peru on April 9, 2000;
       Whereas independent election monitors, including the 
     Organization of American States, the National Democratic 
     Institute, and the Carter Center, have expressed grave doubts 
     about the fairness of the electoral process due to the 
     Peruvian Government's control of key official electoral 
     agencies, systematic restrictions on freedom of the press, 
     manipulation of the judicial processes to stifle independent 
     reporting on radio, television, and newspaper outlets, and 
     harassment and intimidation of opposition politicians, which 
     have greatly limited the ability of opposing candidates to 
     campaign freely; and
       Whereas the absence of free and fair elections in Peru 
     would constitute a major setback for the Peruvian people and 
     for democracy in the hemisphere, could result in instability 
     in Peru, and could jeopardize United States antinarcotics 
     objectives in Peru and the region: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That it is 
     the sense of Congress that the President of the United States 
     should promptly convey to the President of Peru that if the 
     April 9, 2000, elections are not deemed by the international 
     community to have been free and fair, the United States will 
     review and modify as appropriate its political, economic, and 
     military relations with Peru, and will work with other 
     democracies in this hemisphere and elsewhere toward a 
     restoration of democracy in Peru.

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

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