[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 22 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 22
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 12, 2003
Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Honoring Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel.
Whereas Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, is widely respected
throughout the world as a proponent of democratic principles;
Whereas Vaclav Havel's superb skills as a playwright and essayist helped promote
democracy in Eastern Europe during the Cold War;
Whereas the plays of Vaclav Havel were instrumental in bringing international
attention to the struggle for democracy in Czechoslovakia;
Whereas Vaclav Havel was imprisoned three times for his efforts to promote
democratic thought and reforms in communist Czechoslovakia, yet
maintained his convictions throughout;
Whereas Vaclav Havel was a cofounder of the human rights organization Charter 77
and the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted;
Whereas Vaclav Havel, as leader of the Civic Forum movement, was a key figure in
the 1989 bloodless overthrow of the Czechoslovakian communist government
known as the Velvet Revolution;
Whereas following the Velvet Revolution, Vaclav Havel was elected by the people
as President of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in 1990, and
following a peaceful split forming two separate states, elected
President of the Czech Republic in 1993;
Whereas under the leadership of Vaclav Havel, the Czech Republic has been an
important and valued member of the world community;
Whereas under the leadership of Vaclav Havel, the Czech Republic became a member
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on March 12, 1999;
Whereas during Vaclav Havel's time in office, the economy of the Czech Republic
has become one of the most developed in Eastern Europe;
Whereas today, the Czech Republic is a valuable ally of the United States in the
war against terrorism;
Whereas Vaclav Havel has been praised as one of the world's great democratic
leaders and has been awarded many international prizes recognizing his
commitment to peace and democratic principles; and
Whereas Vaclav Havel will step down as President of the Czech Republic on
February 2, 2003: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) honors the life-long commitment of Czech Republic
President Vaclav Havel to human rights and democracy;
(2) recognizes the exceptional achievements of Vaclav Havel
as playwright and president; and
(3) congratulates Vaclav Havel for his outstanding service
to the people of the Czech Republic.
Passed the House of Representatives February 11, 2003.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.