S.Res. 540Senate113th Congress (2013-2015)Passed Congress

A resolution recognizing September 15, 2014, as the International Day of Democracy, affirming the role of civil society as a cornerstone of democracy, and encouraging all governments to stand with civil society in the face of mounting restrictions on civil society organizations.

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6 earlier actions

SenateFloor Latest Action

Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6306-6307; text as passed Senate: CR S6306-6307)

December 3, 2014

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 10, 2014

SenateIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5511-5512)

September 10, 2014

SenateIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5511)

Foreign Relations Committee

September 10, 2014

SenateCommittee

Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Foreign Relations Committee

September 18, 2014

SenateCommittee

Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez without amendment. Without written report.

Foreign Relations Committee

September 18, 2014

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 576.

September 18, 2014

SenateFloor

Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6306-6307; text as passed Senate: CR S6306-6307)

December 3, 2014

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S.Res. 540 on the floor

2 Democrats

Sen. Benjamin L. CardinD-MD · Sep 10, 2014

Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the important role civil society plays in the promotion of democracy as we observe International Day of Democracy this September 15. Twenty-five years ago, I…

Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the important role civil society plays in the promotion of democracy as we observe International Day of Democracy this September 15.

Twenty-five years ago, I stood in Berlin as the wall was coming down. I will never forget that moment when the will of the people was finally recognized. It's true that we have seen extraordinary progress over the years. But in too many parts of the globe, basic rights continued to be denied to those fighting for democratic ideals.

Today, there is an unprecedented global crackdown on civil society organizations seeking to express their voice and exercise their rights. We've seen pervasive restrictions on civil society organizations enforced around the globe. Russia, in its worst political crackdown in post-Soviet history, has stamped the label of ``foreign agent'' on any civil society organization that receives support from other countries. Ethiopia's 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation continues to hinder the work of human rights organizations and other civil society groups that receive more than 10 percent of their funding from foreign organizations. In 2012, Sudanese security forces violently attacked civil society representatives who were protesting against government restrictions. Egypt has prosecuted over 40 international aid implementers, sentencing them to prison for up to five years. In Laos, activist Sombath Somphone--a leader who dedicated his career to expanding civic space in Laos--has been missing for nearly two years after video footage documented his abduction at a police checkpoint. In 2013, government harassment in Sri Lanka forced the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation to close its office.

The developments that we see today have several notable features. First, the pushback against democracy is a global phenomenon and countries like Russia have established antidemocratic practices that are being emulated elsewhere. Second, global democratic reversals are not merely temporary aberrations but are likely to pose challenges for years to come. Finally, the global response has thus far been inadequate to meet these threats.

Moreover, democratic achievements cannot be taken for granted. A few days ago, Hungary's National Investigative Office raided the offices of two organizations which help distribute civil society funds from the government of Norway. Thirteen NGOs are currently under investigation in Budapest, including the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, HCLU, the local office of Transparency International, and the Roma Media Centre. These raids signal further deterioration of good governance, the rule of law, and human rights in Hungary.

I regret that the Hungarian government is pursuing practices at odds with the historic path to freedom Hungary pursued 25 years ago when that country opened the door for East German refugees and courageously helped pave the way for the end of communism. At a time when we need more democracy in Europe, not less, Hungary's actions are not only harmful for democracy in Hungary, they undermine efforts to build democratic institutions throughout the region.

To call attention to widespread infringements upon civil society, I, as Chair of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the International Day of Democracy resolution. This resolution urges the recognition of the International Day of Democracy,

affirms the role of civil society as a cornerstone of democracy, and encourages all governments to stand with civil society in the face of mounting restrictions on civil society organizations.

We cannot take success for granted; every day we must work to protect democratic progress. As we observe the International Day of Democracy this September 15, the international community must push back on these grave threats to civil society as well as protect the efforts by these organizations to build strong democratic institutions.

I would like to thank my colleagues for joining me in support of the International Day of Democracy.

Sen. Richard BlumenthalD-CT · Dec 3, 2014

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 576, S. Res. 540. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the…

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Agreed to SenateIssued December 3, 2014

III

113th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 540

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 10, 2014

Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

September 18, 2014

Reported by Mr. Menendez, without amendment

December 3, 2014

Considered and agreed to

RESOLUTION

Recognizing September 15, 2014, as the International Day of Democracy, affirming the role of civil society as a cornerstone of democracy, and encouraging all governments to stand with civil society in the face of mounting restrictions on civil society organizations.

Whereas in 2007, September 15 of each year was established by the United Nations as the International Day of Democracy, a day set aside to review the state of democracy in the world;

Whereas democracy is a means of government that makes manifest the free exercise of certain inalienable rights, among them being the freedom of assembly, the freedom of association, the freedom of the press, and the freedom of speech;

Whereas democracy allows for participatory governance, mobilizing citizens to strive for their version of the good and instilling hope that the aspirations of the people may one day be realized;

Whereas an analysis of 84 independent studies shows that democracy has a favorable impact on the formation of human capital, the rate of inflation, the level of economic freedom, and the stability of political institutions;

Whereas democracy promotes tolerance and respect by recognizing the human dignity of all people and is necessary to the full realization of the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Whereas the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines civil society as associations around which society voluntarily organizes itself and which represent a wide range of interests and ties, including community-based organizations, indigenous peoples’ organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs);

Whereas a vibrant civil society is an essential element of democratic societies and plays a key role in providing transparency, ensuring the legitimacy of elections, advocating for marginalized groups, and making clear the will of the people;

Whereas, since 2012, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law has identified 69 new restrictive measures in over 50 countries hindering the ability of civil society organizations (CSOs) to freely operate;

Whereas of the 98 countries for which data is available, research presented in a 2013 article for the Journal of Democracy explains that 12 prohibit and 39 restrict foreign funding of domestic NGOs;

Whereas in 2000, the Community of Democracies was founded to bring together governments, civil society, and the private sector in the pursuit of a common goal: supporting democratic rules and strengthening democratic norms and institutions around the world;

Whereas in 2011, the United States joined other like-minded governments to establish the Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations Fund to provide small grants to CSOs for immediate needs and to support short-term advocacy projects;

Whereas, through the Open Government Partnership, 63 countries have committed to protecting the ability of CSOs to operate in a manner that is consistent with the rights to freedom of expression, association, and opinion;

Whereas in September 2013, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the United States launched a coordinated multilateral effort encouraging countries to stand with civil society and push back against growing restrictions on CSOs;

Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association stands on the front lines of civil society protection, documenting extensive global threats to civil society and strengthening international norms; and

Whereas the United States remains committed to its stand with civil society by developing new mechanisms to combat restrictions on civil society and bolster civil society’s efforts to support democracy around the world: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

supports the goals and ideals of the International Day of Democracy;

(2)

recognizes the importance of civil society to the healthy development of nations;

(3)

celebrates the invaluable contributions civil society has made to the creation, strength, and preservation of vibrant democracies and democratic institutions;

(4)

reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the protection, advancement, health, and sustainability of democracy throughout the world;

(5)

condemns the use of restrictions, coercion, threats, or force to impede the activities of civil society organizations;

(6)

recognizes the important multilateral work of the Community of Democracies, the Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations Fund, the Open Government Partnership, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association to protect global civil society;

(7)

recognizes the important role diplomacy plays in defending global civil society and creating new openings for civic space;

(8)

emphasizes the value of programs of the United States Government in protecting civil society and defending civic space, including the work by the Senior Advisor for Civil Society and Emerging Democracies and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the United States Department of State, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID);

(9)

calls on private sector partners and other governments to develop new tools and leverage existing technologies to support the efforts of civil society; and

(10)

encourages the people of the United States and the world to observe the International Day of Democracy, September 15, 2014, with appropriate programs and activities.