IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 37
Commending the people and the Governments of the Hashemite Kingdom 
of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State 
of Kuwait, the State of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic 
of Yemen for their political and economic liberalization efforts and ex-
pressing hope that progress will continue and that the efforts of these 
countries will serve as a model for other Arab countries. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2005
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Commending the people and the Governments of the 
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, 
the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the State 
of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Republic of 
Yemen for their political and economic liberalization ef-
forts and expressing hope that progress will continue 
and that the efforts of these countries will serve as 
a model for other Arab countries.
Whereas the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of 
Morocco, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, 
the State of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Re-
public of Yemen are taking steps towards political and 
economic liberalization;
•HRES 37 IH 
Whereas progress toward democracy and pluralism is pro-
moted and supported by both the leaders and populations 
of these countries; 
Whereas these countries have also been expanding economic 
ties with the United States through Trade and Invest-
ment Framework Agreements and Free Trade Agree-
ments that promote economic modernization and trans-
parency; 
Whereas, in June 2003, after a two-year suspension of Par-
liament, Jordan held parliamentary elections; 
Whereas the parliamentary elections were the first elections 
to be held during the reign of His Majesty King Abdullah 
II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and they were 
conducted in an orderly and transparent manner; 
Whereas municipal elections for the Jordanian capital city of 
Amman were held in July 2003, and other local councils’ 
elections were held in September 2003; 
Whereas Jordan has placed great emphasis in recent years on 
the rights of women to vote and run for public office, en-
suring that six seats in the Jordanian House of Deputies 
are reserved for female candidates over and above any 
seats freely won in the elections; 
Whereas in a speech to the Jordanian parliament in Decem-
ber 2003, King Abdullah II called for ‘‘radical changes’’ 
designed to turn Jordan into a ‘‘modern, democratic 
country’’, and announced five goals: 
(1) increasing integrity and transparency in govern-
ance; 
(2) increasing participation of young people and 
women in the political process; 
(3) promoting a culture of democracy;
•HRES 37 IH 
(4) establishing an independent judiciary and inde-
pendent media; and 
(5) involving the private sector in business develop-
ment and social reform;
Whereas the Government of Jordan recently created the Min-
istry of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs, 
with the goal of promoting democracy through building 
and strengthening democratic institutions in Jordan, in-
cluding the parliament and the judicial system, as well as 
the legislative and regulatory frameworks in which they 
operate; 
Whereas the National Center for Human Rights was estab-
lished in 2002 by King Abdullah II, but it now operates 
as an autonomous entity promoting human rights as an 
integral part of political reform efforts under way in Jor-
dan; 
Whereas an independent Higher Media Council has been cre-
ated, independent administrative bodies, such as the 
Board of Directors of the Radio and Television Corpora-
tion, have been formed, the Government of Jordan has 
sold its shares in the daily newspapers, and laws have 
been passed to allow private television and radio stations 
to operate in Jordan; 
Whereas Jordan and the United States signed a Free Trade 
Agreement that went into effect in December 2001; 
Whereas in an April 2002 address at a meeting held with the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and other 
House Members, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King 
of Morocco, stated that he is committed to the ‘‘pro-
motion of human rights, a better distribution of wealth, 
the perfecting of women’s integration in our society, the
•HRES 37 IH 
consolidation of democracy and the enlargement of re-
gions’ powers’’; 
Whereas at a 2003 international parliamentary conference in 
New Delhi, the Speaker of the Moroccan Chamber of 
Representatives said that democratic culture is the best 
shield against extremism, hatred, and confrontation, and 
is also the best means to ensure social change within 
peace, security, and stability in the same society and in 
the world at large; 
Whereas the September 2002 election for the 325-seat Cham-
ber of Representatives, the lower house chosen by uni-
versal suffrage, was deemed the first free, fair, and 
transparent election ever held in Morocco and a milestone 
on the path of democratization; 
Whereas, in the September 2002 election, the election of 35 
women legislators (30 to reserved seats) established an 
important precedent; 
Whereas in January 2004, both houses of the parliament 
unanimously approved legislation that established full 
equality between men and women in Morocco, and set an 
equal minimum age of marriage, established equal pre-
rogative to initiate divorce, and, in general, ensured bet-
ter protection of the rights of women and children; 
Whereas, in January 2003, King Mohammed VI formally in-
augurated the Equity and Reconciliation Commission to 
ensure the protection of basic human rights for all Mo-
roccans and to provide compensation to victims of past 
human rights violations; 
Whereas Morocco’s outspoken press, vibrant civil society, and 
recently reformed family code are among the region’s 
bright spots in terms of human rights;
•HRES 37 IH 
Whereas, on September 14, 2004, the United States and Mo-
rocco signed a Free Trade Agreement; 
Whereas the Government of Bahrain is demonstrating its 
commitment to acquiring the consent of the people it gov-
erns by nurturing a democratic political culture; 
Whereas, in February 2002, the people of Bahrain accepted, 
by referendum, a ‘‘National Action Charter’’ that estab-
lished procedures for the election of a 40-member na-
tional assembly; 
Whereas, in 2002, Bahrain extended full suffrage to women, 
and women then voted and ran for office in the subse-
quent parliamentary and municipal elections; 
Whereas Bahrain conducted parliamentary elections in Octo-
ber 2002, the first since 1973, and municipal elections 
were conducted in May 2002, the first since 1957; 
Whereas the Government of Bahrain has announced that it 
would accept the legalization of political parties, which 
would potentially make Bahrain the first Gulf country to 
allow them; 
Whereas His Majesty Hamad Bin Isa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, 
King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has released political 
prisoners and allowed exiles to return, has abolished 
emergency laws and courts, and has eased restrictions on 
freedom of expression and freedom of association; 
Whereas the Government of Bahrain has allowed the estab-
lishment of dozens of advocacy associations but, in Sep-
tember 2004, the Government ordered the closure of the 
Bahrain Center for Human Rights, following the arrest 
of the organization’s vice-president, Abd al-Hadi al-
Khawaja, after he publicly criticized the prime minister;