H.Res. 921

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 921 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 921

Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 2, 2025

Mr. Turner of Ohio (for himself, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Bell, and Mr. 
Guthrie) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.

Whereas, December 14, 2025, marks 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 airstrikes 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, in Dayton, Ohio, culminating in 
a historic peace agreement which was signed on December 14, 1995, to 
halt the conflict 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 General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 
also known as the Dayton Peace Accords, laid the groundwork for NATO and 
European Union (referred to in this preamble as ``EU'') stabilization 
missions over the past 30 years, which have allowed the citizens of 
Bosnia and Herzegovina to live peacefully and prosper;
Whereas the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, established in 2006, remains the only 
literary peace prize awarded in the United States and recognizes the 
power of the written word to promote peace, and after the death of 
Ambassador Holbrooke in 2011, the Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed 
the Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award;
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 reaffirms support for Bosnia and 
Herzegovina's sovereignty and upholds the commitment to equality for all 
ethnicities according to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in 
Bosnia and Herzegovina;
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 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 Individual Tailored 
Partnership Program in October 2025, strengthening NATO and Bosnia and 
Herzegovina's strategic partnership and positioning 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, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms the joint United States and 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 Dayton Peace Accords;
(3) notes the efforts undertaken by the Government of 
Bosnia and Herzegovina toward NATO and EU membership, including 
measures to resolve its constitutional issues, strengthen its 
governing 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 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;
(6) urges the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through 
its respective leaders, to uphold the integrity of the 
tripartite presidency, strengthen its key institutions, and 
work to achieve an independent democracy;
(7) urges the United States Government 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;
(8) urges the United States Government to work closely with 
Bosnia and Herzegovina and its bordering nations--especially 
those who are signatories of the Dayton Peace Accords--to 
support full implementation of the Stabilization and 
Association Agreement between the EU and the Balkan States;
(9) encourages continued regional cooperation to combat the 
malign influence of foreign actors, such as the Russian 
Federation and the People's Republic of China;
(10) recognizes the State of Ohio and the greater Dayton 
community for their role in fostering the Dayton Peace Accords, 
and for continuing to support diplomacy, security, and peace 
around the world; and
(11) acknowledges the important contributions of the 
Bosnian-American diaspora in their communities throughout the 
United States.
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