III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 30 

Condemning efforts to undermine democracy in Hungary and urging President Trump to defend the universal human rights and democratic norms 

under attack by the Orban government. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 25 (legislative day, JANUARY 24), 2019 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. DURBIN, and Mr. MURPHY) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning efforts to undermine democracy in Hungary and 

urging President Trump to defend the universal human 

rights and democratic norms under attack by the Orban 

government. 

Whereas the United States and Hungary have a shared history dating to the times of Lajos Kossuth, whose bust 

graces the halls of the United States Congress; 

Whereas Hungarians have come to the United States since 

its founding as immigrants and refugees, enriching our 

national fabric; 

Whereas the United States first established diplomatic relations with Hungary in 1921; 


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Whereas the United States supported Hungary’s accession to 

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1999, improving Hungary’s national security and building upon our 

common alliance; 

Whereas NATO member states have collectively identified 

corruption and poor governance, including within member 

states, as ‘‘security challenges which undermine democracy, the rule of law and economic development’’; 

Whereas Viktor Orban has led the Fidesz party since 2003 

and has continuously served as Hungary’s Prime Minister since 2010; 

Whereas, since 2010, the Fidesz government has retained a 

super majority in Parliament despite not winning a majority of votes, and Prime Minister Orban has systematically undermined the Hungarian Constitution, independent media and judiciary; 

Whereas Hungary’s 2011 law on religion discriminates 

against some minority faiths by stripping legal recognition from more than 300 previously recognized faiths, 

violating their rights to freedom of association and freedom of religion, and has spurred a legal challenge from 

a range of religious faiths in Hungary, including the 

Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship and Mennonite, reform Jewish, and Buddhist congregations; 

Whereas, following the 2014 Parliamentary elections in Hungary, the OSCE noted that Fidesz enjoyed an undue advantage because of restrictive campaign regulations, biased media coverage, and campaign activities that 

blurred the separation between political party and the 

state; 


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Whereas Prime Minister Orban used his parliamentary super 

majority to redraw Hungary’s electoral map and reduce 

the number of seats in Hungary’s Parliament, providing 

an advantage which has allowed the Prime Minister to 

more easily remain in power; 

Whereas the Government of Hungary created the National 

Media and Communications Agency and empowered it to 

impose fines against independent media outlets for coverage the government finds unbalanced or offensive; 

Whereas, in November 2018, more than 400 media publications, websites, television channels and radio stations in 

Hungary, already concentrated in the hands of a few 

owners, were donated, without compensation, by their 

owners to a central holding company which, according to 

a subsequently passed law, is exempt from competition 

oversight; 

Whereas, according to the Department of State’s 2017 report 

on human rights, Hungary has passed a series of laws 

modifying the judicial system by restricting the Constitutional Court, altering the rules for electing Constitution 

Court justices, and vested the president of the National 

Office for the Judiciary, a position appointed by the parliament, with significant decision-making power; 

Whereas, according to a Human Rights Watch analysis of 

Hungary’s judicial reforms since 2011, changes to the judiciary have undermined an important check on the government by curbing the judiciary’s independence, forcing 

nearly 300 judges into early retirement, and imposing 

limitations on the Constitutional Court’s ability to review 

laws and complaints; 


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Whereas the Government of Hungary has enacted legislation 

stigmatizing non-governmental organizations that receive 

financial support from abroad, drawing a legal challenge 

from the European Court of Justice; 

Whereas, in 2017, the Government of Hungary adopted a law 

on nongovernmental organizations that, according to the 

Department of State, ‘‘unfairly burdens a targeted group 

of Hungarian civil society organizations, many of which 

focus on fighting corruption and protecting human rights 

and civil liberties’’; 

Whereas, in February 2018, more than 250 nongovernmental 

organizations signed a letter in opposition to Hungary’s 

‘‘escalating effort to crackdown on the legitimate work of 

civil society groups in Hungary seeking to promote and 

defend human rights, provide legal and social services to 

people in need in the country, and publicly express dissenting opinions in the press and online’’; 

Whereas, in 2018, the Government of Hungary adopted 

amendments to a law on ‘‘aiding illegal migration’’, which 

criminalizes the provision of assistance to refugees and 

asylum-seekers, including public advocacy and humanitarian assistance, and makes the distribution of knowyour-rights leaflets punishable by up to one year in prison; 

Whereas, in 2018, the Government of Hungary introduced a 

25-percent tax on organizations that engage in disfavored 

speech regarding immigration, thereby establishing a content-based punishment to restrict free speech; 

Whereas, in 2017, the Government of Hungary enacted a law 

requiring the mandatory detention of all asylum-seekers 

in ‘‘transit camps’’ while their asylum applications are reVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:52 Jan 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR30.IS SR30

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viewed and permitting the immediate deportation of certain asylum-seekers to Serbia; 

Whereas, in response, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that ‘‘this new law violates Hungary’s obligations under international and EU laws, and 

will have a terrible physical and psychological impact on 

women, children and men who have already greatly suffered’’; and 

Whereas the erosion of democratic institutions and norms in 

Hungary has been found to be in clear violation of the 

European Union’s values, resulting in the initiation of 

sanctions proceedings against the Orban government: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) rejects the Government of Hungary’s efforts 

3 to undermine the independence of the judiciary, re4 strict civil society groups, infringe on the freedom of 

5 the press, and violate the rights of asylum-seekers in 

6 Hungary; and 

7 (2) urges the President to vigorously defend the 

8 universal freedoms and democratic norms under at9 tack by the Orban government in Hungary. 

Æ 


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