[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 24243-24244]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   COMMENDING NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE WORLD ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS 
                             ESTABLISHMENT

  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res 274) commending the National 
Endowment for Democracy for its contributions to democratic development 
around the world on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 
establishment of the National Endowment for Democracy.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 274

       Whereas November 22, 2003, marks the 20th anniversary of 
     the establishment of the National Endowment for Democracy 
     (hereinafter the ``Endowment''), a bipartisan nongovernmental 
     institution that promotes democracy around the world;
       Whereas through the National Endowment for Democracy Act 
     (22 U.S.C. 4411 et seq.), signed into law by President Ronald 
     Reagan on November 22, 1983, Congress has made possible the 
     funding of the Endowment's worldwide grant programs;
       Whereas 2003 also marks the 20th anniversary of the 
     National Republican Institute for International Affairs 
     (which was subsequently renamed the International Republican 
     Institute (IRI)), the National Democratic Institute for 
     International Affairs (NDI), and the Center for International 
     Private Enterprise (CIPE), all of which joined the Free Trade 
     Union Institute (which was subsequently renamed as the 
     American Center for International Labor Solidarity) to form 
     the four affiliated institutions of the Endowment;
       Whereas the Endowment and the affiliated institutes have 
     supported grassroots programs to build democratic 
     institutions, spread democratic values, encourage free market 
     institutions, and promote political parties, worker rights, 
     independent media, human rights, the rule of law, civic 
     education, conflict resolution, political participation by 
     women, and many other essential components of civil society 
     and democratic governance in emerging and transitional 
     democracies, nondemocracies, and war-torn societies;
       Whereas the programs carried out or funded by the Endowment 
     have made significant contributions to the efforts of 
     democratic activists to achieve freedom and self-governance 
     around the world;
       Whereas the Endowment, through the Journal of Democracy, 
     the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the Reagan-
     Fascell Democracy Fellows Program, and the World Movement for 
     Democracy, has served as a key center of democratic research, 
     exchange, and networking, bringing together thousands of 
     democracy activists, scholars, and practitioners from around 
     the world; and
       Whereas the spread of democracy throughout the world, to 
     which the work of the Endowment has contributed 
     significantly, has enhanced the national security interests 
     of the United States and advanced democratic ideals and 
     values throughout the world: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) commends the National Endowment for Democracy for its 
     major contributions to the strengthening of democracy around 
     the world on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Endowment; and
       (2) endeavors to continue to support the vital work of the 
     National Endowment for Democracy.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from

[[Page 24244]]

California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 274.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution commending 
the National Endowment for Democracy. I am a sponsor of this measure, 
and I appreciate the strong support expressed on a bipartisan basis for 
this measure. I appreciate the numerous cosponsors, and I would like to 
thank the chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, 
the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), for introducing 
the original resolution.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution recognizes the National Endowment for 
Democracy for its work, which has served to strengthen democracies and 
give hope to many who are shaping a system of governance in their 
countries that is based on the free participation of the people. 
Furthermore, the measure expresses the Congress's commendation of 20 
years of working to build grassroots institutions and establishing 
electoral systems, building political parties and opening opportunities 
for broad-based governance.
  During the years of the Cold War, various groups and various 
individuals were seeking a creative way to support democracy. And as a 
result of this, it led to President Reagan giving a speech in 1983. In 
that speech, he proposed an initiative, in his words, ``to foster the 
infrastructure of democracy, the system of a free press, unions, 
political parties, universities, which allows a people to choose their 
own way, to develop their own culture, to reconcile their own 
differences through peaceful means.''
  Those were Reagan's words at the time. He noted that the American 
Political Foundation would soon begin a study ``to determine how the 
U.S. can best contribute as a Nation to the global campaign for 
democracy now gathering force.''
  Well, soon thereafter, the National Endowment for Democracy was 
created as a nongovernmental organization that is supported by annual 
appropriations and subject to congressional oversight. The ideas that 
spurred the creation of the NED, as we call it, is that U.S. assistance 
on behalf of democracy efforts around the world would be good for the 
U.S. and would be good for those struggling for freedom and for self-
government. And that is still true today.
  Their success is captured in their mission statements, and the NED's 
mission statement says that the Endowment is ``guided by the belief 
that freedom is a universal human aspiration that can be realized 
through the development of democratic institutions, procedures and 
values.'' Democracies cannot be achieved through a single election and 
need not be based upon the model of the U.S. or any other particular 
country. Rather, it evolves according to the needs and traditions of 
diverse political cultures. By supporting this process, the endowment 
helps strengthen the bond between indigenous, democratic movements 
abroad and the people of the U.S., a bond based on a common commitment 
to representative government and a common commitment to freedom as a 
way of life.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would 
first like to commend my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for introducing this important resolution and my 
good friend and fellow Californian, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Royce) for being such a leader on this important issue. I am proud to 
have joined them in introducing this initiative.
  Madam Speaker, over the past two decades, the world has witnessed a 
democratic revolution. Russia has broken from its totalitarian past and 
held free and open elections. The Indonesian people have freely elected 
their new leaders for the first time in decades, and all South Africans 
have finally been granted the franchise.
  Madam Speaker, the National Endowment for Democracy played a critical 
role in supporting this Democratic revolution across the globe. With 
each new wave of democracy since its establishment, the endowment and 
its partners, the National Democratic Institute and the International 
Republican Institute, have been at the forefront of our struggle to 
expand the arena of democracy across the globe.
  This is such a quintessential bipartisan American undertaking that 
all of us in this House must be very proud of. Together, the National 
Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute have 
seeded the new fertile soil in Eastern Europe and Latin America which 
have bloomed into regions where democracy and not tyranny now dominate.
  Democracy is often the precursor of the development of human rights 
and personal freedom, causes that we have championed our entire 
political lives. Recognizing this, NED has not only pushed forward 
democracy, but has supported human rights activists on every continent 
with financial grants, with personal awards, and with tremendous moral 
support.

                              {time}  1630

  All of us should express our profoundest gratitude for the men and 
women who have worked tirelessly to support these goals which are so 
central to the success of U.S. foreign policy in this fast-moving era 
of change.
  I am delighted to have had the opportunity to cosponsor this 
resolution with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), my good friend, 
the chairman of our committee. I urge all of my colleagues to support 
H. Con. Res. 274.
  Madam Speaker, we have no further requests for time, and we yield 
back the balance of our time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I think we all want to congratulate the National Endowment for 
Democracy for the last 20 years of service, and I think we all wish NED 
continued success. I think the ranking member of the Committee on 
International Relations well summed up the values and successes of the 
NED. I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 274.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Capito). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
274.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam 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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