,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #eia  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,may #ba1 #bjad ,mr4  
,grayson submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2  
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,affairs1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee  
on ,arm$ ,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be      
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,,resolution  ,comm5d+ !       
,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an = c]tify+ !     
results ( ! national election held on   
,april #e1 #bjad1 & urg+ ! ,gov]nm5t (  
,afghani/an to cont9ue to pursue a      
transp>5t1 cr$ible1 & inclusive run-(f  
presid5tial election on ,june #ad1      
#bjad1 :ile ensur+ ! safety ( vot]s &   
c&idates4  ,:]eas1 on ,may #aa1 #bjac1 9
 ,kabul1 ,afghani/an1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,deputy ,secret>y ( ,/ate ,william      
,burns /at$3 a successful political     
transition is an ess5tial pr]equisite = 
su/a9able security4 ,x is vitally       
important t ! elections next ,april be  

transp>5t1 cr$ible1 & inclusive42       
,:]eas1 on ,july #i1 #bjac1 ! ,unit$    
,/ates ,s5ate unanim\sly agre$ to ,s4   
,res4 #aea3 ,a resolution urg+ !        
,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an to ensure       
transp>5t & cr$ible presid5tial &       
prov9cial elections 9 ,april #bjad by   
adh]+ to int]nationally accept$         
democratic /&>ds1 e/abli%+ a transp>5t  
electoral process1 & ensur+ security =  
vot]s & c&idates42 ,:]eas1 on ,april #e1
 #bjad1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an held !
 fir/ r\nd ( a presid5tial election2    
,:]eas1 on ,may #ae1 #bjad1 ! ,indep5d5t
 ,election ,commission ( ,afghani/an    
7,,iec7 c]tifi$ ! results ( ! national  
election held #dj days prior1 & ann\nc$ 
a run-(f election date ( ,june #ad1     
#bjad1 = ! two top presid5tial c&idate  
vote recipi5ts2 ,:]eas vot] p>ticipation
 increas$ f approximately #ce p]c5t 9 ! 
#bjji ,afghan presid5tial election to   
almo/ #fj p]c5t = ! election held on    
,april #e1 #bjad1 & ! p]c5tage ( newly  
regi/]$ female vot]s slightly increas$2 

,:]eas ! #bjji ,afghan presid5tial      
election exp]i5c$ l[ female vot] turn\t 
due to ! insuffici5t numb] ( female poll
 work]s1 & ! ,unit$ ,nations ,developm5t
 ,programme's ,law & ,ord] ,tru/ ,fund =
 ,afghani/an approv$ a ,m9i/ry (        
,int]ior reque/ to fund ! hir+ ( #ac1jjj
 female election security (fic]s 9 ord] 
to bol/] female vot] turn\t = ! #bjad   
presid5tial election--b #dj out (       
,afghani/an's #djg di/ricts /ill did n h
 female election /aff due to security   
conc]ns2 ,:]eas #bg ,afghans 7 kill$ on 
election day 9 #bjji1 & #ag memb]s ( !  
,afghan ,national ,security ,=ces       
7,,ansf7 7 kill$ ov] ! c\rse ( ne>ly    
#cjj insurg5t attacks c>ri$ out dur+ !  
election held on ,april #e1 #bjad2      
,:]eas aft] ! #bjji ,afghan presid5tial 
election1 ! ,indep5d5t ,electoral       
,compla9ts ,commission 7,,iecc7 ord]$ ! 
results f #baj poll+ /ations be         
invalidat$1 & lat]1 aft] inve/igat+ #egi
 m poll+ /ations qu>ant9$ by ! ,,iec1   
f\nd t all b #ah ( ^? %\ld be exclud$ z 

well--& on ,may #ad1 #bjad1 ! ,,iec1    
bas$ on ,,iecc decisions1 invalidat$ !  
results f #cca poll+ /ations dur+ !     
#bjad election & remov$ !m f ! f9al     
tabulation2 ,:]eas1 to date1 #hji1cdi   
votes ca/ = ! fir/ place presid5tial    
c&idate1 #afe1cci votes ca/ = ! second  
place presid5tial c&idate1 & #ci1eee    
votes ca/ = ! ?ird place presid5tial    
c&idate dur+ ! ,june #ad1 #bjad1        
election h be5 invalidat$ = fraud2      
,:]eas !re h be5 widespread reports (   
vot] & election monitor intimidation1 z 
well z attempts to bribe memb]s ( !     
,,iec1 ! ,,iecc1 & o!r election monitor+
 organizations2 ,:]eas vote c\nt+ by !  
,,iec 0 p]=m$ beh9d clos$ doors in/ead (
 9 front ( int]national monitors1 &     
in=mation 0 leak$ to "s c&idates b n    
o!rs2 ,:]eas inve/igations by ! ,,iecc1 
& _! coord9ation ) ! ,,iec1 h n be5     
conduct$ 9 a transp>5t mann]2 ,:]eas !  
,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an elim9at$ text   
messag+ capabilities ! ev5+ prior to !  
#bjad presid5tial election until #e3jj  

p4m4 on election day--greatly inhibit+  
monitor+ ef=ts by int]national          
organizations--expla9+ t ! decision 0   
made 9 response to two c&idates s5d+ m  
?an "o million text messages dur+ !     
sil5t p]iod & to combat fur!r           
adv]tis+--an explanation d5i$ by !      
,*airman ( ! ,,iec :o reque/$ t text+   
capabilities be re/or$2 ,:]eas memb]s ( 
! ,national ,democratic ,in/itute       
7,,ndi7 7 kill$ dur+ an attack at !     
,s]5a ,hotel 9 ,kabul on ,m>* #bj1      
#bjad1 caus+ ,,ndi to remove significant
 numb]s ( /aff f ,afghani/an & spread+  
fe> among o!r monitors2 ,:]eas a run-(f 
date ( ,june #ad1 #bjad1 means ! sn[s w 
h melt$ across ,afghani/an1 all[+ !     
,taliban to move m freely1 lead+ to a   
great] *ance ( disruption dur+ ! run-(f 
presid5tial election2 ,:]eas "s         
c&idates1 & "s campaign /aff1 h         
proclaim$ t %\ld _! oppon5ts prevail1   
,afghani/an w be a less secure nation 9 
:i* m civilians w die--!reby creat+ a   
climate t is n conducive to democratic  

transition2 ,:]eas "s poll+ places us$ !
 entirety ( _! allott$ #fjj ballots 9 "o
 to two h\rs lead+ "s c&idates1 or _!   
repres5tatives1 to call = m ballots--ev5
 ?\gh x is highly implausible t s _m    
ballots c\ld be exhau/$ 9 su* a %ort "t2
 & ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates contribut$    
approximately #age million t[>d conduct+
 ! #bjji ,afghan presid5tial election1 &
 w contribute approximately #bjj million
 t[>d ! #bjad ,afghan presid5tial       
election3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se (
 ,repres5tatives--  7#a7 comm5ds !      
,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an = hold+ ! fir/  
r\nd ( a presid5tial election on ,april 
#e1 #bjad1 & = prep>+ = ! peaceful      
transition to a new gov]nm5t1 9         
accordance ) ! rule ( law2  7#b7        
enc\rages ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,afghani/an to  
cont9ue to pursue ! /&>d ( transp>5t1   
cr$ible1 & inclusive = ! con/itutionally
 requir$ run-(f presid5tial election to 
be held on ,june #ad1 #bjad2  7#c7      
supports ! m&ate ( ,afghan electoral    
bodies su* z ! ,indep5d5t ,election     

,commission & ,elections ,compla9ts     
,commission to adm9i/]1 adjudicate1 &   
manage polls1 z well z ov]see logi/ical 
& te*nical prep>ations 9 a transp>5t1   
fair1 & cr$ible mann] to prev5t fraud & 
misconduct2  7#d7 enc\rages ! ,gov]nm5t 
( ,afghani/an to implem5t measures t w  
increase vot] p>ticipation--p>ticul>ly  
among ! ,afghan female population1 &    
salutes ! brav]y ( ! citiz5ry 9 fac+    
viol5ce1 & ev5 dea?1 to ex]cise _! holy 
"r to vote & det]m9e _! own de/9y2  7#e7
 enc\rages1 on ! o!r h&1 ! ,gov]nm5t (  
,afghani/an to n use security z an      
excuse to %ut d[n poll+ sites :]e !re   
are m9imal security ?reats1 at ! exp5se 
( "s c&idates & to ! b5efit ( o!rs2     
7#f7 enc\rages all elem5ts ( ,afghan    
society1 n j ! recogniz$ insurg5cy1 to  
re/ra9 !mselves & _! support]s f fom5t+ 
viol5ce & o!r di/urbances 9 vot+ areas2 
7#g7 advises1 9 ! /ronge/ t]ms1 t !     
,m9i/ry ( ,communications leave text+   
capabilities functional on election day2
  7#h7 comm5ds ! ,afghan ,gov]nm5t =    

r$uc+ ! numb] ( casualties exp]i5c$ on  
election day1 & urges ! ,,ansf to       
cont9ue to make e necess>y ef=t to      
ensure ! safety ( vot]s & c&idates dur+ 
! ,june #ad1 #bjad1 presid5tial run-(f1 
includ+ great] coord9ation betwe5       
,,nato's ,int]national ,security        
,assi/ance ,=ce 7,,isaf7 & ,,ansf =ces  
:5 deploy+ troops to protect            
vote-c\nt]s1 memb]s ( ! ,,iec & ,,iecc1 
& memb]s ( int]national organizations   
d$icat$ to1 & engag$ 91 election        
monitor+2  7#i7 solemnly rememb]s ^?    
memb]s ( ! ,,ansf :o gave _! lives      
protect+ _! democracy on ,april #e1     
#bjad1 & honors ^? s]vicememb]s f ,unit$
 ,/ates1 coalition1 & ,afghan =ces :o h 
be5 kill$ or injur$ s9ce ,octob] #bjja 9
 def5se ( ! democratic rights ( !       
,afghan p2  7#aj7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t (
 ,afghani/an to cont9ue to combat       
in/ances ( vot] fraud & improve !       
transp>5cy ( ! poll+ & c\nt+            
processes--p>ticul>ly by op5+ !         
processes ( vote c\nt+ & compla9t       

resolution to bo? c&idate & int]national
 monitors2  7#aa7 supports ! ,unit$     
,nations m&ate to use its (fices to     
assi/ ,afghan electoral bodies & o!r    
/akehold]s ) te*nical prep>ations & !   
promotion ( a timely & inclusive        
democratic process s t ! results ( !    
presid5tial run-(f election w reflect ! 
w ( ! p1 lead+ to broad acceptance2     
7#ab7 recomm5ds a pause 9 ! drawd[n (   
,unit$ ,/ates & ,,isaf security1        
intellig5ce1 & diplomatic assets until  
,june #ad1 #bjad2  7#ac7 recognizes !   
sub/antial inve/m5ts made by ,unit$     
,/ates taxpay]s 9 support ( /ability1   
democracy1 & ! rule ( law 9 ,afghani/an1
 includ+ ef=ts to end public corruption2
  7#ad7 reaffirms ! policy position ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates t successful political    
transition is an ess5tial pr]equisite = 
su/a9able security 9 ,afghani/an1 &     
legitimate gov]nance is important to    
ensur+ its long-t]m /ability2 &  7#ae7  
concurs 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,s5ate's urg+ 
( ! ,u4,s4 ,secret>y ( ,/ate to         

condition f9ancial & logi/ical support =
 future ,afghani/an elections on !      
implem5tation ( re=ms t w\ld increase   
female p>ticipation & combat fraud      
?r\gh\t ! electoral process4