IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 527 

Recognizing the goal of United States foreign policy should be to promote 

human rights and equal rights for all. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2019 

Mr. LOWENTHAL (for himself, Mr. POCAN, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. GREEN of 

Texas, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. LEE of 

California, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. 

HAALAND, Ms. NORTON, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. MENG, Ms. 

MOORE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Ms. OMAR, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

RASKIN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. COSTA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mrs. 

NAPOLITANO, Mr. HIMES, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mrs. TORRES of 

California, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. LOFGREN, and Mr. PETERS) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the goal of United States foreign policy should 

be to promote human rights and equal rights for all. 

Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations (UN) 71 years ago on December 10, 1948, represented the first comprehensive agreement among nations as to the specific rights and freedoms of all human beings; 

Whereas the Department of State has declared that a central 

goal of the United States foreign policy is the promotion 


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•HRES 527 IH 

of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal 

Declaration of Human Rights; 

Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a 

‘‘common standard of achievement for all peoples and all 

nations, to the end that every individual and every organ 

of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, 

shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect 

for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal 

and effective recognition and observance, both among the 

peoples of UN Member States themselves and among the 

peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.’’; 

Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to 

impose consistent and principled human rights policies 

when engaging with both allies and competitors alike; 

Whereas according to the Human Rights Foundation, more 

than half of the world’s population live under nondemocratic regimes, meaning that 3,700,000,000 people are 

controlled by absolute monarchs, military occupation or 

juntas, competitive authoritarians, or full-fledged dictatorships; 

Whereas human rights, equal rights, and justice are essential 

to the realization of fundamental freedoms and promoting more equitable societies, preventing conflict and 

atrocities, and enhancing participation in the democratic 

process; 

Whereas the United States must build respect for and the 

protection of human rights, equal rights, and justice for 

all here at home in order to set a standard by which both 

allies and competitors can be held to account; and 


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•HRES 527 IH 

Whereas particularly in the face of rising global authoritarianism, the executive and legislative branches of the 

United States Government must prioritize protection of 

these rights in words and in action when they engage 

with foreign governments, allies, and competitors alike, 

around the globe: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the 71st anniversary of the Uni3 versal Declaration of Human Rights and the celebra4 tion of ‘‘Human Rights Day’’; 

5 (2) supports the ideals, indivisibility, and uni6 versality of human rights, reaffirms the Universal 

7 Declaration of Human Rights, and recognizes that 

8 the erosion and violation of human rights anywhere 

9 threaten fundamental human rights everywhere; 

10 (3) urges every UN Member State to promote 

11 universal human rights for all peoples; 

12 (4) urges the executive and legislative branches 

13 of the United States Government to develop and im14 plement United States foreign policy that promotes 

15 human rights, equal rights, and justice for all; and 

16 (5) encourages the people of the United States 

17 to observe ‘‘Human Rights Day’’ and continue their 

18 commitment to upholding freedom, democracy, 

19 equality, and human rights across the globe. 

Æ 


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