119-hres592

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 592 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 592

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on Nelson Mandela 
 International Day.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 July 17, 2025

 Mr. Johnson of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. 
 Clarke of New York, Mrs. McIver, Ms. Norton, Mr. Carson, Mr. Evans of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. 
 Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Titus, Ms. 
 Tlaib, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Brown, and Mr. Scott 
of Virginia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on Nelson Mandela 
 International Day.

Whereas Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born to the Thembo Dynasty in Mvezo in the 
 Umtata District of Transkei, South Africa, on July 18, 1918;
Whereas, as a young man, Nelson Mandela became an activist through acts of 
 boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, and other forms of noncooperation 
 during the fight against apartheid, a system of racial segregation in 
 South Africa;
Whereas, as a leader of the African National Congress

    (ANC) and the African 
 National Congress Youth League, Nelson Mandela and 9 of his fellow ANC 
 leaders were arrested, charged, and tried for plotting the violent 
 overthrow of the Government of South Africa;
Whereas, on June 12, 1964, 8 of the accused, including Nelson Mandela, were 
 sentenced to life imprisonment;
Whereas, from 1964 to 1982, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated at Robben Island 
 Prison, off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, before being moved to 
 the maximum-security Pollsmoor Prison in the Cape Town suburb of Tokai;
Whereas, during the years of his imprisonment, Nelson Mandela became widely 
 accepted as the most significant Black leader in South Africa and a 
 symbol of resistance against apartheid, discrimination, and injustice;
Whereas a global movement to release Nelson Mandela and end the South African 
 system of apartheid included international economic sanctions, like the 
 Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-440), and the 
 condemnation of apartheid by countless leaders, artists, intellectuals, 
 and activists;
Whereas at 4:14 p.m. on February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from the 
 Victor Verster prison in Paarl after being a political prisoner for 27 
 years, 6 months, and 1 week;
Whereas the release of Nelson Mandela was a defining moment in the global effort 
 to end apartheid;
Whereas, in 1993, Nelson Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk 
 accepted the Nobel Peace Prize and pledged to continue working towards a 
 democratic, nonracial South Africa;
Whereas a series of negotiations between the Government of South Africa and the 
 ANC resulted in the abolishment of apartheid and an election in which 
 almost 20,000,000 South Africans of all ethnicities cast their vote 
 under a national policy of universal suffrage;
Whereas Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President of the Republic of South 
 Africa on May 10, 1994, and pledged to lead a ``united, democratic, non-
 racial and non-sexist government'' for all people of South Africa;
Whereas, during President Mandela's tenure, there were distinct advancements in 
 racial relations as South Africa transitioned from apartheid and 
 minority rule to a country that aspired to achieve reconciliation, 
 equality, and peace;
Whereas, through President Mandela's leadership, the spirit of ``ubuntu'', the 
 African philosophy of the interconnectedness, caring, sharing, and 
 harmony of humanity, has spread throughout the world;
Whereas, in 1999, President Mandela retired to private life in his town of 
 birth, Qunu, Transkei;
Whereas upon leaving elected office, President Mandela continued to fight for 
 peace, reconciliation, and social justice causes, including championing 
 HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment;
Whereas Nelson Mandela established a number of organizations, which include the 
 Nelson Mandela Foundation and The Elders, an independent group of public 
 figures committed to addressing global problems and easing human 
 suffering;
Whereas, on September 21, 2013, the South African Embassy, led by Ambassador 
 Ebrahim Rasool, unveiled a Washington, DC, statue of President Mandela 
 that was designed by sculptor Jean Doyle and modeled after images of the 
 anti-apartheid leader leaving prison in 1990 after 27 years of 
 incarceration;
Whereas, on December 5, 2013, President Mandela died at age 95 surrounded by 
 family and loved ones in his home;
Whereas the United Nations delegates from the countries of Spain and Turkey 
 jointly introduced a resolution to designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela 
 International Day;
Whereas the United States was a proud sponsor of the resolution;
Whereas, when speaking in support of the United Nations resolution, Ms. Laura 
 Ross, United States delegate to the United Nations, stated that 
 ``Mandela used his moral power for a moral purpose. He turned enemies 
 into partners, fear into trust, hatred into forgiveness, and 
 discrimination into democracy.''; and
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted A/Res/64/13 to 
 designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day, beginning in 
 2010: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) applauds the United Nations General Assembly for 
 uniting to honor President Mandela's selfless contribution to 
 international peace and freedom;

    (2) recognizes the global impact of President Mandela's 
 legacy and commitment to nonviolence, respect, and dialogue;

    (3) expresses support for the international community's 
 recognition of United Nations Nelson Mandela International Day; 
 and

    (4) urges all citizens of the United States to reflect on 
 the importance of peace, tolerance, democracy, human rights, 
 and reconciliation in honor of Nelson Mandela International 
 Day.
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