IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 67

Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the news media and

freedom of expression are vital to the development and consolidation

of democracy in Russia and that the United States should actively

support such freedoms.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 23, 1999

Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GEJDENSON, and Mr. BEREUTER)

submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee

on Banking and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the

news media and freedom of expression are vital to the

development and consolidation of democracy in Russia

and that the United States should actively support such

freedoms.

Whereas the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union has brought new and unique opportunities for

democratic political change and the development of market-oriented economic reform in Russia, but the recent

economic difficulties in that country have created turbulent and difficult conditions for the Russian people;
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Whereas one of the most important means of assuring the

continuation of democratic government and the ultimate

guarantee of individual freedom and respect for human

rights is an open, independent and free news media;

Whereas a free news media can exist only in an environment

that is free of state control of the news media, that is

free of any form of state censorship or official coercion

of any kind, and that is protected and guaranteed by the

rule of law;

Whereas freedom of the news media and freedom of expression in Russia today are threatened by elements in the

Government, the Duma and elsewhere throughout Russian society which are opposed to freedom of the press

and freedom of expression;

Whereas the State Department’s Country Reports on Human

Rights Practices for 1998 notes that ‘‘federal, regional,

and local governments continued to exert pressure on

journalists by depriving them of access to information,

using accreditation procedures to limit access, removing

them from their jobs and bringing libel suits against

them, and violating their human rights’’;

Whereas the Country Reports further notes that in the past

year ‘‘between 250 and 300 lawsuits and other legal actions were brought by the Government against journalists

and journalistic organizations during the year in response

to unfavorable coverage of government policy or operations’’ and ‘‘in the vast majority of such cases, the Government succeeded in either intimidating or punishing

the journalist’’; and

Whereas the Duma recently adopted legislation establishing a

‘‘Supreme Council’’ with a mandate to review the content
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of television and radio programs and authority to suspend and/or revoke a broadcaster’s license: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—

3 (1) a free news media is vital to the develop4 ment and consolidation of democracy and the devel5 opment of a civil society in Russia;

6 (2) freedom of the news media and freedom of

7 expression must be safeguarded against those forces

8 which would limit or suppress these fundamental

9 human rights;

10 (3) Russian Government leaders, including the

11 President, the Prime Minister, and Members of the

12 Russian Parliament, should fully support freedom of

13 the news media and the right of free expression in

14 Russia;

15 (4) the United States should actively support

16 freedom of expression and freedom of the news

17 media through our programs of assistance to Russia;

18 (5) when considering requests by the Russian

19 government for loans or other economic assistance

20 from the International Monetary Fund and other

21 international financial institutions, the United States

22 government should take into account the extent to

23 which Russian government authorities support the
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1 full, free, and unfettered freedom of the news media

2 and freedom of expression in deciding whether to

3 support such requests; and

4 (6) the President and the Secretary of State are

5 requested to convey to appropriate Russian Govern6 ment officials, including the President, the Prime

7 Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this

8 expression of the views of the Congress.

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