IV

107TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 453

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the success

of the Varela Project’s collection of 10,000 certified signatures in support

of a national referendum and the delivery of these signatures to the

Cuban National Assembly.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 20, 2002

Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. DAVIS of

Florida, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. SCHIFF, and Mr.

SNYDER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the success of the Varela Project’s collection of

10,000 certified signatures in support of a national referendum and the delivery of these signatures to the

Cuban National Assembly.

Whereas Article 88 of the Cuban Constitution states that the

Cuban National Assembly should schedule a national referendum if it receives the verified signatures of 10,000

legal voters;

Whereas on May 10, 2002, a group of Cuban citizens led by

Oswaldo Paya delivered 11,020 verified signatures to the

Cuban National Assembly in support of a referendum;
2

•HRES 453 IH

Whereas Mr. Paya’s petition drive is inspired by the 19thcentury priest and Cuban independence hero, Padre Felix

Varela, and is known as the Varela Project;

Whereas the Varela Project seeks a referendum on civil liberties, including freedom of speech, amnesty for political

prisoners, support for private business, a new electoral

law, and a general election;

Whereas the Varela Project is supported by 140 opposition

organizations in Cuba and has received no money or support from foreign citizens or foreign governments;

Whereas the Varela Project is the largest petition drive in

Cuban history;

Whereas the Varela Project seeks amnesty for all of those

who have been detained, sanctioned, or jailed for political

motives and who have not participated in acts directly

threatening the lives of others;

Whereas the Varela Project seeks to guarantee citizens the

right to form private businesses, to carry out economic

activities that could be productive and of service, and to

establish contracts between workers and businesses for

the development of these businesses in fair and just conditions so that no one may obtain profits by exploiting

the work of others;

Whereas the Varela Project is a step in moving Cuba toward

achieving international standards for human rights;

Whereas the goal of United States policy in Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy through an active policy of supporting the forces of change on the island; and
3

•HRES 453 IH

Whereas the Varela Project is engaged in the promotion of

a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) supports the constitutional right of the citi3 zens of Cuba who have signed the Varela Project to

4 petition the Cuban National Assembly for a ref5 erendum;

6 (2) calls on the Cuban government to accept

7 the Varela Project petition and, in accordance with

8 its obligation under Article 88 of the Cuban Con9 stitution, to hold a referendum on civil liberties, in10 cluding freedom of speech, an amnesty for political

11 prisoners, support for private business, a new elec12 toral law, and a general election;

13 (3) praises the bravery of Oswaldo Paya and

14 his colleagues in collecting 11,020 verified signatures

15 in support of the Varela Project;

16 (4) calls on the Cuban government to provide

17 its citizens with internationally accepted standards

18 for civil and human rights, and the opportunity to

19 vote in free and fair elections;

20 (5) urges the President and his representatives

21 to take all appropriate steps to support the Varela

22 Project and any future efforts by the Cuban people
4

•HRES 453 IH

1 to assert their constitutional right to petition the

2 National Assembly in support of a referendum; and

3 (6) urges the President to pursue an action-ori4 ented policy of directly assisting the Cuban people

5 and independent organizations to strengthen the

6 forces of change and to improve human rights in

7 Cuba.

8 SEC. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives

9 shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the President.

Æ