[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8295-8296]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 485--TO ENCOURAGE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC 
 REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO TO ABIDE BY CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS REGARDING 
THE HOLDING OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN 2016, WITH THE AIM OF ENSURING 
         A PEACEFUL AND ORDERLY DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION OF POWER

  Mr. FLAKE (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Durbin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 485

       Whereas the United States Government has supported and will 
     continue to support the principle that the people of the 
     Democratic Republic of the Congo (in this resolution referred 
     to as ``the DRC'') should choose their own government in 
     accordance with their constitution and all relevant laws and 
     regulations;
       Whereas the constitution of the DRC requires that elections 
     be held in time for the inauguration of a new president on 
     December 19, 2016, when the current presidential term 
     expires;
       Whereas, on March 30, 2016, the United Nations Security 
     Council adopted resolution 2277, which called upon the 
     Government of the DRC and its national partners, including 
     the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission), ``to 
     ensure a transparent and credible electoral process, in 
     fulfillment of their primary responsibility to create 
     propitious conditions for the forthcoming elections . . . 
     scheduled for November 2016 in accordance with the 
     Constitution'' and urged the Government of the DRC and all 
     relevant parties to ensure an electoral environment conducive 
     to a ``free, fair, credible, inclusive, transparent, 
     peaceful, and timely electoral process, in accordance with 
     the Congolese constitution'';
       Whereas events in the DRC over the last year and a half 
     have called into serious question the commitment of the 
     Government of the DRC to hold such elections on the required 
     timeline, and President Joseph Kabila has not publicly 
     committed to stepping down at the end of his term;
       Whereas there are 12 presidential elections slated to take 
     place on the continent of Africa by the end of 2017, and what 
     transpires in the DRC will set an important example for the 
     leaders of those countries; and
       Whereas many observers have expressed concern that failure 
     to move ahead with elections in the DRC could lead to 
     violence and instability inside the DRC, which could 
     reverberate throughout central Africa's Great Lakes region: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges the Government of the DRC and all other relevant 
     parties to engage in a credible, independently-monitored, and 
     technical dialogue to reach consensus on a way forward on 
     establishing a detailed electoral calendar and organizing 
     elections;
       (2) urges the Government of the DRC to respect the 
     constitution of the DRC and, as constitutionally required, to 
     ensure a free, open, peaceful, and democratic transition of 
     power;
       (3) expresses its solidarity with the people of the DRC to 
     choose their own government

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     in an atmosphere free of violence, threats, and intimidation 
     by the government or other parties, including the release of 
     Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala;
       (4) commits to maintain vigilance and scrutiny of the 
     electoral process in the DRC, to help ensure that all United 
     States Government activities contribute fully and robustly to 
     the abovementioned objectives; and
       (5) pledges to examine continuously the use of all 
     available and appropriate means to ensure these objectives, 
     including the imposition of targeted sanctions on individuals 
     or entities responsible for violence and human rights 
     violations and undermining democratic processes in the DRC.

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