IV 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 506 
Honoring the life and legacy of Va´clav Havel by directing the House of 
Representatives Fine Arts Board to provide for the display of a bust 
of Va´clav Havel in the United States Capitol. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2014 
Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. CANTOR, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. MCCAR-
THY of California, Mr. HOYER, Mrs. LOWEY, and Mr. ROGERS of Ken-
tucky) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on House Administration 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the life and legacy of Va´clav Havel by directing 
the House of Representatives Fine Arts Board to provide 
for the display of a bust of Va´clav Havel in the United 
States Capitol. 
Whereas Va´clav Havel, former President of the Czech Repub-
lic, passed away on December 18, 2011, at 75 years of 
age, at his country home in Hra´decˇek in the Czech Re-
public; 
Whereas Va´clav Havel is widely recognized and respected 
throughout the world as a defender of democratic prin-
ciples and human rights; 
Whereas through his extensive writings, Va´clav Havel coura-
geously challenged the ideology and legitimacy of the au-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:20 Mar 07, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR506.IH
HR506
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 506 IH 
thoritarian communist regimes that ruled Central and 
Eastern Europe during the Cold War; 
Whereas Va´clav Havel, who was imprisoned multiple times by 
the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia for his advocacy 
of universal human rights and democratic principles, 
maintained his convictions in the face of repression; 
Whereas Va´clav Havel was one of the founders of Charter 77, 
a group of 242 individuals who called for the human 
rights guaranteed under the 1975 Helsinki accords to be 
realized in Czechoslovakia; 
Whereas Va´clav Havel was a cofounder of the Committee for 
the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted, an organization 
dedicated to supporting dissidents and their families 
which helped to advance the cause of freedom and justice 
in Czechoslovakia; 
Whereas Va´clav Havel, as leader of the Civic Forum move-
ment, was a key figure in the 1989 ‘‘Velvet Revolution’’, 
the peaceful overthrow of the Czechoslovakia communist 
government; 
Whereas, on February 21, 1990, Va´clav Havel addressed a 
Joint Session of Congress where he stated, ‘‘Thomas Jef-
ferson wrote that ‘governments are instituted among 
men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the 
governed’. It was a simple and important act of the 
human spirit. What gave meaning to that act, however, 
was that the author backed it up with his life. It was not 
just his words but it was his deeds as well.’’; 
Whereas following the Velvet Revolution, Va´clav Havel was 
democratically elected as President of the Czech and Slo-
vak Federal Republic in 1990, and after a peaceful parti-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:20 Mar 07, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR506.IH
HR506
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 506 IH 
tion forming 2 separate states, democratically elected 
President of the Czech Republic in 1993; 
Whereas under the leadership of Va´clav Havel, the Czech Re-
public became a prosperous, democratic country and a re-
spected member of the international community; 
Whereas also under his leadership the Czech Republic became 
a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) on March 12, 1999, and continues to be a val-
ued ally of the United States; 
Whereas during his lifetime, Va´clav Havel received praise as 
one of the world’s great democratic leaders and was 
awarded many international prizes recognizing his com-
mitment to peace and democratic principles; 
Whereas, on July 23, 2003, President George W. Bush hon-
ored Va´clav Havel with the Presidential Medal of Free-
dom, the highest civilian award of the United States Gov-
ernment, for being ‘‘one of liberty’s great heroes’’; 
Whereas after leaving office as president of the Czech Repub-
lic in February 2003, Va´clav Havel remained a voice on 
behalf of democratic dissidents worldwide and against au-
thoritarian regimes; and 
Whereas the legacy of Va´clav Havel inspires those that advo-
cate and work for freedom from tyranny: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That to honor the life and legacy of Va´clav 
Havel, the House of Representatives Fine Arts Board 
shall provide for the display of an appropriate bust of 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:20 Mar 07, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR506.IH
HR506
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 506 IH 
Va´clav Havel in the House of Representatives wing of the 
United States Capitol. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:20 Mar 07, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR506.IH
HR506
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS