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IFES Announces U.S. Recipients of 2014 Democracy Awards

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Senator Jerry Moran and Congressman Steny Hoyer to Receive Award in October
WASHINGTON, D.C.—July 31, 2014—The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will honor Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) with its 2014 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards. Senator Moran and Congressman Hoyer will receive the award at the Fifth Annual Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards ceremony, co-chaired by IFES Board Director R. Scott Pastrick and Counsel Randal C. Teague, on October 1 in Washington, D.C.

“Senator Moran and Representative Hoyer have long represented the commitment to freedom and democracy that IFES seeks to honor with the Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award. Both have leveraged their decades in public service to advance causes that further citizens’ right to participate in how they are governed. We are proud to add their names to the bipartisan list of Democracy Award honorees who have all helped protect and promote democracy around the globe,” said IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney.

Senator Moran is the Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and a leading advocate in the U.S. Senate for promoting and protecting issues related to strengthening the economy, international trade and small business growth as part of his commitment to enhance citizen’s freedom of choice. He has also been a leading advocate for medical research and a supporter of strengthening America’s position as a global leader in medical innovation. Senator Moran is a true statesman who continues to promote individual liberty and the rule of law.

“As Americans, we cherish the right to vote and live in a society where personal rights are constitutionally protected. At a time when the number of free and democratic countries is contracting rather than expanding, efforts by organizations like IFES are more important than ever. I will continue working to promote essential human rights and liberty around the globe, and I am honored to receive this award,” said Senator Moran.

“Senator Moran’s sustained efforts and advocacy to enhance citizens’ personal liberty and say in how they are governed reflect IFES’ commitment to advancing good governance and democratic rights and we are very pleased to award him with the 2014 Democracy Award,” said William J. Hybl, Vice Chairman of the IFES Board of Directors.

Congressman Steny Hoyer, a member of the IFES Board of Directors, is the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 5th congressional district. Representative Hoyer, the current Democratic Whip, has been a member of the House Democratic leadership since 2002 and is a widely-respected voice on foreign policy and international affairs. As the former chair and current ranking Democrat on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission), he has consistently championed human rights, individual freedom and democracy around the world. Congressman Hoyer was a critical figure in the 2002 passage of the Help America Vote Act, guiding this comprehensive election reform legislation through the House of Representatives. Congressman Hoyer also played an important role in the passage of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a historic piece of civil rights legislation that helped millions of Americans with disabilities enter the work force. He has a long history of working to promote and protect individual liberty and democratic rights.

“IFES continues to play an important role promoting democracy and human rights around the world, and I am humbled to be receiving this year’s Manatt Award. As a former Chair of the Helsinki Commission and a member of the House Democratic Leadership, I have been proud to stand up for America’s role as a beacon of freedom and representative government. As people across the world take risks to shed the light of democracy into the darkest corners of oppressive regimes, they must know that the Congress of the United States stands in solidarity with them as they struggle to win a voice for the voiceless and turn hope into action,” said Representative Hoyer.

“From his support for the Help America Vote Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act to his consistent advocacy for freedom and democracy, Representative Hoyer has made a critical impact on a number of issues that are important to IFES’ work around world,” said IFES Board of Directors Chair Peter G. Kelly. He added, “Steny has been my friend for many years. What you see from him is what you get, and that is a great deal. We are honored to not only have him on our board of directors, but to award him with the 2014 Democracy Award.”

The Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards are presented each year to a Democrat, a Republican and a member of the international community who demonstrate the dedication to democracy and human rights embodied by the award’s namesake, former IFES Board of Directors Chairman Charles T. Manatt. Past recipients from the U.S. Congress include Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), Rep. Nita Lowey, (D-N.Y.), Rep. David Dreier, (R-Calif.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.).

For more information about the IFES Democracy Awards, please visit www.IFES.org/DemocracyAwards.


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As the global leader in democracy promotion, IFES advances good governance and democratic rights by providing technical assistance to election officials; empowering the underrepresented to participate in the political process; and applying field-based research to improve the electoral cycle. Since 1987, IFES has worked in over 135 countries, from developing democracies, to mature democracies. For more information, visit www.IFES.org.