[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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