IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 336
Expressing the sense of Congress that the continued participation of the 
Russian Federation in the Group of 8 nations should be conditioned 
on the Russian Government voluntarily accepting and adhering to the 
norms and standards of democracy. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2003
Mr. LANTOS (for himself and Mr. COX) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress that the continued partici-
pation of the Russian Federation in the Group of 8 
nations should be conditioned on the Russian Govern-
ment voluntarily accepting and adhering to the norms 
and standards of democracy.
Whereas the countries that comprise the Group of 7 nations 
are pluralistic societies with democratic political institu-
tions and practices, committed to the observance of uni-
versally recognized standards of human rights, respect 
for individual liberties, and democratic political practices; 
Whereas in 1991 and subsequent years, the leaders of the 
Group of 7 nations, heads of the governments of the 
major free-market economies of the world who meet an-
•HCON 336 IH 
nually in a summit meeting, invited then-Russian Presi-
dent Boris Yeltsin to a post-summit dialogue; 
Whereas in 1998, the leaders of the Group of 7 nations for-
mally invited the president of Russia to participate in an 
annual gathering that subsequently was known as the 
Group of 8 nations, although the Group of 7 nations have 
continued to hold informal summit meetings and ministe-
rial meetings that do not include the Russian Federation; 
Whereas the invitation to President Yeltsin to participate in 
the annual summits was in recognition of the commit-
ment of President Yeltsin to democratization and eco-
nomic liberalization, despite the fact that the Russian 
economy remained weak and the commitment of the Rus-
sian Government to democratic principles was uncertain; 
Whereas under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, 
the Russian Government has attempted to control the ac-
tivities of independent media enterprises, nongovern-
mental organizations, religious organizations, and other 
pluralistic elements of Russian society in an attempt to 
mute criticism of the government; 
Whereas the suppression by the Russian Government of inde-
pendent media enterprises has resulted in widespread 
government control and influence over the media in Rus-
sia, stifling freedom of expression and individual liberties 
that are essential to any functioning democracy; 
Whereas the arrest and prosecution of prominent Russian 
business leaders who had supported the political opposi-
tion to President Putin are examples of selective applica-
tion of the rule of law for political purposes; 
Whereas the courts of Great Britain, Spain, and Greece have 
consistently ruled against extradition warrants issued by
•HCON 336 IH 
the Russian Government after finding that the cases pre-
sented by the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federa-
tion have been inherently political in nature; 
Whereas Russian military forces continue to commit brutal 
atrocities against the civilian population in Chechnya; 
Whereas the rise to influence within the Russian Government 
of unelected security officials from the KGB of the 
former Soviet Union is increasingly undermining the 
Russian Government’s commitment to democratic prin-
ciples, accountability, and transparency; 
Whereas a wide range of observers at think tanks and non-
governmental organizations have expressed deep concern 
that the Russian Federation is moving away from the po-
litical and legal underpinnings of a market economy; and 
Whereas the continued participation of the Russian Federa-
tion in the Group of 8 nations, including the Russian 
Government’s opportunity to host the G–8 summit in 
2006 as planned, is a privilege that is premised on the 
Russian Government voluntarily accepting and adhering 
to the norms and standards of democracy: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the selective prosecution of political oppo-
nents and the suppression of free media by the Rus-
sian Federation, and the continued commission of 
widespread atrocities in the conduct of the brutal 
war in Chechnya, do not reflect the minimum stand-
•HCON 336 IH 
ards of civilized nations that characterize every other 
member state in the Group of 8; 
(2) the continued participation of the Russian 
Federation in the Group of 8 nations, including the 
Russian Government’s opportunity to host the G–8 
summit in 2006 as planned, should be conditioned 
on the Russian Government voluntarily accepting 
and adhering to the norms and standards of free, 
democratic societies as generally practiced by every 
other member nation, including—
(A) the rule of law, including protection 
from selective prosecution and protection from 
arbitrary state-directed violence; 
(B) a court system free of political influ-
ence and manipulation; 
(C) a free and independent media; 
(D) a political system open to participation 
by all citizens and which protects freedom of ex-
pression and association; and 
(E) the protection of universally recognized 
human rights; and 
(3) the President of the United States and the 
Secretary of State should work with the other mem-
bers of the Group of 7 to take all necessary steps 
to suspend the participation of the Russian Federa-
•HCON 336 IH 
tion in the Group of 8 nations until the President, 
after consultation with the other members of the 
Group of 7, determines and reports to Congress that 
the Russian Government is committed to respecting 
and upholding the democratic principles described in 
paragraph (2).
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