IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 67
Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the news media and
freedom of expression are vital to the development and consolidation
of democracy in Russia and that the United States should actively
support such freedoms.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 23, 1999
Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GEJDENSON, and Mr. BEREUTER)
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee
on Banking and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that freedom of the
news media and freedom of expression are vital to the
development and consolidation of democracy in Russia
and that the United States should actively support such
freedoms.
Whereas the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the So-
viet Union has brought new and unique opportunities for
democratic political change and the development of mar-
ket-oriented economic reform in Russia, but the recent
economic difficulties in that country have created turbu-
lent and difficult conditions for the Russian people;
HCON 67 IH
Whereas one of the most important means of assuring the
continuation of democratic government and the ultimate
guarantee of individual freedom and respect for human
rights is an open, independent and free news media;
Whereas a free news media can exist only in an environment
that is free of state control of the news media, that is
free of any form of state censorship or official coercion
of any kind, and that is protected and guaranteed by the
rule of law;
Whereas freedom of the news media and freedom of expres-
sion in Russia today are threatened by elements in the
Government, the Duma and elsewhere throughout Rus-
sian society which are opposed to freedom of the press
and freedom of expression;
Whereas the State Department’s Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices for 1998 notes that ‘‘federal, regional,
and local governments continued to exert pressure on
journalists by depriving them of access to information,
using accreditation procedures to limit access, removing
them from their jobs and bringing libel suits against
them, and violating their human rights’’;
Whereas the Country Reports further notes that in the past
year ‘‘between 250 and 300 lawsuits and other legal ac-
tions were brought by the Government against journalists
and journalistic organizations during the year in response
to unfavorable coverage of government policy or oper-
ations’’ and ‘‘in the vast majority of such cases, the Gov-
ernment succeeded in either intimidating or punishing
the journalist’’; and
Whereas the Duma recently adopted legislation establishing a
‘‘Supreme Council’’ with a mandate to review the content
HCON 67 IH
of television and radio programs and authority to sus-
pend and/or revoke a broadcaster’s license: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) a free news media is vital to the develop-
ment and consolidation of democracy and the devel-
opment of a civil society in Russia;
(2) freedom of the news media and freedom of
expression must be safeguarded against those forces
which would limit or suppress these fundamental
human rights;
(3) Russian Government leaders, including the
President, the Prime Minister, and Members of the
Russian Parliament, should fully support freedom of
the news media and the right of free expression in
Russia;
(4) the United States should actively support
freedom of expression and freedom of the news
media through our programs of assistance to Russia;
(5) when considering requests by the Russian
government for loans or other economic assistance
from the International Monetary Fund and other
international financial institutions, the United States
government should take into account the extent to
which Russian government authorities support the
HCON 67 IH
full, free, and unfettered freedom of the news media
and freedom of expression in deciding whether to
support such requests; and
(6) the President and the Secretary of State are
requested to convey to appropriate Russian Govern-
ment officials, including the President, the Prime
Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this
expression of the views of the Congress.
Æ