Bill Text: FL S0804 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Humanitarian Assistance/Government of Venezuela
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-13 - Signed by Officers and filed with Secretary of State [S0804 Detail]
Download: Florida-2019-S0804-Enrolled.html
ENROLLED 2019 Legislature CS for SM 804 2019804er 1 2 A memorial to the Congress of the United States, 3 requesting Congress to take appropriate actions to 4 assist in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to 5 continue and intensify financial sanctions against the 6 regime of Nicolás Maduro and the Government of 7 Venezuela, and to instruct appropriate federal 8 agencies to hold Nicolás Maduro and officials of the 9 Government of Venezuela accountable for violations of 10 law and abuses of internationally recognized human 11 rights. 12 13 WHEREAS, the hallmark of democracy is the free and peaceful 14 exercise of rights guaranteed under the constitution of a 15 democratically elected government, and 16 WHEREAS, in an effort to secure his personal rule and 17 oppress Venezuelan freedoms, Nicolás Maduro has caused elections 18 to be manipulated, established an illegitimate Constituent 19 Assembly to undermine the will of the Venezuelan people, 20 nationalized private industry, abandoned private property 21 rights, and improperly assumed control over Venezuela’s 22 government and its institutions, and 23 WHEREAS, the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro has 24 sought to silence peaceful opposition to his government by 25 killing innocent citizens of Venezuela for their political 26 views, and 27 WHEREAS, the deterioration of basic governance and the 28 economic crisis in Venezuela have led to an unprecedented 29 humanitarian situation in which people are suffering from severe 30 shortages of basic food products and essential medicines, and 31 WHEREAS, despite the massive shortages of basic food 32 products and essential medicines, the illegitimate regime of 33 Nicolás Maduro has rejected repeated requests from civil society 34 organizations to bring humanitarian aid into that country, and 35 WHEREAS, over 8 million Venezuelans voted symbolically for 36 a free and democratic government, and 37 WHEREAS, those who cherish democratic principles condemn 38 the perpetration of oppression and intimidation against the 39 Venezuelan people, and 40 WHEREAS, to ensure the demise of such oppression and 41 intimidation, it is imperative that the United States Government 42 remain committed to continuing and intensifying financial 43 sanctions against the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro and 44 the Government of Venezuela, and 45 WHEREAS, the people of Florida stand proudly with the 46 people of Venezuela in the face of tyranny, NOW, THEREFORE, 47 48 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 49 50 That the Congress of the United States is requested to take 51 appropriate actions to assist in the delivery of humanitarian 52 assistance, to continue and intensify financial sanctions 53 against the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro and the 54 Government of Venezuela, and to instruct appropriate federal 55 agencies to hold the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro and 56 officials of the Government of Venezuela accountable for 57 violations of law and abuses of internationally recognized human 58 rights. 59 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be 60 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the 61 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the 62 United States House of Representatives, and to each member of 63 the Florida delegation to the United States Congress.