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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 90 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 90

 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Fifth Summit of the 
Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 18, and 
                               19, 2009.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 30, 2009

  Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. 
   Nelson of Florida) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                             March 31, 2009

                Reported by Mr. Kerry, without amendment

                April 3 (legislative day, April 2), 2009

                        Considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the Fifth Summit of the 
Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17, 18, and 
                               19, 2009.

Whereas the First Summit of the Americas, held in December 1994 in Miami, 
        Florida, resulted in a comprehensive Plan of Action, issued by the 
        region's democracies, which included initiatives on strengthening 
        democracy, promoting human rights, combating corruption, furthering 
        sustainable economic development, encouraging environmental 
        conservation, and committing to access to universal basic education and 
        health care throughout the Americas;
Whereas 3 Summits of the Americas and 2 Special Summits of the Americas have 
        been convened since 1994, resulting in additional initiatives on 
        sustainable development, strengthening democratic practices and good 
        governance, the environment, economic relations, combating HIV/AIDS and 
        other diseases, and numerous other areas of mutual interest and shared 
        responsibility throughout the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas on July 21, 2008, the Draft Declaration of Commitment by the Summit 
        Implementation Review Group proposed an agenda for the Fifth Summit of 
        the Americas to discuss promoting human prosperity, energy security, 
        environmental sustainability, public security, democratic governance, 
        and the Summit's implementation and review process; and
Whereas on February 10, 2009, President Barack Obama stated that he would attend 
        the Fifth Summit of the Americas to ``create the kind of partnership 
        based on respect that the people of Latin America are looking for and 
        that will be beneficial to the United States'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate--
            (1) to express support for the Fifth Summit of the Americas 
        as an effective multilateral forum, convened in the spirit of 
        cooperation and partnership for the 34 democratically elected 
        heads of state of the region to address shared challenges and 
        foster collaboration throughout the Western Hemisphere;
            (2) that the Fifth Summit provides the United States with 
        an early opportunity to reinvigorate and strengthen its 
        engagement with the countries of the Western Hemisphere, 
        especially in--
                    (A) finding common solutions to the global economic 
                crisis;
                    (B) promoting energy security; and
                    (C) combating threats to public and personal 
                security, including threats from terrorism, 
                international narcotics cartels, and organized criminal 
                groups;
            (3) that the United States is prepared to work with the 
        countries of the Western Hemisphere on advancing an agenda of 
        human prosperity, including--
                    (A) encouraging multilateral development 
                institutions to invest in micro- to medium-sized 
                enterprises;
                    (B) continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS, vector-
                borne, and noncommunicable diseases;
                    (C) raising the standard of living of the people in 
                the region who currently live in poverty;
                    (D) eradicating child labor;
                    (E) recommitting to the Millennium Development 
                Goals; and
                    (F) supporting investment in public health and 
                education throughout the Western Hemisphere;
            (4) that the United States should use the Fifth Summit of 
        the Americas to strengthen cooperation by working with other 
        nations to formulate and implement a regional energy strategy 
        to promote--
                    (A) increased technology and information sharing;
                    (B) regulatory harmonization;
                    (C) integration; and
                    (D) renewable and alternative energy sources;
            (5) to welcome civil society and nongovernmental 
        organizations at the Fifth Summit, and to encourage their 
        observation and active participation in the Summit's decision-
        making process to strengthen democratic governance, the rule of 
        law, freedom of the press, and civil society in the Western 
        Hemisphere; and
            (6) to set achievable and measurable goals, based on areas 
        of consensus, and to strengthen followup mechanisms to review 
        the implementation, reporting, and progress of Summit 
        initiatives.
                                 <all>
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