[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 343 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 343

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the International Red Cross and 
  Red Crescent Movement should recognize and admit to full membership 
 Israel's Magen David Adom Society with its emblem, the Red Shield of 
                                 David.

                             July 26, 2000


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 Mr. Fitzgerald (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Helms, Mr. 
Lugar, Mr. Lott, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Grams, 
 Mr. Inouye, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Specter, Mr. Allard, Mr. 
     Reid, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Robb, Mrs. 
 Feinstein, Mr. L. Chafee, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, 
Mr. Conrad, and Mr. Kohl) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

           September 28 (legislative day, September 22), 2000

                Reported by Mr. Helms, without amendment

            October 18 (legislative day, September 22), 2000

                        Considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the International Red Cross and 
  Red Crescent Movement should recognize and admit to full membership 
 Israel's Magen David Adom Society with its emblem, the Red Shield of 
                                 David.

Whereas Israel's Magen David Adom Society has since 1930 provided emergency 
        relief to people in many countries in times of need, pain, and 
        suffering, regardless of nationality or religious affiliation;
Whereas in the past year alone, the Magen David Adom Society has provided 
        invaluable humanitarian services in Kosovo, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and 
        Eritrea, as well as Greece and Turkey in the wake of the earthquakes 
        that devastated these countries;
Whereas the American Red Cross has recognized the superb and invaluable work 
        done by the Magen David Adom Society and considers the exclusion of the 
        Magen David Adom Society from the International Red Cross and Red 
        Crescent Movement ``an injustice of the highest order'';
Whereas the American Red Cross has repeatedly urged that the International Red 
        Cross and Red Crescent Movement recognize the Magen David Adom Society 
        as a full member, with its emblem;
Whereas the Magen David Adom Society utilizes the Red Shield of David as its 
        emblem, in similar fashion to the utilization of the Red Cross and Red 
        Crescent by other national societies;
Whereas the Red Cross and the Red Crescent have been recognized as protective 
        emblems under the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red 
        Crescent Movement;
Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross has ignored previous 
        requests from the United States Congress to recognize the Magen David 
        Adom Society;
Whereas the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement 
        state that it ``makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, 
        religious beliefs, class or political opinions,'' and it ``may not take 
        sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a 
        political, racial, religious or ideological nature'';
Whereas although similar national organizations of Iraq, North Korea, and 
        Afghanistan are recognized as full members of the International Red 
        Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the Magen David Adom Society has been 
        denied membership since 1949;
Whereas in the six fiscal years 1994 through 1999, the United States Government 
        provided a total of $631,000,000 to the International Committee of the 
        Red Cross and $82,000,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross 
        and Red Crescent Societies; and
Whereas in fiscal year 1999 alone, the United States Government provided 
        $119,500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross and 
        $7,300,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent 
        Societies: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the International Committee of the Red Cross should 
        immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society and the 
        Magen David Adom Society should be granted full membership in 
        the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
            (2) the International Federation of Red Cross and Red 
        Crescent Societies should grant full membership to the Magen 
        David Adom Society immediately following recognition by the 
        International Committee of the Red Cross of the Magen David 
        Adom Society;
            (3) the Magen David Adom Society should not be required to 
        give up or diminish its use of its emblem as a condition for 
        immediate and full membership in the International Red Cross 
        and Red Crescent Movement; and
            (4) the Red Shield of David should be accorded the same 
        recognition under international law as the Red Cross and the 
        Red Crescent.
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