A concurrent resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 24 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 24

     Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 2, 2025

   Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Welch, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Durbin, Mr. 
   Grassley, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following concurrent 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
     Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.

Whereas December 14, 2025, marks the 30th anniversary of the General Framework 
        Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (commonly referred to as 
        the ``Dayton Peace Accords''), which ended the Bosnian War and brought 
        peace to Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Whereas widespread and systematic ethnic cleansing and concentration camps were 
        used as a tool of war against Bosnian Muslim men, women, and children, 
        culminating in the July 1995 genocide at Srebrenica, where over 8,000 
        Muslim men and teenagers were detained and killed;
Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to in this preamble as 
        ``NATO''), led by the United States, initiated air strikes against 
        Bosnian Serbs to stop grave human rights abuses, which led to ceasefire 
        negotiations and the peace accords;
Whereas negotiations began on November 1, 1995, at Wright-Patterson Air Force 
        Base in Dayton, Ohio, culminating in a historic peace agreement on 
        December 14, 1995, to halt the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 
        bring peace to the region;
Whereas, despite seemingly insurmountable differences in opinions, the 
        negotiations succeeded due to dedicated foreign service professionals, a 
        common yearning for a peaceful resolution, and an outpouring of support 
        from the global community;
Whereas the NATO and European Union (referred to in this preamble as ``EU'') 
        stabilization missions over the past 30 years have allowed the citizens 
        of Bosnia and Herzegovina to live peacefully and to prosper;
Whereas the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, which was established in 2006--

    (1) remains the only literary peace prize awarded in the United States;

    (2) recognizes the power of the written word to promote peace; and

    (3) was renamed the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Award for 
Distinguished Achievement after the death of Ambassador Holbrooke in 2011;

Whereas the peace negotiations were strongly supported by the City of Dayton, 
        Ohio, its leaders, and the broader community, which created strong 
        relationships between all parties involved in the negotiations, 
        including a sister city relationship between Dayton and Sarajevo;
Whereas the United States Government--

    (1) reaffirms support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty and 
territorial integrity; and

    (2) upholds the commitment to equality for all ethnicities according to 
the Dayton Peace Accords;

Whereas, since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, the Government and 
        people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been working in partnership with 
        the international community towards building a peaceful and democratic 
        society based on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and a free-
        market economy;
Whereas the EU opened accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina in 
        March 2024;
Whereas the NATO Parliament Assembly held its 2025 Spring Session in Dayton, 
        Ohio, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords;
Whereas NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina agreed to an Individually Tailored 
        Partnership Programme in October 2025, which--

    (1) strengthens NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina's strategic 
partnership; and

    (2) positions Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to NATO membership status; 
and

Whereas the United States hosts a diaspora of an estimated 350,000 individuals 
        of Bosnian descent, large numbers of whom reside in St. Louis, Missouri, 
        Chicago, Illinois, and Bowling Green, Kentucky: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms the joint United States and European Union 
        (EU) commitment to promote and protect human rights, democracy, 
        and the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the 
        world;
            (2) commends the continued commitment of the people of 
        Bosnia and Herzegovina to peace and cooperation 30 years after 
        the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords;
            (3) notes the efforts undertaken by the Government of 
        Bosnia and Herzegovina toward North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) and EU membership, including measures to 
        resolve its constitutional issues, strengthen its governance 
        structures, and undertake necessary economic, rule of law, and 
        judicial reforms;
            (4) reiterates the continued importance of the Dayton Peace 
        Accords as the basis of constitutional reform in Bosnia and 
        Herzegovina and the promotion of political, economic, legal, 
        and religious equality, which are also key requirements for EU 
        accession;
            (5) urges the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina--
                    (A) to continue to pursue constitutional reforms 
                needed to reconcile the past and engage across ethnic 
                and religious lines with empathy and respect to build a 
                common future; and
                    (B) through its respective leaders, to uphold the 
                integrity of the tripartite presidency, strengthen its 
                key institutions, and work to achieve an independent 
                democracy;
            (6) urges the United States Government--
                    (A) to maintain support for the Office of the High 
                Representative until members of the Peace 
                Implementation Council reach a unanimous agreement that 
                the presence of the Office of the High Representative 
                is no longer necessary; and
                    (B) to work closely with Bosnia and Herzegovina and 
                its neighboring countries, especially countries who are 
                signatories of the Dayton Peace Accords, to support 
                full implementation of Stabilisation and Association 
                Agreements between the EU and the Balkan States;
            (7) encourages continued regional cooperation to combat the 
        malign influence of foreign actors, such as the Russian 
        Federation and the People's Republic of China;
            (8) recognizes the State of Ohio and the greater Dayton 
        community for--
                    (A) their roles in fostering the Dayton Peace 
                Accords; and
                    (B) their continued support for diplomacy, 
                security, and peace around the world; and
            (9) acknowledges the important contributions of the 
        Bosnian-American diaspora in their communities throughout the 
        United States.
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