[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9610-9612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  URGING AFGHANISTAN TO PURSUE A TRANSPARENT, CREDIBLE, AND INCLUSIVE 
                     RUN-OFF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 600) urging the Government of Afghanistan, 
following a successful first round of the presidential election on 
April 5, 2014, to pursue a transparent, credible, and inclusive run-off 
presidential election on June 14, 2014, while ensuring the safety of 
voters, candidates, poll workers, and election observers, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 600

       Whereas on April 5, 2014, the Government of Afghanistan 
     held the first round of the presidential election in which 
     voter participation was 60 percent;
       Whereas on May 15, 2014, Afghanistan's Independent Election 
     Commission (IEC) certified the results, and announced that a 
     run-off election would be held on June 14, 2014, because no 
     candidate received more than 50 percent of the votes;
       Whereas on May 14, 2014, the IEC invalidated votes from 331 
     polling stations and removed them from the final tabulation, 
     based on Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) decisions;
       Whereas there have been widespread reports of voter and 
     election monitor intimidation, including the killing of 
     members of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) during an 
     attack at the Serena Hotel in Kabul on March 20, 2014, as 
     well as attempts to bribe members of the IEC, the ECC, and 
     other election monitoring organizations;
       Whereas investigations by the ECC, and its coordination 
     with the IEC, have not been conducted in a transparent 
     manner;
       Whereas 17 members of the Afghanistan National Security 
     Forces (ANSF) were killed in Taliban and insurgent attacks 
     while supporting the April 5, 2014, elections;
       Whereas the United States and Afghanistan signed the 
     Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement to strengthen Afghan 
     sovereignty, stability, and prosperity, while emphasizing a 
     shared goal to defeat al-Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates;
       Whereas United States and coalition armed forces have 
     greatly contributed to the stability and security of 
     Afghanistan at a considerable personal sacrifice; and
       Whereas the United States has contributed more than 
     $100,000,000 toward the 2014 Afghan presidential election: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the Government of Afghanistan for holding a 
     successful first round of the presidential election and 
     expresses strong support for a credible, inclusive, and 
     transparent second round on June 14, 2014;
       (2) supports the mandate of Afghan electoral bodies such as 
     the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Electoral 
     Complaints Commission (ECC) to administer, adjudicate, and 
     manage polls, as well as oversee logistical and technical 
     preparations in a transparent, fair, and credible manner to 
     prevent fraud and misconduct;
       (3) encourages the Government of Afghanistan to implement 
     measures that will increase voter participation, particularly 
     among the Afghan female population;
       (4) recognizes the determination of the Afghan people to 
     exercise their right to vote and determine their country's 
     destiny;
       (5) urges the Government of Afghanistan to take steps to 
     assure that fraudulent electoral activities do not take place 
     during the runoff;
       (6) urges the IEC to adopt measures to better mitigate 
     fraud, improve electoral transparency of the polling and 
     counting process, and communicate these measures clearly and 
     consistently to the people of Afghanistan;
       (7) urges close and continuing communication between the 
     IEC and the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) to 
     identify

[[Page 9611]]

     and provide security for vulnerable areas of the country 
     during the election period;
       (8) encourages all elements of Afghan society to refrain 
     from fomenting violence and other disturbances in voting 
     areas;
       (9) urges the ANSF to make every necessary effort to ensure 
     the safety of voters, candidates, poll workers, and election 
     observers;
       (10) expresses its support for the full participation of 
     Afghan civil society in the election process;
       (11) recognizes that a democratically-elected government 
     that reflects the will of the Afghan people and is committed 
     to combating terrorism would promote the long-term stability 
     and security interests of Afghanistan, its neighbors, and its 
     partners in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     International Security Assistance Force, including the United 
     States; and
       (12) recognizes the sacrifices of United States and 
     coalition armed forces that have contributed, and will 
     continue to contribute, to the security and stability of 
     Afghanistan.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on this resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this coming Saturday, the Afghan people will exercise 
their right to vote and their right to determine their country's 
future, choosing between two candidates to complete the first 
democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's long, violent history.
  This vote holds out the promise of helping to solidify the 
achievements of U.S. international forces there. That is why this 
bipartisan resolution, which I am pleased to cosponsor, urges the 
Government of Afghanistan to pursue a secure, transparent, and credible 
runoff Presidential election.
  Make no mistake--the Taliban would love nothing more than to disrupt 
this democratic process and see the Government of Afghanistan fail. 
During the past month, Taliban fighters have ramped up their attacks, 
of course, while threatening polling centers and election officials.
  Indeed, on Friday, the Taliban attempted to assassinate the leading 
Afghan Presidential candidate, Abdul Abdullah, in a suicide car 
bombing. After emerging unharmed, Abdullah said:

       Threats can't stop us and our people. We are still 
     dedicated to what we have promised for a better future.

  For those of you who followed his campaign later that day, he was 
undeterred and went from event to event.
  Well, this election offers the chance for Afghanistan to embark on 
that better future by taking the final steps towards a legitimate 
transition of power.
  Just over 2 months ago, Afghans overwhelmingly flocked to the polls 
to vote in Presidential and in provisional elections. More than 7 
million Afghan citizens cast a blot during the first round of voting. 
To put that in perspective, for those of you who remember, that was 
about 4.5 million who voted in 2009. This dwarfed that number--7 
million.
  That first round election also saw a prominent female politician 
selected as a running mate, a choice that likely helped inspire some 
2.5 million Afghan women to come out to the polls and to vote. While 
she and her running mate came in third, no aspiring leader can afford 
to ignore the interests of half of Afghanistan's population, who want 
better education, health, and other basic services.
  Although the April elections were a significant improvement over 
2009, there is plenty of room for progress. Numerous electoral 
complaints led to the invalidation of votes, and in May, Afghanistan's 
Independent Election Commission fired poll workers, some of whom were 
accused of voter fraud. This is exactly why it is so critical for the 
Government of Afghanistan to take these proactive steps to champion a 
secure and fair runoff election. A successful election will help 
emphasize Afghanistan's commitment to good governance, and it will 
provide much-needed legitimacy to the incoming President of that 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States has been heavily involved in 
Afghanistan for years. We have made great sacrifice. While the Obama 
administration has U.S. involvement in Afghanistan coming to a close, 
U.S. interest in a stable and secure Afghanistan will continue. The 
United States maintains an enduring national security interest in an 
Afghanistan that prevents itself from becoming a safe haven for 
terrorism. That goal becomes much harder if the Taliban is rejuvenated 
and successful in wrecking this weekend's elected government.
  But one way we can demonstrate our commitment to Afghanistan's 
success is by supporting the country's first-ever democratic transition 
of executive power. This resolution does exactly that, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Resolution 600, to extend my 
gratitude to Chairman Royce, and to urge my colleagues' support as 
well.
  This Saturday, the people of Afghanistan will travel to the polls to 
elect a new President in a runoff election. The victorious candidate 
will replace Hamid Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since 2001.
  House Resolution 600 recognizes this important moment in history and 
urges the Government of Afghanistan to pursue a transparent, credible, 
and inclusive runoff Presidential election while ensuring the safety of 
voters, candidates, poll workers, and election observers.
  So far, the U.S. Government has contributed more than $100 million 
toward the 2014 Afghanistan election, and numerous United States and 
coalition soldiers have sacrificed their lives in efforts to secure 
Afghanistan and prepare it for this crucial moment of peaceful 
transition of power.
  I think that it is important to recognize these facts, and that is 
part of what House Resolution 600 seeks to do.
  On April 5, the Government of Afghanistan held the first round of a 
Presidential election, in which almost 60 percent of eligible voters 
participated. Now, according to the Afghan Constitution, because no 
single candidate claimed more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff 
election between the top two candidates will be held.
  The first round of elections were promising in terms of increased 
voter turnout, no civilian deaths in attacks on election day, and a 
quick certification of results in order to set the stage for a runoff 
election, but more work remains to be done.
  Votes from 331 polling stations were invalidated and removed from the 
final tabulations. Reports of voter and election monitor intimidation 
persist. Reports of attempts to bribe election monitors have occurred. 
Reports of SMS and texting capabilities being suspended on election day 
exist. Concerns remain about the lack of transparency and activities of 
the Afghan Independent Election Commission and the Electoral Complaints 
Commission. Seventeen members of the Afghan National Security Forces 
were killed in attacks on election day. And female voter participation 
and protection remains at a level below what Afghan males enjoy.
  In light of these issues, House Resolution 600 commends the 
Government of Afghanistan for holding the first round of elections and 
scheduling a second; expresses support for a credible, inclusive, and 
transparent runoff election; supports the mandate of Afghan electoral 
bodies to prevent voter fraud and misconduct; encourages the Government 
of Afghanistan to implement measures that will increase voter 
participation, particularly among Afghan females; and urges the 
security force to continue to provide protection to vulnerable areas of 
the country during the election period, as well as recognizing the 
sacrifices of those forces that have contributed and will continue to 
contribute to the security and stability of Afghanistan.

[[Page 9612]]

  This is an exciting time for Afghanistan, Mr. Speaker, and this 
election is an important one. American forces have been in Afghanistan 
now for a decade, and most of them are now coming home. This election 
will be crucial in proving to the world that Afghanistan is ready again 
to chart its own course and to provide its own security.
  I wish the Afghan people well in this endeavor, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Messer).
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important 
bipartisan resolution to urge the Government of Afghanistan to ensure a 
transparent process in its June 14 runoff Presidential election.
  I want to commend my former Foreign Affairs Committee colleague, Mr. 
Grayson, for bringing this measure forward, and also Chairman Royce for 
his leadership on this important issue.
  It makes clear that the United States supports the Afghan people in 
their pursuit to form an effective government through credible, 
violence-free elections.
  Afghanistan certainly faces major challenges, but this transition is 
an opportunity for Afghanistan to build upon the progress it has made 
since 2001. Under the Taliban, women were banned from social, 
political, and educational participation. Now, more than one-quarter of 
the country's parliament is female, and more than one-third of the 
voters in the first round of elections were women.
  There has been other strong progress, both big and small. Infant 
mortality has declined, the media is more accessible, the literacy 
rates have increased from the single digits, and there are even 
substantially more paved roads. Don't get me wrong. It is not all 
cotton candy and rainbows. To be certain, Afghanistan still has a long 
road ahead to achieve a democratic future, but this election is a 
critical step in the right direction.
  It is my hope that the Government of Afghanistan recognizes the 
sacrifices that have been made to get to this point and will turn a 
page to ensure a peaceful transition of power.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure.
  Mr. GRAYSON. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.

                              {time}  1615

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and 
will just take a moment and recognize the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Grayson) for his initiative in introducing this bill and for his 
commitment to the success of democratic governance in Afghanistan.
  The international community has previously pledged aid support to 
Afghanistan on the condition that the country hold transparent, 
credible, and inclusive elections this year and next year. This 
resolution encourages the Government of Afghanistan to uphold that 
commitment when Afghans finally select a successor to President Karzai 
on June 14.
  This new government will have a chance to start anew, tackling 
corruption--the kind of corruption that has jeopardized the success of 
international aid efforts there. This resolution urges the Government 
of Afghanistan to lessen the risk of fraud, to improve electoral 
transparency, enhance security efforts, and increase voter 
participation during the upcoming runoff.
  Importantly, it has also been the case that we need to recognize the 
sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces, and this resolution does 
that. It recognizes those in our Armed Forces and underscores that this 
election will contribute to the security and stability interests of 
both Afghanistan and the United States.
  This is an historic opportunity to bolster the Afghan-led electoral 
process, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
resolution, which demonstrates our commitment to a legitimate and 
democratic transition to power in Afghanistan.
  Also, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) has reminded me that, as 
Afghanistan walks down this road, it might behoove the new government 
there to look at local elections as part of the solution, rather than 
to have people perennially appointed from the center of the country, 
empower people locally to elect their own local mayors, their own local 
leaders.
  They will certainly have that opportunity next year in the 
parliamentary elections.
  With that said, again, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Grayson) for this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 600, 
as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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