```

[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1307 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1307

    Commemorating the Kingdom of Bhutan's participation in the 2008 
    Smithsonian Folklife Festival and commending the people and the 
  Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan for their commitment to holding 
           elections and broadening political participation.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2008

     Mr. Baird (for himself and Mr. Upton) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Commemorating the Kingdom of Bhutan's participation in the 2008 
    Smithsonian Folklife Festival and commending the people and the 
  Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan for their commitment to holding 
           elections and broadening political participation.

Whereas Bhutan is a nation cloistered among some of the highest peaks in the 
        eastern Himalayas and has for hundreds of years served as a sanctuary 
        for the rich and unique Bhutanese culture;
Whereas Bhutan hosts some of the most pristine and biologically diverse natural 
        environments in the modern world, owing to the agrarian society's unique 
        farming traditions that are rooted in a deep appreciation for the land 
        and humble devotion to its protection;
Whereas Bhutan is participating in the 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival and 
        sharing with the people of the United States many aspects of its unique 
        culture and traditions, including its special approach towards life, 
        described in national policy as the pursuit of ``Gross National 
        Happiness'';
Whereas Bhutan was only in recent decades accessible by road and airplane but is 
        now sharing with people throughout the world its special cultural 
        traditions that include 13 traditional arts, zorig chusum, monastic 
        dancers who perform ritual dances from sacred tsechus festivals, and 
        weavers who create some of the most coveted textiles in the world;
Whereas Bhutan is transitioning to a parliamentary democracy, owing to the 
        leadership of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who abdicated his thrown on 
        December 14, 2006, and his son King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who 
        is committed to conducting parliamentary elections; and
Whereas King Jigme Singye Wangchuck devolved all executive authority from the 
        throne to the cabinet in 1998, initiated the process of drafting a 
        constitution in 2001, ordered by royal decree an end to Bhutan's 
        absolute monarchy and the establishment of a parliamentary democracy in 
        2008, and issued to the people of Bhutan a historic document, or 
        tsathrim, stating that ``Bhutan is a sovereign Kingdom and the Sovereign 
        power belongs to the people of Bhutan'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
            (1) commemorates Bhutan's participation in the 2008 
        Smithsonian Folklife Festival;
            (2) recognizes the important cultural, artistic, 
        agricultural, and environmental achievements of Bhutan and the 
        Bhutanese people;
            (3) commends the Bhutanese people, the Government of the 
        Kingdom of Bhutan, and His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel 
        Wangchuck for their commitment to conducting parliamentary 
        elections and transitioning from an absolute monarchy to a 
        parliamentary democracy; and
            (4) remains committed to working with Bhutan, should it so 
        desire, to foster cultural exchange and to assist in promoting 
        democratic reform.
                                 <all>
```