That the House of Representatives—
upholds its commitment to maintain and foster the enduring relationship between the people and the Governments of the United States and Liberia;
commends President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for efforts to consolidate post-conflict peacebuilding and democratic gains, promote social and economic development, and foster ties with the international community, and for her work to advance international gender equality;
urges the Government and people of Liberia and all of the country’s political parties to—
hold free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections in October 2017 and in the future;
adhere to the objectives set out in the Ganta and Farmington River Declarations and promote and ensure peaceful conduct among candidates, their supporters, and Liberian citizens generally;
ensure that there is robust civic education and electoral campaign outreach to often politically marginalized groups, including women, urban youth, and rural communities; and
raise awareness of and express zero tolerance for violence against women, gender discrimination, or social bias of any nature in the electoral process;
supports efforts by the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development to assist in election preparations;
calls on Liberian citizens to fully participate in the general elections and to pursue legal avenues to resolve any disputes over the results;
encourages Liberian civil society organizations to intensify civic and voter education, particularly among women, youth, and rural communities, and in local languages;
condemns any external interference in the election, including any communication or action by convicted war criminal and former armed faction leader Charles Taylor to influence the elections from prison;
encourages President Donald Trump to appoint an Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs to bolster diplomatic engagement with the Government of Liberia, electoral stakeholders, and civil society and robustly engage with other sub-Saharan African countries and governments;
calls upon the United States Government and international partners, especially election-focused nongovernmental organizations, to continue to support successful elections and Liberia’s anticipated historic democratic post-electoral transition of Executive power; and
welcomes the visit of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the United States Congress for her final address as President of Liberia.