Raising concern about the proposed constitutional reforms in Mexico.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1435 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1435

  Raising concern about the proposed constitutional reforms in Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2024

   Mr. Stanton (for himself and Ms. Salazar) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Raising concern about the proposed constitutional reforms in Mexico.

Whereas the United States and Mexico are committed to strengthening bilateral 
        and regional cooperation that benefits the people of the United States 
        and Mexico;
Whereas the United States and Mexico are top trade partners, trading more than 
        $750,000,000,000 worth of goods in 2023;
Whereas United States companies directly invested $130,300,000,000 into Mexico 
        in 2022, and nearly 5,000,000 United States jobs depend on trade with 
        Mexico;
Whereas the United States, Mexico, and Canada will participate in the first 
        review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2026;
Whereas Mexican President Lopez Obrador proposed constitutional reforms on 
        February 5, 2024, including a range of proposals to modify the Mexican 
        judiciary;
Whereas some of these reforms were approved by a Chamber of Deputies committee 
        vote on August 26, 2024, and could receive a vote by Mexico's Congress 
        of the Union in September 2024;
Whereas Mexican Federal judges initiated a widespread and indefinite strike on 
        August 21, 2024, in response to proposed judicial reforms;
Whereas Mexico's National Association of Circuit and District Judges, the Inter-
        American Dialogue, the Mexican Bar Association, the Global Enterprise 
        Council, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of 
        Judges and Lawyers, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and thousands 
        of striking Mexican Federal court employees and magistrates have voiced 
        concerns with the proposed reforms;
Whereas, under proposed judicial reforms, all Federal judges, including Supreme 
        Court Justices, would be directly elected, independent oversight of the 
        judiciary would end, and judicial qualification standards would be 
        reduced; and
Whereas broader constitutional reforms would--

    (1) eliminate autonomous oversight of social development policy and 
education; the energy, hydrocarbon, and telecommunications industries; and 
enforcement of antitrust and transparency laws;

    (2) reduce the size, oversight capacity, and sanctions authority of 
Mexico's National Electoral Institute; and

    (3) impose a prohibition on genetically modified corn: Now, therefore, 
be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) raises concern that the proposed constitutional reforms 
        would have a long-term negative impact on Mexico's democratic 
        institutions, separation of powers, judicial independence and 
        transparency, and security, while undermining its electoral 
        system, National Guard, and oversight agencies;
            (2) expresses deep concern that the proposed constitutional 
        reforms may contradict commitments made in the United States-
        Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, jeopardizing critical economic 
        and security interests shared by the United States and Mexico;
            (3) underscores that several aspects of the reform package 
        undermine United States-Mexico joint efforts to strengthen the 
        rule of law, counter organized crime, and address the scourge 
        of fentanyl and human and arms trafficking among broader 
        bilateral priorities; and
            (4) reaffirms its commitment to a robust, mutually 
        respectful relationship between the sovereign countries of the 
        United States and Mexico.
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