[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 148 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 464
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 148
Supporting efforts by the Government of Colombia to pursue peace and
regional stability.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 9, 2019
Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Blunt) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
June 3, 2020
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting efforts by the Government of Colombia to pursue peace and
regional stability.
Whereas, in 2016, the Government of Colombia concluded a historic peace accord
with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), aimed at
addressing the root causes of the half-a-century conflict, including
stark economic inequalities, the rural-urban divide, and the historical
exclusion of Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, women, and poor
farmers, and is currently working to implement these accords;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and Colombia have forged
a resolute bond through a shared commitment to support peace, human
rights, democracy, the rule of law, and security throughout the
hemisphere and the world, which has been bolstered by the support of
hundreds of thousands of Colombian-Americans and their contributions to
American life;
Whereas, in 2000, the Government of Colombia achieved an impressive national
consensus to build state capacity, and the United States committed to
combat organized crime, drugs, and violence through its foreign
assistance package in support of Plan Colombia;
Whereas Plan Colombia and its successor, Peace Colombia, have received steadfast
commitments from the administrations of Presidents William Clinton,
George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, and continuously has
been strengthened by broad bipartisan support in the United States
Congress;
Whereas, while the Government of Colombia contributed more than 95 percent of
funds over the life of Plan Colombia, the political leadership,
technical advice, military assistance, and intelligence-sharing role of
the United States, along with the $11,000,000,000 appropriated by the
United States Congress through Plan Colombia and Peace Colombia to
combat the illicit narcotics trade and transnational organized crime,
advance democratic governance, promote economic growth, and defend human
rights, played a key role in transforming a nation on the brink to an
increasingly peaceful and prosperous democracy, while also safeguarding
vital United States interests;
Whereas the Government of Colombia, throughout the administrations of Presidents
Andres Pastrana, Alvaro Uribe, Juan Manuel Santos, and Ivan Duque, has
made investments and shown remarkable courageous leadership, often at
great cost and sacrifice, to consolidate domestic security,
socioeconomic development, and the rule of law that far exceed those
contributions made by the United States in Colombia;
Whereas, over the past 20 years, levels of crime and violence have subsided
sharply in Colombia, with annual per capita homicide rates declining
from 62 per 100,000 people in 1999 to a record low of 23 per 100,000
people in 2017;
Whereas the alignment of improved security and sound economic policies has
translated into steady growth in Colombia's Gross Domestic Product,
which increased from $86,000,000,000 in 1999 to more than
$309,000,000,000 in 2017, and led to greater Foreign Direct Investment,
which grew from $1,500,000,000 in 1999 to one of the highest in Latin
America at an estimated $14,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas the United States and Colombia enjoy a robust economic relationship with
United States goods and services trade with Colombia totaling an
estimated $36,100,000,000 in 2016, supporting over 100,000 jobs in the
United States;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made impressive strides in reducing
poverty during the last 15 years, with the poverty rate decreasing from
64 percent in 1999 to 27 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank;
Whereas, since 1999, the Government of Colombia has expanded the presence of the
state across all 32 territorial departments, has contributed to the
professionalism of the Colombian judiciary, and has improved the
capacity of the Colombian Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Police;
Whereas Colombia is one of the United States most consistent and strategic
partners through its support of United States diplomatic objectives at
the United Nations and critical efforts made in the fight against
transnational organized crime and increased security and rule of law
overseas, including in Central America's Northern Triangle, Afghanistan,
and several countries in Africa;
Whereas Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NATO in 2017 and is
the first NATO partner nation in Latin America;
Whereas these gains are challenged by an escalating crisis in Venezuela, which
has seen an influx of more than 1,200,000 Venezuelans into Colombia and
the need for continued financial support to implement the peace accord
over the next 8 years;
Whereas the internal armed conflict has victimized all Colombians, including
women, children, and Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples, and has led
to the repeated targeting of leading representatives of civil society,
including trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, and
other community activists who remain at grave risk from guerrilla
groups, paramilitary successor organizations, organized criminal groups,
and corrupt local officials;
Whereas efforts to achieve lasting peace in Colombia must address the hardships
faced by victims of the armed conflict, as exemplified by the Government
of Colombia's Law on Victims and Restitution of Land of 2011;
Whereas the prospects for national reconciliation and sustainable peace in
Colombia rely on the effective delivery of justice for victims of the
conflict and the ability to hold accountable and appropriately punish
perpetrators of serious violations of human rights and international
humanitarian law; and
Whereas the work of Special Jurisdiction for Peace--the transitional justice
mechanism created with the purpose of ensuring accountability in the
context of Colombia's internal armed conflict--is fundamental to the
implementation of the accords and the consolidation of peace in the
country: Now, therefore, be it
Whereas, in 2016, the Government of Colombia concluded a historic peace accord
with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), aimed at
addressing the root causes of the half-a-century conflict, including
stark economic inequalities, the rural-urban divide, and the historical
exclusion of Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, women, and poor
farmers, and is currently working to implement these accords;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and Colombia have forged
a resolute bond through a shared commitment to support peace, human
rights, democracy, the rule of law, and security throughout the
hemisphere and the world, which has been bolstered by the support of
hundreds of thousands of Colombian-Americans and their contributions to
American life;
Whereas, in 2000, the Government of Colombia achieved an impressive national
consensus to build state capacity, and the United States committed to
combat organized crime, drugs, and violence through its foreign
assistance package in support of Plan Colombia;
Whereas Plan Colombia and its successor, Peace Colombia, have received steadfast
commitments from the administrations of Presidents William Clinton,
George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, and continuously has
been strengthened by broad bipartisan support in the United States
Congress;
Whereas, while the Government of Colombia contributed more than 95 percent of
funds over the life of Plan Colombia, the political leadership,
technical advice, military assistance, and intelligence-sharing role of
the United States, along with the $11,000,000,000 appropriated by the
United States Congress through Plan Colombia and Peace Colombia to
combat the illicit narcotics trade and transnational organized crime,
advance democratic governance, promote economic growth, and defend human
rights, played a key role in transforming a nation on the brink of
collapse into an increasingly peaceful and prosperous democracy, while
also safeguarding vital United States interests;
Whereas the Government of Colombia, throughout the administrations of Presidents
Andres Pastrana, Alvaro Uribe, Juan Manuel Santos, and Ivan Duque, has
made major investments and shown remarkable and courageous leadership,
often at great cost and sacrifice, to consolidate domestic security,
socioeconomic development, and the rule of law;
Whereas, over the past 20 years, levels of crime and violence have subsided
sharply in Colombia, with annual per capita homicide rates declining
from 62 per 100,000 people in 1999 to a record low of 23 per 100,000
people in 2017;
Whereas the alignment of improved security and sound economic policies has
translated into steady growth in Colombia's Gross Domestic Product,
which increased from $86,000,000,000 in 1999 to more than
$309,000,000,000 in 2017, and led to greater foreign direct investment,
which grew from $1,500,000,000 in 1999 to one of the highest in Latin
America at an estimated $14,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas the United States and Colombia enjoy a robust economic relationship,
with United States goods and services trade with Colombia totaling an
estimated $36,100,000,000 in 2016, supporting over 100,000 jobs in the
United States;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made impressive strides in reducing
poverty during the last 15 years, with the poverty rate decreasing from
64 percent in 1999 to 27 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank;
Whereas, since 1999, the Government of Colombia has expanded its presence across
all 32 territorial departments, has contributed to the professionalism
of the Colombian judiciary, and has improved the capacity of the
Colombian Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Police;
Whereas Colombia is one of the United States' most consistent and strategic
partners through its support of United States diplomatic objectives at
the United Nations and critical efforts made in the fight against
transnational organized crime and increased security and rule of law
overseas, including in Central America's Northern Triangle, Afghanistan,
and several countries in Africa;
Whereas Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NATO in 2017 and is
the first NATO partner nation in Latin America;
Whereas these gains are challenged by an escalating crisis in Venezuela, which
has seen an influx of more than 1,800,000 Venezuelans into Colombia, and
the need for continued financial support to implement the peace accord
over the next 8 years;
Whereas the internal armed conflict has victimized all Colombians, including
women, children, and Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples, has
resulted in one of the world's largest situations of internal
displacement, and has led to the repeated targeting of leading
representatives of civil society, including trade unionists,
journalists, human rights defenders, and other community activists who
remain at grave risk from guerrilla groups, paramilitary successor
organizations, organized criminal groups, and corrupt local officials;
Whereas efforts to achieve lasting peace in Colombia must address the hardships
faced by victims of the armed conflict, as exemplified by the Government
of Colombia's Law on Victims and Restitution of Land of 2011;
Whereas the prospects for national reconciliation and sustainable peace in
Colombia rely on the effective delivery of justice for victims of the
conflict, long-term solutions for those who have been displaced, and the
ability to hold accountable and appropriately punish perpetrators of
serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,
particularly obligations under Article 3 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention;
Whereas the work of Special Jurisdiction for Peace--the transitional justice
mechanism created for the purpose of ensuring accountability in the
context of Colombia's internal armed conflict--is fundamental to the
implementation of the accords and the consolidation of peace in the
country; and
Whereas, on August 29, 2019, Luciano Marin Arango, a.k.a. Ivan Marquez and
Seuxis Hernandez Solarte, a.k.a. ``Jesus Santrich'', along with other
members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), publicly
called for the renewal of armed conflict in Colombia and for increased
cooperation between the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN), two
entities that are designated by the United States as Foreign Terrorist
Organizations: Now, therefore, be it
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
<DELETED> (1) reaffirms the unwavering support of the
Government and people of the United States for the people of
Colombia in their pursuit of peace and stabilization of
territories previously in conflict so they can achieve their
aspiration to live in a country free of violence and organized
crime;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) lauds efforts to bring an end to Colombia's
enduring internal armed conflict;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) commends the work of the United Nations
Verification Mission in overseeing the implementation of the
2016 peace accord and the disarmament and reintegration of
combatants;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) maintains its commitment to the more than
7,000,000 victims of Colombia's armed conflict and urges the
government and FARC to hold accountable perpetrators of serious
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law
and ensure that they are appropriately punished;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) encourages the Government of Colombia to
protect vulnerable populations who remain at risk in that
country, including defenders of human rights, those facing
threats due to crop substitution from the illicit crop market,
and Afro-descendant and indigenous communities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) encourages the Secretary of State to develop a
comprehensive strategy to assist the Government of Colombia in
managing the effects of the Venezuela crisis without
endangering or detracting from the successful implementation
and sustainability of the peace accord and stabilization of
territories previously in conflict in Colombia, and to further
strengthen the close bilateral partnership shared by the
Governments of the United States and Colombia;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) reaffirms its commitment to continued
partnership between the Governments of the United States and
Colombia on issues of mutual interest, including security,
counternarcotics cooperation, combating transnational organized
crime, ensuring justice for those who have caused indelible
harm to our populations, reintegration of FARC members,
economic growth and investment with a focus on disadvantaged
communities, and educational and cultural exchanges that
strengthen diplomatic relations;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) supports the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as
an important transitional justice mechanism and encourages the
continuation of its work as an important institution in charge
of guaranteeing truth, justice, and victim's reparations in the
aftermath of the country's internal armed conflict;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) commits to furthering the bilateral
relationship between the United States and Colombia by working
with leaders in the public and private sectors, as well as
civil society from both countries, to ensure that the United
States-Colombia relationship remains at the forefront of United
States foreign policy.</DELETED>
That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms the unwavering support of the Government and
people of the United States for the people of Colombia in their
pursuit of peace and stabilization of territories previously in
conflict so they can achieve their aspiration to live in a
country free of violence and organized crime;
(2) lauds efforts to bring an end to Colombia's enduring
internal armed conflict;
(3) commends the work of the United Nations Verification
Mission in overseeing the implementation of the 2016 peace
accord and the disarmament and reintegration of combatants;
(4) maintains its commitment to the more than 7,000,000
victims of Colombia's armed conflict and urges all Colombian
authorities to hold accountable perpetrators of serious
violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,
particularly obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention,
and ensure that they are appropriately punished;
(5) encourages the Government of Colombia to protect
vulnerable populations who remain at risk in that country,
including defenders of human rights, those facing threats due
to crop substitution from the illicit crop market, internally
displaced persons, and Afro-descendant and indigenous leaders
and communities;
(6) expresses concern about the decision of certain senior
members of the FARC to return to arms and hostilities and
strengthen their alliance with the ELN, which poses risks for
the ability of the Government of Colombia to consolidate peace
and security;
(7) reaffirms the importance of the extradition treaty
between Colombia and the United States as an important part of
the bilateral relations that has promoted the interests of
justice in both nations for decades;
(8) encourages the Secretary of State to develop a
comprehensive strategy to assist the Government of Colombia in
managing the effects of the Venezuela crisis while continuing
the successful implementation and sustainability of the peace
accord and stabilization of territories previously in conflict
in Colombia, and to further strengthen the close bilateral
partnership shared by the Governments of the United States and
Colombia;
(9) reaffirms its commitment to continued partnership
between the Governments of the United States and Colombia on
issues of mutual interest, including security, counternarcotics
cooperation, combating transnational organized crime, ensuring
justice for those who have caused indelible harm to our
populations, reintegration of FARC members, economic growth and
investment with a focus on disadvantaged communities, health
cooperation, and educational and cultural exchanges that
strengthen diplomatic relations; and
(10) commits to furthering the bilateral relationship
between the United States and Colombia by working with leaders
in the public and private sectors, as well as civil society
from both countries, to ensure that the United States-Colombia
relationship remains a key pillar of United States foreign
policy in the Western Hemisphere.
Calendar No. 464
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 148
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting efforts by the Government of Colombia to pursue peace and
regional stability.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 3, 2020
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble