2016 DPCA Resolutions

In 2022, a member of the DPCA Executive Committee asked the Resolutions Committee Chair, Will Bakker, for the final texts of 2016 DPCA Resolutions as adopted. That inquiry demonstrated that the DA wiki contained only the working documents and drafts from that year.

The adopted minutes from that meeting, recorded by International Secretary Julia Bryan, contain an excellent record of the discussion but not final texts with amendments. There was, however, personal email correspondence between Bryan and Bakker confirming the final texts as adopted. (Bakker served as secretary for the DPCA Resolutions Committee at the time.)

Below please find the texts of three resolutions adopted at the 2016 DPCA Global Meeting in Berlin, Germany. Please note that the minutes also show that the Resolution in Honor of Adrienne Jones was adopted without amendments.

Resolution to Hold Global Meetings in DC

WHEREAS DPCA global meetings have traditionally been held around the globe, and

WHEREAS DPCA regional meetings, which are open to all members regardless of region, are also held in distant locations, and

WHEREAS many members of Democrats Abroad cannot afford multiple global trips every year, and

WHEREAS Democrats Abroad is stronger when there is broad and diverse participation from members, and

WHEREAS many members of Democrats Abroad do travel back to the U.S. regularly and could schedule those trips around the DPCA global meetings, and

WHEREAS the key driver of volunteer growth and participation is enabling our constituency to have a voice in Washington D.C., and

WHEREAS Democrats Abroad's influence is strongest when we meet regularly in Washington D.C., and

WHEREAS a consistent meeting venue will simplify planning and organization and provide more predictable costs,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the DPCA will hold its annual Global meetings in Washington D.C. in odd numbered years.

Resolution on keeping the Democratic Party Platform free from expressions of religious belief

Whereas, the Democratic Party endeavors to uphold our democratic principles as laid out in the Constitution of the United States;

Whereas, the principles of religious freedom and separation of church and state guaranteed by the First Amendment have been severely challenged by political forces on the right of the political spectrum in recent years;

Whereas, the Democratic Party should remain impartial with regard to religious beliefs, avoiding expression of any particular set of religious beliefs;

Whereas, the Platform should represent our basic principles, thereby reinforcing our self-image and public profile;

Whereas, the Democratic Party should take steps to avoid a potentially embarrassing public floor fight at our National Convention on such a sensitive issue, as was the case in 2012;

Therefore let it be resolved, that the Democrats Abroad representative to 2016 DNC Platform Committee be explicitly charged with expressing that, while our Party respects religious and philosophical beliefs that conform to the democratic principles of the United States Constitution, we do not endorse any particular one ;

Let it be further resolved, that the Democrats Abroad representative to the Platform Committee be charged with expressing with sincerity, and without invoking any particular religious belief or concept, the universal importance of the separation of church and state and political goals and principles of the Democratic Party.

Resolution to amend the Democrats Abroad Charter by clarifying country committee annual compliance and biennial election requirements

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Democrats Abroad Charter shall be amended as follows:

.    (1)  The title of Section 5.4 shall be amended by inserting the words "Compliance and" after "Committee" so that the amended title reads "Section 5.4 (Country Committee Compliance and Filings)"; 


.    (2)  Paragraphs (a) through (f) of Section 5.4 shall be reclassified as paragraphs (b) through (g), and a new paragraph (a) shall be inserted stating, "Each Country Committee shall hold an Annual General Meeting on or before June 30th of each calendar year and shall provide minutes of the Annual General Meeting to the International Secretary at such time as determined under paragraph (g) of this section." 


.    (3)  Paragraph (c) of Section 5.4 (ex para. (b)) shall be amended by deleting "March 31st" and replacing it with "June 30th".