Congressional Codification of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR)

WHEREAS, pursuant to the United States Constitution, Article II § 2, Clause 2, "[The President of the United States] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and

WHEREAS, on September 8th, 1992, the United States, following the advice and consent of the Senate, became a party to the ICCPR; and

WHEREAS, the ICCPR creates many civil and human rights for citizens of the United States that are not covered by the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, treaties that are not self-executing require implementing legislation before individuals can rely on their provisions in U.S. Courts; and

WHEREAS, the Senate gave its consent to the ICCPR subject to the following declaration: "That the United States declares that the provisions of Article 1 through 27 of the Covenant are not self-executing." See 138 Cong. Rec. S4781, S4783 (daily ed. April 2nd, 1992); and

WHEREAS, until Congress passes implementing legislation for the ICCPR, promises stand unfulfilled and are unenforceable; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People shall support federal legislation to implement the provisions for Article 1 through 27 of the ICCPR, making the Covenant enforceable in federal and State Courts throughout the United States.