Expressing profound concern about the ongoing political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, urging the release of political prisoners, and calling for respect of constitutional and democratic processes.

Bill: 114-hres-851
Sponsor: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2016-09-08 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Food assistance and relief
Foreign aid and international relief
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Human rights
International organizations and cooperation
Judicial procedure and administration
Latin America
Protest and dissent
Rule of law and government transparency
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Venezuela
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2016-09-08
text: 
Expresses concern about: (1) widespread shortages of essential medicines and basic food products faced by the people of Venezuela and urges President Maduro to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and (2) the Venezuelan executive's lack of respect for the principle of separation of powers, its overreliance on emergency decree powers, and its subjugation of judicial independence. Expresses support for meaningful efforts towards a dialogue that leads to respect for Venezuela's constitutional mechanisms and resolves the country's political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis. 
 
Calls on: (1) the government of Venezuela to immediately release all political prisoners, to provide protections for freedom of expression and assembly, and to respect internationally recognized human rights; and (2) such government and security forces to respect the Constitution of Venezuela, including constitutional provisions that provide Venezuelan citizens with the right to peacefully pursue a fair and timely recall referendum for their president this year if they so choose.
 
Stresses the urgency of strengthening the rule of law and increasing efforts to combat impunity and public corruption in Venezuela.
 
Affirms the support of the House of Representatives for OAS Secretary General Almagro's invocation of Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and urges the OAS Permanent Council, which represents all of the organization's member states, to undertake a collective assessment of the constitutional and democratic order in Venezuela. Urges the President of the United States to provide full support for OAS efforts in favor of constitutional and democratic solutions to the political impasse, and to instruct appropriate federal agencies to hold officials of the Venezuelan government accountable for violations of U.S. law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.

action_date: 2016-09-27
text: 
Expresses concern about: (1) widespread shortages of essential medicines and basic food products faced by the people of Venezuela and urges President Maduro to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and (2) the Venezuelan executive's lack of respect for the principle of separation of powers, its overreliance on emergency decree powers, and its threat to judicial independence. Expresses support for meaningful efforts towards a dialogue that leads to respect for Venezuela's constitutional mechanisms and resolves the country's political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis. 
 
Calls on: (1) the government of Venezuela to immediately release all political prisoners, including U.S. citizens, to provide protections for freedom of expression and assembly, and to respect internationally recognized human rights; and (2) such government and security forces to respect the Constitution of Venezuela, including constitutional provisions that provide Venezuelan citizens with the right to peacefully pursue a fair and timely recall referendum for their president this year.
 
Stresses the urgency of strengthening the rule of law and increasing efforts to combat impunity and public corruption in Venezuela.
 
Affirms the support of the House of Representatives for OAS Secretary General Almagro's invocation of Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and urges the OAS Permanent Council, which represents all of the organization's member states, to undertake a collective assessment of the constitutional and democratic order in Venezuela.
 
Urges the President of the United States to provide full support for OAS efforts in favor of constitutional and democratic solutions to the political impasse, and to instruct appropriate federal agencies to hold officials of the Venezuelan government accountable for violations of U.S. law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.
 
Urges the President to continue to stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people by urging the Maduro government to:
 
 
 hold a fair and free recall referendum by the end of this calendar year; 
 
 release all political prisoners, including U.S. citizens, from prison; 
 
 adhere to democratic principles; and 
 
 permit the delivery of emergency food and medicine. 
 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection. (text: CR H5947-5948)
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.(text: CR H5947-5948)
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged. (consideration: CR H5947-5949)
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.(consideration: CR H5947-5949)
action_date: 2016-09-27
text: Ms. Ros-Lehtinen asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
action_date: 2016-09-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2016-09-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2016-09-08
text: Introduced in House