FOR THE RECORD: House resolution on Ukraine's 10th anniversary (08/12/01)

FOR THE RECORD

House resolution on Ukraine's 10th anniversary

Following is the text of House Resolution 222, passed by the House of Representatives on August 2.

The measure is identical to House Concurrent Resolution 203 - the only difference being that H. Res. 222 is not a concurrent resolution, i.e., it does not refer to the Senate - which was introduced on July 27 by Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.). Ultimately the resolution, titled "Congratulating Ukraine on the 10th Anniversary of Re-establishment of Its Independence," was reintroduced as a House resolution in order to guarantee that a congratulatory message for Ukraine would be issued by the House in time for Ukraine's 10th anniversary celebrations.

H. Con. Res. 203 had 30 co-sponsors: Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Md.), Doug Bereuter (R-Neb.), Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.), Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), John Abney Culberson (R-Texas), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa), Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), J. D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.), Maurice D. Hinchey (D-N.Y.), Joseph M. Hoeffel (D-Pa.), Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.), Stephen Horn (R-Calif.), Kenny C. Hulshof (R-Mo.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Dale E. Kildee (D-Mich.), Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.), Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.), Cynthia A. McKinney (D-Ga.), Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.), Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.), Joseph R. Pitts (R-Pa.), Pete Sessions (R-Ala.), Patrick J. Tiberi (R-Ohio), Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Curt Weldon (R-Pa.).

House Resolution 222

Whereas the proclamation on August 24, 1991, of the independence of Ukraine led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union;

Whereas Ukraine and the United States, proceeding from their shared commitment to democratic values, have expressed their determination to build broad and durable relations in the 1994 Charter for Ukrainian-American Partnership, Friendship and Cooperation and Ukraine is a country that maintains a distinctive partnership with NATO since 1997;

Whereas on June 28, 1996, Ukraine's Parliament voted to adopt the democratic Constitution and Ukraine has conducted its presidential and parliamentary elections according to it, moving further away from the former Communist model of one-party totalitarian rule; and

Whereas Ukraine since its independence has successfully transferred from a colony of the Soviet empire into a viable, peaceful state, which established exemplary relations with all neighboring countries and consistently pursues a course of European integration with a commitment to ensuring democracy and prosperity for its citizens:

Now, therefore, be it resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that -

(1) as a leader of the democratic nations of the world, the United States commends and congratulates the people of Ukraine on the 10th anniversary of Ukrainian independence;

(2) the president and Parliament of Ukraine should continue their efforts to maintain the balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government and ensure that their cooperation is aimed at furthering democratic reforms and strengthening civil society based on the rule of law; and

(3) the United States should continue to assist in building a truly independent Ukraine through encouraging and supporting democratic and market-economy transformations in Ukraine, keeping the doors of European and Trans-Atlantic institutions open to this nation.

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