IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1055 
Recognizing the enduring value of the International Convention on the Elimi-
nation of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) as a cornerstone 
of global efforts to combat racial discrimination and uphold human 
rights, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2008 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 
MEEKS of New York, Ms. SOLIS, and Mr. BUTTERFIELD) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the enduring value of the International Conven-
tion on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi-
nation (ICERD) as a cornerstone of global efforts to 
combat racial discrimination and uphold human rights, 
and for other purposes. 
Whereas racial discrimination and its related disparate out-
comes continue to be a problem in the United States and 
throughout the world; 
Whereas in a global effort to monitor and combat racial dis-
crimination, a number of multilateral organizations have 
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•HRES 1055 IH 
become cooperating partners, including the United Na-
tions Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimina-
tion (CERD), the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and 
Human Rights (ODIHR), the European Commission 
against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), and the Euro-
pean Union Fundamental Rights Agency (EUFRA); 
Whereas CERD recently held its seventy-second session in 
Geneva, Switzerland, to review anti-discrimination efforts 
undertaken by the Governments of Fiji, Italy, the United 
States, Belgium, Nicaragua, Moldova, and the Dominican 
Republic; 
Whereas these countries are among the 173 states party to 
the International Convention on the Elimination of All 
Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD); 
Whereas agreed upon and originally signed by 85 states on 
December 21, 1965, ICERD is now one of the most 
widely ratified United Nations human rights conventions; 
Whereas under ICERD, states party commit themselves to 
condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue 
by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of 
eliminating racial discrimination and promoting under-
standing among all races; 
Whereas states party also agree to take effective measures to 
amend, rescind, or nullify any laws and regulations that 
have the effect of creating or perpetuating racial dis-
crimination and to ensure that all public authorities and 
public institutions, national and local, shall act in con-
formity with this obligation; 
Whereas the United States ratified ICERD on October 21, 
1994; 
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•HRES 1055 IH 
Whereas in April 2007, the United States submitted its sec-
ond report to CERD and appeared before CERD on Feb-
ruary 21 and 22, 2008, in accordance with ICERD com-
mitments; 
Whereas the United States’ report details the numerous 
measures, including measures that have enjoyed some 
success, undertaken to combat and address racial dis-
crimination and racial disparities; 
Whereas the United States Government stated to CERD that 
‘‘it supported the elimination of racial discrimination at 
home and abroad [. . .] and had made significant progress 
in improving race relations in the past [and] continued 
to work actively to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimina-
tion. However, challenges still existed, and a great deal 
of work remained to be done.’’; 
Whereas in a demonstration of the vibrancy and role of the 
civil society in the process, over 400 representatives of 
the United States civil society submitted a shadow report 
supplementing the United States’ report; and 
Whereas in response to the United States’ report, CERD 
issued ‘‘Concluding Observations’’ for the United States 
that— 
(1) commended the high-level United States delega-
tion and various departments and agencies tasked with 
eliminating racial discrimination; 
(2) commended the reauthorization of the Violence 
Against Women Act of 1994 and the Voting Rights Act 
of 1965, the launch of the E–RACE Initiative (‘‘Eradi-
cating Racism and Colorism from Employment’’), the 
creation of the National Partnership for Action to End 
Health Disparities for Ethnic and Racial Minority Popu-
lations, and California Housing Element Law of 1969; 
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(3) called on the United States to review the defini-
tion of racial discrimination and practices and legislation 
that may not be discriminatory in purpose, but in effect, 
and supported the adoption and strengthening of special 
measures to address racial disparities; 
(4) provided detailed concerns and recommendations 
regarding Hurricane Katrina victims, and racial dispari-
ties in housing, employment, healthcare, education, and 
the criminal justice system, including those aspects that 
disproportionately impact women and Native American, 
Muslim, and migrant populations; and 
(5) recommended that the United States establish 
appropriate mechanisms to ensure a coordinated ap-
proach toward the implementation of ICERD at the Fed-
eral, State, and local levels: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the enduring value of ICERD as 
a cornerstone of global efforts to combat racial dis-
crimination and uphold human rights; 
(2) commends the United States for meeting its 
ICERD reporting obligations; 
(3) urges the Secretary of State, in cooperation 
with the Attorney General and the heads of other 
relevant Federal departments and agencies, to im-
mediately and routinely communicate CERD’s ‘‘Con-
cluding Observations’’ to the appropriate Federal, 
State, and local agencies; 
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(4) supports the United States recognition that 
racial discrimination and resulting disparate out-
comes remain a problem and that stereotypes and 
unconscious biases contribute to the persistence of 
racial discrimination; 
(5) calls for increased support for research and 
initiatives by government, civil society, and the pri-
vate sector, to address both implicit and explicit 
forms of racial discrimination in health, education, 
employment, justice, housing, and other sectors; and 
(6) calls upon the United States Government to 
support existing laws and programs aimed at re-
dressing past injustices detailed in the third United 
States’ report to CERD that have contributed to on-
going racial discrimination and present day dispari-
ties. 
Æ 
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