AMMAN (JT) - A piece of legislation praising Jordan’s July 31 municipal elections passed the US House of Representatives Wednesday, a statement by a US lawmaker’s office said.

The resolution, introduced by Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) and co-sponsored by Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commends the Kingdom for holding free and fair elections and broadening political participation of its people.

“Jordan is doing an incredible job of working toward establishing a democracy and increasing political participation among its citizens, particularly women,” said Baird in the statement.

The statement said that since 1989, Jordan has held four parliamentary elections; two of which have been held during the reign of His Majesty King Abdullah.

“Recently, the country reformed its Municipal Elections Law to support women candidates, and included another provision that lowered the voting age from 19 to 18 years of age in order to expand the voter base.”

“Jordan has steadfastly supported political reforms in the region, called for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has served as an example of how a Middle Eastern country can enact liberalising reforms without sacrificing its own unique values and culture,” continued Baird.

The resolution praises the “commitment to conducting parliamentary elections in 2007; encourages Jordan’s progress toward democratisation to be a model for other Arab countries; commends the country and its people for striving to uphold women’s rights and enhance their participation in the political process; reaffirms the United States’ relationship with Jordan; and reaffirms the United States’ commitment to assist Jordan in promoting democratic reform.”