Condemning the June 28, 2009, coup d'etat in Honduras, calling for the reinstatement of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and for other purposes.

Bill Number: 
H. Res. 630
Bill Status: 
Bill introduced in Committee
Bill Location: 
House of Representatives
Date of Last Action: 
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Link to entire bill at the Library of Congress site.
Relevant Text: 

HRES 630 IH

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 630

Condemning the June 28, 2009, coup d'etat in Honduras, calling for the reinstatement of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 10, 2009

Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. FARR, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. FILNER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. GRIJALVA, and Ms. BALDWIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

Condemning the June 28, 2009, coup d'etat in Honduras, calling for the reinstatement of President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and for other purposes.

Whereas Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales was elected President of Honduras in November 2005 in elections that were deemed free and fair by international observers;

Whereas President Zelaya and other political actors in Honduras became embroiled in a political dispute over whether to hold a non-binding referendum asking Honduran voters whether they wanted a constituent assembly to be established to amend the Constitution;

Whereas, on June 28, 2009, the day that the non-binding referendum was to take place, Honduran military forces stormed President Zelaya's residence, apprehended him, sent him out of the country, and seized the materials for the referendum;

Whereas the Honduran Congress named Roberto Micheletti, the head of the Congress, as President and subsequently suspended a number of constitutional rights, including the freedom of association and of movement;

Whereas the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has expressed its concerns regarding human rights abuses by the de facto Micheletti government, including the arbitrary detention of Zelaya supporters;

Whereas the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations, and the European Union, representing governments from across the political spectrum, have condemned the coup d'etat, refused to recognize the de facto Micheletti government, and demanded the unconditional return of President Zelaya to office;

Whereas, on July 1, 2009, the OAS voted unanimously to suspend Honduras from participation in the OAS unless President Zelaya was returned to office within three days;

Whereas, on July 4, 2009, the OAS unanimously voted to suspend Honduras;

Whereas the Obama Administration has condemned President Zelaya's removal, supported the OAS resolutions regarding Honduras, and demanded that he be returned to office;

Whereas the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank have suspended aid and loans to Honduras;

Whereas national elections are scheduled in Honduras for November 29, 2009;

Whereas President Zelaya has said that he will only serve until his term ends in January 2010;

Whereas it is critical for the stability of Honduras that the November 2009 elections be free, fair, and transparent; and

Whereas U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced on July 7, 2009, that Costa Rican President Oscar Arias would seek to negotiate a solution to the crisis, and President Zelaya and the de facto Micheletti government have agreed to the mediation of President Arias: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

      (1) condemns the June 28, 2009, coup d'etat in Honduras and refuses to recognize the de facto Micheletti government installed by that coup d'etat;

      (2) calls on the Obama Administration to continue to refuse to recognize the de facto Micheletti government;

      (3) calls for the reinstatement of President Zelaya as President of Honduras;

      (4) urges the Obama Administration to suspend nonhumanitarian assistance to the de facto Micheletti government as required by United States law as it deems necessary to compel the return of President Zelaya to office;
      (5) calls for extensive international observation of the November 2009 elections once President Zelaya is returned to office to ensure that his successor is elected freely, fairly, and transparently; and

      (6) welcomes the mediation of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias and encourages the Obama Administration to provide any assistance President Arias requests in his efforts.

END