Honoring Juan López, a Honduran Catholic leader and human rights advocate murdered in the Tocoa municipality of the Bajo Aguán region of Honduras and commemorating one year since his assassination.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · September 15, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
H.Res. 717 is a symbolic resolution that honors Juan López, a Honduran Catholic priest and human rights advocate who was assassinated on September 14, 2024, in the Bajo Aguán region of Honduras. López was killed for his work defending land rights and opposing corruption, particularly his criticism of local officials involved in bribery schemes with drug traffickers. The resolution expresses the House's grief and support for his family while calling attention to the broader pattern of violence against environmental and land defenders in the region, including at least six other murdered water defenders. The measure urges the U.S. government to support Honduras in establishing anti-corruption mechanisms and an international commission to investigate López's murder, while also increasing American engagement with Honduran human rights communities. This is a non-binding resolution with no direct funding or implementation timeline—it serves primarily to document congressional support for human rights advocacy in Honduras and memorialize López's legacy.
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