Commending the Community of Democracies for its achievements since it was founded in 2000.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me the time and Mr. Quigley for introducing this important resolution.

The Community of Democracies, a global intergovernmental coalition of over 100 democratic states, has proven its support for the promotion of democracy in civil society over the decade since its founding.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight, as Ms. Ros- Lehtinen appropriately mentioned before, the leadership of the Republic of Lithuania, which took over the presidency of the Community of Democracies in July 2009. Lithuania has shown remarkable leadership in pressing forward with the Community's agenda of promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom in oppressed lands such as Burma, Belarus, and Cuba.

Under the guidance of Ambassador Zygimantas Pavilionis, chief coordinator of Lithuania's presidency of the Community of Democracies, the Community created a Parliamentary Forum in March of this year. I have been impressed by Ambassador Pavilionis' exceptional leadership and commitment to strengthening the role of the Community of Democracies in fulfilling its mission of promoting democratic institutions and civil society.

In March of this year, I was privileged to attend the convening meeting of the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies in Vilnius, Lithuania. At the first meeting of the Parliamentary Forum, Emanuelis Zingeris, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas of Lithuania, was elected as the first president of the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies. Mr. Zingeris is a charismatic and brilliant leader who will doubtless be an effective president of the Parliamentary Forum throughout his term.

Also at the Parliamentary Forum, I had the great honor of being elected one of the seven vice presidents of the new entity, along with fellow vice presidents Michal Tomasz Kaminski, Polish member of the European Parliament and chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament; Michael Gahler, German member of the European Parliament of the Group of the European People's Party; Alexandr Vondra, a senator from the Czech Republic; Adriana Gonzalez Carrillo, a senator of the Republic of Mexico; David Kilgour, former member of Parliament and a well-known human rights activist in Canada; and David Bakradze, speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.

Notably, the Parliamentary Forum's first adopted resolution at its convening meeting on March 12, 2010, called for the support of Cuba's pro-democracy movement. I have a copy of that resolution, Mr. Speaker here. I will insert it into the Record.

And the Parliamentary Forum's international solidarity, as demonstrated by this resolution, a strong and very appropriate, well- written resolution that, for example, honors, and I read from it, Cuban pro-democracy fighters such as the martyr Orlando Zapata Tamayo and expresses its admiration for the efforts of other heroes such as Guillermo Farinas. This is a concrete, specific demonstration of genuine solidarity by the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies with the suffering people of Cuba and the freedom fighters who, within Cuba, are struggling to bring democracy and freedom to that land.

Orlando Zapata Tamayo was assassinated by the Cuban dictatorship, and he died after over 80 days on a hunger strike protesting the tortures that he was continuously subjected to as a political prisoner.

And Guillermo Farinas is, as we speak, on a hunger strike in Cuba. This

institution, the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies, expressed its solidarity with these Cuban rights fighters, fighters for freedom. And in that way, demonstrated its genuine commitment to furthering democratic institutions and assisting those who are fighting for freedom.

The resolution today, Mr. Speaker, that will be passed by the Congress of the United States in support of commending the Community of Democracies on its 10th anniversary is timely. I wholeheartedly support it. I commend the Community of Democracies for 10 years of leadership, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this resolution.

Again, thank you, Mr. Engel. Thank you Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. This is an important and timely resolution. These are friends of freedom that we're commending today, an institution that, as Ms. Ros-Lehtinen pointed out, is not there for cocktail parties or press releases. And it doesn't allow itself to be tarnished, like abominable institutions such as the so-called Human Rights Council of the United Nations, to be tarnished by, in effect, defending tyrannies. The Community of Democracies is that, a community of democracies that stands for and believes in freedom and democracy. That's why it's appropriate to commend them on their 10th anniversary.

The Community of Democracies Parliamentary Forum

resolution calling for support of Cuba's pro-democracy movement, The

convening meeting, 2010 March 12

Whereas the pro-democracy movement in Cuba has grown at a

rapid pace over the last three years, and specific

expressions of the movement are evident today in the

explosion of bloggers on the island, independent journalists,

musicians, artists, writers, and others, who are using their

talents to denounce the atrocities of the dictatorship all

while putting forth new ideas for the transition to

democracy;

Whereas there are still extraordinary obstacles to overcome

such as the continued repression by the totalitarian

dictatorship, extremely limited access to the Internet and

``texting'' capabilities, and a lack of a coherent message of

solidarity from the international community;

Whereas the dictatorship is fearful of the growth of the

pro-democracy movement;

Whereas the message of the Movement is coherent and clear

in demanding freedom for all Cuban political prisoners,

beginning with those who are gravely ill inside the prison,

freedom of expression and free, fair multi-party elections

with international supervision;

Whereas this common position of the Cuban pro-democracy

movement requires greater recognition, dissemination and

solidarity on the part of the Community of Democracies;

Whereas now more than ever the Cuban pro-democracy movement

requires that the democratic community takes concrete steps

to demonstrate its solidarity; Now, therefore be it

Resolved, That the Community of Democracies Parliamentary

Forum--

condemns the brutality of the Cuban regime against Cuban

political prisoners;

expresses its full support for the Cuban pro-democracy

movement;

honors Cuban pro-democracy fighters such as the martyr

Orlando Zapata Tamayo and expresses its admiration for the

efforts of other heroes such as Guillermo Farifias;

calls for the immediate release of all Cuban political

prisoners and free multiparty elections in Cuba; and

calls on the democratic community to take concrete steps in

demonstrating their solidarity with the Cuban pro-democracy

movement by providing humanitarian and technological

assistance to the pro-democratic movement, urging certain

foreign diplomatic posts in Havana to strengthen contacts

with pro-democratic activists on the island, encouraging

foreign dignitaries to visit Cuba for the sole purpose of

meeting with pro-democratic activists, and looking for

opportunities to reiterate and support the common position of

the Cuban pro-democracy movement in the international

community.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of this resolution, and I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for providing us with this timely opportunity to recognize the work of the Community of Democracies. Next month will mark the anniversary of the founding of that intergovernmental organization 10 years ago in Warsaw, Poland.

Unlike the United Nations, the governmental participants in the Community of Democracies are not distinguished merely by the fact that they hold power in a country. They are bound by their commitments to the core democratic principles set out in the Warsaw Declaration, including, among others: the right of citizens to choose their governments through regular, free, and fair elections; freedom of opinion; freedom of expression; freedom of conscience; freedom of religion; freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of association; the right to be free from arbitrary arrest and detention; and the importance of a competent, independent, and impartial judiciary.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, as outlined in the Seoul ministerial meeting in 2002, the Community has developed criteria and procedures to help ensure that only practicing democracies are participants. Maintaining those standards is critical, as they give the Community a moral authority and a substantive voice that is so badly needed in today's world.

The promise and possibilities of the Community have become even more important at a time when other multilateral bodies have been poisoned by membership without standards. We need look no further than the discredited U.N. Human Rights Council. When

a so-called human rights body counts China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and other abusive regimes as members, we cannot claim to be surprised at how ineffective it has become in protecting and advancing fundamental freedoms.

The U.N. Human Rights Council is a feckless and ideologically manipulated talk-shop that expends most of its energy not on the North Korean gulag or genocide in Sudan or repression in Burma or the brutal dictatorship in Cuba or the beatings of the peaceful Damas de Blanco, or Ladies in White, oh, no. They spend their time attacking the democratic Jewish State of Israel.

In this environment, the need for a cohesive, energetic, multilateral voice that truly stands for and defends political freedom and fundamental human rights is greater than ever. This is where the Community of Democracies can step in and fill that need.

The Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies began operating just in January 2009 and is located where the Community issued its founding declaration: in Warsaw, Poland. We continue to be grateful to the government and the people of Poland for hosting the secretariat and for their living witness to the democratic ideals, ideals nurtured even during their trying experience of communism and Soviet domination in the 20th century.

I also want to express my appreciation to the Government of Lithuania for its presidency of the Community of Democracies since last July. Looking ahead, I sincerely hope that the Community will maintain its distinctive voice.

We must help ensure that the regional groups of the Community will make additional, concrete progress, such as on the Inter-Arab Democratic Charter discussed by members of the Middle East group at the 2005 ministerial meeting in Santiago.

Finally, we must help ensure that the Community will emphasize democracy and human rights as predicates for efficient, responsible, economic development, and not as luxuries that can only be expected in affluent societies.

And as the more than 100 participating countries prepare to meet in Krakow in July, let us all recommit ourselves to promoting the ideals of freedom to which we all aspire.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz- Balart), the ranking member of the Rules Committee Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1143) commending the Community of Democracies for its achievements since it was founded in 2000, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution that commends the Community of Democracies for its many achievements since the organization's founding a decade ago, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I wish to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), for his leadership in introducing this measure and bringing it forward for our consideration today.

Mr. Speaker, in January 1999, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told the Los Angeles Times that her highest priority before leaving office was to create a global community of democracies. That objective became a reality in June 2000 when she, along with then- Polish Foreign Minister Geremek, convened ministerial delegations from 106 countries in Warsaw to sign a declaration entitled ``Toward a Community of Democracies.''

This declaration sought to demonstrate methods of support to countries that strive for freedom and democracy. It also established a global, intergovernmental coalition of democratic countries that are committed to promoting democratic rules and strengthening democratic institutions around the world.

I think it is somewhat ironic that this inaugural meeting was in Warsaw, because we know Warsaw has had a long history of being occupied and not being free. Since Warsaw, ministerial conferences have been held in Seoul, Korea; Santiago, Chile; Bamako, Mali; and Lisbon, Portugal. In addition, a Permanent Secretariat was established in Warsaw in order to strengthen the institution and further its mission of democracy promotion.

In early July, on the 10th anniversary of the organization's founding, the Community of Democracies will meet in Krakow, Poland to relaunch the Community and adopt a work program to advance democracy worldwide. This gathering, which will be hosted by Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski, will undoubtedly be one of the most prominent international gatherings of democracy decision-makers this year.

It is fitting that this meeting once again will be held in Poland, not only because it was the location of the Community's founding and a real success story of post-Cold War democratization efforts, but also because the world is grieving with the Polish people following the tragic loss of their President in the plane crash.

As the United States is one of the founding members of the Community and a participant in its convening group, it is appropriate that the House adopt this resolution that commends the Community of Democracies for its achievements and wishes it much success in its upcoming conference.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure now to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the author of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time as well.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their kind words on this matter.

I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1143, a bipartisan resolution commending the Community of Democracies on its 10-year anniversary.

The Community of Democracies is a truly global, intergovernmental organization of democratic nations. The organization seeks to promote democracy and strengthen democratic institutions around the world. Spearheaded by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the overarching goal was to create a global community of democratic nations. Secretary Albright's vision became a reality in 2000 when 106 nations came together in Warsaw to launch the Community of Democracies.

This July marks the 10-year anniversary, and my resolution honors their achievements over the last decade. The resolution also expresses hope for success at the anniversary conference to be held in Krakow this July. Honoring the Community has always been important, but in light of the recent tragedy in Poland, the significance of this resolution has dramatically increased.

The Community of Democracies has deep ties with Poland and Polish leaders. The organization was founded in Warsaw, Poland, under the leadership of then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Bronislaw Geremek. It was the Government of Poland that initiated the establishment of a Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw in January 2009 to strengthen the institution. It is fitting, therefore, that Poland will host the anniversary conference.

Poland has endured much sorrow recently, but we know the country and her people will find the resilience to emerge stronger, as they have before, following this unimaginable tragedy.

This resolution honors those democratic institutions exemplified by Poland and by every other democracy throughout the world. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1143, commending the Community of Democracies.