; Whereas, on July 4, 1993, former President Bill Clinton awarded Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk the Philadelphia Liberty Medal; Whereas, on October 1, 1993, the Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations of a new democratic South Africa ; Whereas, between April 16 and April 29, 1994, the citizens of South Africa voted in the first fully representative, multiracial national elections in the history of South Africa; Whereas, on May 9, 1994, the National Assembly elected Nelson Mandela as President of the Republic of South Africa under a government of national unity; Whereas, during his term as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, Nelson Mandela— (1) led the peaceful transition from apartheid minority rule to multicultural, multiracial, and multiparty democracy; and (2) played a critical role in the ongoing efforts of South Africa to foster national reconciliation; Whereas, on July 29, 1998, Congress awarded Nelson Mandela the Congressional Gold Medal; Whereas the decision of Nelson Mandela to step down after 1 term as the elected President of South Africa was a commendable act exemplifying his commitment to democratic principles and serves as a model for elected leaders around the globe; Whereas, on July 9, 2002, former President George W. Bush honored Nelson Mandela with the Presidential Medal of Freedom; Whereas, on November 10, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day; Whereas the United States was a proud sponsor of the resolution; Whereas, on December 5, 2013, Nelson Mandela died at the age of 95; Whereas former President George W. Bush called Nelson Mandela one of the great forces for freedom and equality of our time