H. Res. 434 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
December 12, 2013. 
Whereas Nelson Mandela’s defiance of injustice and commit-
ment to peace and reconciliation, were critical to achiev-
ing the abolition of apartheid, a system of racially based 
social, political, and economic discrimination, and to 
adopting in its place a system of multiparty democracy 
and universal suffrage for all South Africans; 
Whereas on August 5, 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested 
for his acts to end the discriminatory policies of apart-
heid and was found guilty of all charges against him and 
sentenced to life in prison; 
Whereas during his imprisonment, Nelson Mandela was con-
fined to a small cell and forced to perform hard labor 
while being gravely mistreated by prison officials; 
Whereas during 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment on 
Robben Island, Nelson Mandela was permitted only one 
visitor a year, and for only 30 minutes; 
Whereas Nelson Mandela remained resolute, refusing offers 
to renounce his struggle against oppression in exchange 
for his freedom, and became widely viewed and respected 
as a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement; 
Whereas the United States Congress dramatically shifted its 
policy toward South Africa and supported the political
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ideals that Nelson Mandela struggled for, by enacting the 
Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 (Public Law 
99–440) on October 2, 1986, and has honored Nelson 
Mandela by passing the Mandela Freedom Resolution in 
the House of Representatives on September 18, 1984 (H. 
Res. 430), and in the Senate on October 10, 1984 (S. 
Res. 386), by adopting the resolution concerning United 
States support for the new South Africa on October 5, 
1994 (H. Res. 560), and by awarding Nelson Mandela 
the Congressional Gold Medal on July 29, 1998; 
Whereas on February 11, 1990, under growing international 
and domestic pressure, Nelson Mandela was released 
from prison, marking the end of his 27 years, 6 months, 
and 1 week of continuous incarceration; 
Whereas former United States President William J. Clinton 
honored Nelson Mandela with the Philadelphia Liberty 
Medal in 1993; 
Whereas in 1994, following the first fully representative, mul-
tiracial national elections, Nelson Mandela was elected on 
May 9 as President of the Democratic Republic of South 
Africa under a Government of National Unity; 
Whereas President Nelson Mandela led the peaceful transi-
tion from minority rule and apartheid to a multicultural, 
multiracial democracy, and played a critical role in initi-
ating South Africa’s ongoing efforts to foster national 
reconciliation; 
Whereas President Nelson Mandela sought to promote equal 
opportunity for jobs and education, access to social serv-
ices, and quality-of-life improvements for all South Afri-
cans;
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Whereas during the presidency of Nelson Mandela, South Af-
rica established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission 
to investigate gross human rights violations committed 
during the apartheid years; 
Whereas former United States President George W. Bush 
honored Nelson Mandela with the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom in 2002; and 
Whereas Nelson Mandela leaves a legacy that transcends his 
time and place in history and will guide and inspire gen-
erations to come: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) has learned with profound sorrow of the death 
of Nelson Mandela, former President of the Republic of 
South Africa; 
(2) tenders its deep sympathies to the members of 
the family of the late President Nelson Mandela and his 
fellow citizens; 
(3) honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of 
former President Nelson Mandela and for his friendship 
to the United States; 
(4) requests the Secretary of State to communicate 
these expressions of sentiment to the family of the de-
ceased and to the Parliament of the Republic of South 
Africa; and
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(5) requests that when the House adjourns today it 
do so as a mark of respect to the memory of the late 
President Nelson Mandela. 
Attest: 
Clerk.