[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 548 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 548

              Denouncing the horrors of authoritarianism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 17, 2025

    Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
              Denouncing the horrors of authoritarianism.

Whereas authoritarian ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has, 
        time and time again, collapsed democracies into totalitarian rule, 
        kleptocracies, and brutal dictatorships;
Whereas most modern democracies do not die at the hands of armed militias, but 
        instead at the hands of elected officials who erode the separation of 
        powers to tighten their authoritarian grip;
Whereas researchers find that authoritarianism has repeatedly led to lower 
        health outcomes, decreased life expectancy, higher infant mortality, and 
        harmful economic impacts;
Whereas, in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro dismantled independent 
        institutions, stripped powers from the elected legislature, repressed 
        opposition parties and civil society, detained political rivals, and 
        presided over a humanitarian and economic collapse under a repressive 
        and authoritarian state;
Whereas, in Turkey, Recep Erdogan has undermined judicial independence, 
        imprisoned journalists, political opponents, and civil servants on 
        politically motivated charges, closed independent media outlets, and 
        concentrated sweeping authority into the presidency;
Whereas, in Russia, Vladimir Putin eliminated genuine political competition, 
        outlawed major opposition movements, criminalized dissent, oversaw the 
        imprisonment and deaths of prominent political opponents, entrenched a 
        corrupt and repressive authoritarian regime, and launched the illegal, 
        unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in violation of international law;
Whereas researchers find, ``Free countries across all measures do better than 
        authoritarian regimes in delivering prosperity for their people.'';
Whereas the Constitution of the United States guarantees the separation of 
        powers in the Government and has checks on power that ensure a 
        Government by and for the people rather than authoritarian rule, as such 
        separation of powers is essential;
Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees 
        that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of 
        the press;
Whereas kleptocracies are organized and controlled by top political elites, who 
        raid state resources with immunity and impunity;
Whereas Founding Father and President James Madison wrote, ``The accumulation of 
        all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, 
        whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, 
        or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.''; 
        and
Whereas the United States was founded on the belief in the sanctity of our 
        democracy, undeniable freedoms, independence of each branch of 
        government, and checks and balances on each branch, a belief to which 
        the system of authoritarianism in all of its forms is fundamentally 
        opposed: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate denounces authoritarianism in all its 
forms and opposes the implementation of authoritarian policies in the 
United States.
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