IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 799 

Congratulating the people of Ukraine for conducting free, fair, and transparent parliamentary elections on March 26, 2006, and commending 

their commitment to democracy and reform. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 4, 2006 

Mr. GALLEGLY (for himself, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Ms. 

KAPTUR, and Mr. LEVIN) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the people of Ukraine for conducting free, 

fair, and transparent parliamentary elections on March 

26, 2006, and commending their commitment to democracy and reform. 

Whereas the 2004 Orange Revolution, in which hundreds of 

thousands of Ukrainian citizens engaged in peaceful demonstrations in Kiev and elsewhere to protest the unfair 

runoff presidential election on November 21, 2004, and 

the declaration by the Ukrainian Central Election Commission that Viktor Yanukovich had won a majority of 

the votes, set Ukraine on the path toward democracy; 

Whereas on December 26, 2004, following a ruling of the 

Ukrainian Supreme Court that the runoff presidential 

election was invalid and that a new election be held, the 


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•HRES 799 IH 

people of Ukraine again went to the polls in what the 

consensus of domestic and international observers declared as a more democratic, transparent, and fair election process with fewer problems than in the first round 

and invalidated November 21, 2004, vote; 

Whereas on January 10, 2005, the election victory of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko as President was certified 

by the Ukrainian Central Election Commission; 

Whereas the United States maintains strong and friendly relations with the people and Government of Ukraine; 

Whereas the elections to Ukraine’s parliament, known as 

Verkhovna Rada, were held on March 26, 2006; 

Whereas the March 26, 2006, elections were the first parliamentary elections since 2002 and reflect the provisions 

of a new election law that calls for the Verkhovna Rada 

to be elected according to the proportional election system with votes allocated to political parties rather than 

the previous law under which half of the representatives 

were elected on a proportional basis and half were elected 

directly on a district-by-district basis; 

Whereas the parliament was elected in a free and fair 

multiparty election and in accordance with international 

standards; 

Whereas the conduct of these elections provide further evidence that the people of Ukraine are building a democratic society based on free elections, human rights, and 

the rule of law; 

Whereas Ukraine is one of 55 participating States in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 

(OSCE), all of which have adopted the 1990 Copenhagen 


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•HRES 799 IH 

Document containing specific commitments relating to 

the conduct of elections; 

Whereas the OSCE-led International Observation Mission 

deemed the election to be basically in accordance with the 

1990 Copenhagen Document and respected the fundamental and civil rights, such as freedom of expression 

and assembly, allowing voters to make informed choices; 

Whereas democratic elections are instrumental in furthering 

Ukraine’s stated desire to integrate into the European 

Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(NATO); 

Whereas on February 17, 2006, the United States announced 

it had granted Ukraine the status of market economy 

and on March 6, 2006 the United States and Ukraine 

signed a market accession agreement promoting bilateral 

economic cooperation and bringing Ukraine closer to accession to the World Trade Organization; 

Whereas on March 23, 2006, President George W. Bush 

signed into law legislation terminating the application of 

title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (commonly known as 

the ‘‘Jackson-Vanik amendment’’) to Ukraine and granting Ukraine permanent normal trade relations; and 

Whereas 2006 was designated in Ukraine as the year of reforms in the areas of court and administrative systems, 

energy saving, municipal economy, health protection, agriculture, education and pension provision: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 799 IH 

1 (1) commends the people and Government of 

2 Ukraine for holding free, fair, and transparent par3 liamentary elections on March 26, 2006; 

4 (2) commends the people and Government of 

5 Ukraine for their commitment to democracy and 

6 freedom; and 

7 (3) acknowledges and welcomes the strong rela8 tionship between the United States and Ukraine and 

9 pledges its continued support for the strengthening 

10 of a fully free and open democratic system in 

11 Ukraine, and reaffirms its support for Ukraine’s 

12 independence, territorial sovereignty, and Ukraine’s 

13 full integration into the international community of 

14 democracies. 

Æ 


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