IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 238 
Recognizing the threat to international security and basic human dignity 
posed by the catastrophic decline of economic, humanitarian, and human 
rights conditions in the Republic of Zimbabwe. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2009 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. 
MCCOTTER, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. FLAKE, 
Mr. INGLIS, Mr. BILIRAKIS, and Mr. WOLF) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the threat to international security and basic 
human dignity posed by the catastrophic decline of eco-
nomic, humanitarian, and human rights conditions in 
the Republic of Zimbabwe. 
Whereas the undemocratic practices and failed economic poli-
cies of the regime of Robert Mugabe have contributed di-
rectly to the collapse of the Republic of Zimbabwe’s econ-
omy, public health care, and education systems, and 
other basic social services; 
Whereas water treatment and delivery have dramatically de-
clined since the government nationalized the municipal 
water authorities in 2006, and many other basic social 
services, such as trash collection, have effectively ceased 
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•HRES 238 IH 
in urban areas, posing significant health risks due to 
poor sanitation; 
Whereas, with the unemployment rate at 94 percent and with 
food and fuel in short supply, Zimbabweans now contend 
with widespread malnutrition rates and outbreaks of in-
fectious diseases; 
Whereas according to the World Food Program, almost three 
quarters of the population, nearly 7,000,000 people, will 
require emergency food aid in the coming months; 
Whereas, in a country that was once heralded as the bread-
basket of Africa, a higher percentage of its citizens now 
rely on food aid than in any other country in the world; 
Whereas despite the threat of mass starvation throughout the 
country, human rights groups consistently have docu-
mented the Mugabe regime’s use of food as a weapon 
against the population, including the deliberate diversion 
of United States food assistance from those in need to 
feed political supporters; 
Whereas, with limited access to food, health care, clean water 
and basic sanitation, life expectancy in Zimbabwe has 
fallen from 62 years in 1990 to just 34 years today; 
Whereas as a result of the political and economic crisis, and 
subsequent flight of trained health professionals, public 
hospitals and clinics throughout the country have been 
forced to close their doors, leaving most Zimbabweans 
with little to no access to health care; 
Whereas Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV prevalence 
rates in the world; 
Whereas HIV clinics in Zimbabwe increasingly have had lim-
ited-to-no access to test kits, blood sample kits, and 
drugs to treat opportunistic infections, and high mal-
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•HRES 238 IH 
nutrition rates have rendered many suffering from AIDS 
unable to take the necessary antiretroviral medications; 
Whereas, as a direct result of the collapse of Zimbabwe’s 
health and sanitation services, the country is in the mid-
dle of a nationwide cholera epidemic, with over 89,000 
cases reported and over 4,000 dead; 
Whereas, although the cholera outbreak reportedly began in 
August 2008, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child 
Welfare did not declare a national emergency until De-
cember 2008; 
Whereas the spreading of this disease was preventable and 
has since become a regional problem, with cases reported 
in all of Zimbabwe’s neighboring countries; and 
Whereas, in addition to cholera, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, 
Zimbabwe’s crumbling health infrastructure is now also 
challenged by the emergence of several hundred human 
cases of anthrax, which were reportedly contracted as a 
result of starving Zimbabweans eating carrion, or dead 
and putrefying animals: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the threat to international secu-
rity and basic human dignity posed by the cata-
strophic decline of economic, humanitarian, and 
human rights conditions in the Republic of 
Zimbabwe; 
(2) deplores the undemocratic practices and 
failed policies of the regime of Robert Mugabe in 
Zimbabwe, which have contributed directly to the 
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