,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hdc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bd1 #bjah,mrs4
 ,torres 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,poe ( ,texas1 
,mr4 ,engel1 & ,mr4 ,francis ,rooney (  
,florida7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,reaffirm+ !    
importance ( pres]v+ free & fair        
elections & /r5g!n+ democratic          
in/itutions 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e z a   
policy priority = ! ,unit$ ,/ates4      
,:]eas free1 fair1 transp>5t1 & cr$ible 
elections are ! corn]/one ( e democracy2
 ,:]eas legitimate elections t respect  
fundam5tal fre$oms are *>act]iz$ by     
transp>5cy1 acc\ntability1 security1 &  
accessibility = all vot]s2 ,:]eas /rong 
democracies worldwide make = bett] trad+
 p>tn]s1 provide new m>ket              
opportunities1 improve global heal?     
outcomes1 & promote economic fre$om &   
regional security2 ,:]eas sev]al        
c\ntries across ,lat9 ,am]ica are s*$ul$
 to hold presid5tial elections 9 #bjah1 

& approximately ?ree-qu>t]s ( ! region's
 citiz5s w *oose _! new lead]s2 ,:]eas !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 ,canada1 ! ,c>ibbean1 & 
,lat9 ,am]ica are b\nd toge!r by hi/ory1
 culture1 & geography2 ,:]eas democratic
 /ability1 regional security1 & economic
 prosp]ity 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e are    
vital to ! national security int]e/s ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas ! transition to  
democracy has contribut$ to ! long-t]m  
/ability1 security1 & prosp]ity (       
nations ?r\gh\t ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e2    
,:]eas ! ,int]-,am]ican ,democratic     
,*>t] /ates t repres5tative democracy is
 indisp5sable = ! /ability1 peace1 &    
developm5t ( ! region2 ,:]eas ! curr5t  
,secret>y ,g5]al ( ! ,organization (    
,am]ican ,/ates 7,,oas71 ,luis ,almagro1
 has advocat$ on behalf ( free & fair   
elections 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e2 ,:]eas 
9 #bjag1 ! ,,oas s5t te*nical missions  
to obs]ve elections 9 ,nic>agua1        
,honduras1 ,haiti1 ,ecuador1 & ,bolivia2
 ,:]eas ! det]ioration ( democratic     
in/itutions & rule ( law t comm5c$ "u ! 

lead]%ip ( ,presid5t ,hugo ,*avez has   
contribut$ to ! dictator%ip t exi/s     
today 9 ,v5ezuela "u ! lead]%ip (       
,presid5t ,nicolas ,maduro1 :i* has     
caus$ a s]i\s humanit>ian1 economic1 &  
security crisis t ?reat5s ! /ability ( !
 ,we/]n ,hemisph]e2 ,:]eas ! ,russian   
,f$]ation has repeat$ly attempt$ to     
int]f]e 9 democratic elections1 includ+ 
9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ,france1 & ,g]many1  
includ+ ?r\gh c>ry+ out dis9=mation     
campaigns & seek+ to p5etrate election  
infra/ructure2 ,:]eas !re are conc]ns t 
/ate & non/ate actors1 su* z            
n>cotraffick]s1 may attempt to int]f]e 9
 ?is ye>'s elections 9 ! ,we/]n         
,hemisph]e1 includ+ ?r\gh c>ry+ out     
dis9=mation campaigns1 fraud1 & seek+ to
 p5etrate election infra/ructure2 ,:]eas
 any su* activities h ! pot5tial to     
contribute to ! degradation ( democratic
 in/itutions & ! rise ( in/ability 9 !  
,we/]n ,hemisph]e2 & ,:]eas ! =m] ,unit$
 ,/ates ,national ,security ,advisor has
 /at$ t !re 7 initial signs t ! ,russian

 ,f$]ation int5ds to int]f]e 9 ! upcom+ 
g5]al elections 9 ,mexico3 ,n[1 !re=e1  
be x  ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives--    
7#a7 reaffirms ! c5trality to ,unit$    
,/ates int]e/s ( pres]v+ free & fair    
elections & advanc+ democratic          
in/itutions 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e2  7#b7
 reaffirms its support = !              
,int]-,am]ican ,democratic ,*>t] & ! "w 
( dome/ic election obs]vation &         
int]national election obs]vation        
missions1 su* z ^? l$ by ! ,organization
 ( ,am]ican ,/ates & ! ,european ,union1
 to promote free & fair elections 9 !   
,we/]n ,hemisph]e2  7#c7 rejects actions
 by ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,v5ezuela t damage !  
cr$ibility ( elections 9 ,v5ezuela ?is  
ye>2  7#d7 urges political lead]s &     
judicial au?orities 9 ! ,we/]n          
,hemisph]e to respect ! w ( vot]s &     
uphold ! con/itutions ( _! respective   
c\ntries2 &  7#e7 rejects ef=ts by !    
,russian ,f$]ation & o!r ho/ile /ate or 
non/ate actors1 includ+ n>cotraffick]s1 
to int]f]e ) ! outcomes ( elections 9 ! 

,we/]n ,hemisph]e & urges c\ntries 9 !  
,we/]n ,hemisph]e to ma9ta9 vigilance to
 safegu>d _! democratic in/itutions dur+
 ?is ye>'s elections4