[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 101 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 101

 Expressing the sense of Congress that the International Committee of 
    the Red Cross should immediately recognize the Magen David Adom 
                    Society, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 4, 2001

   Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Weiner, Mr. 
   Sherman, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. King, Mr. 
Wicker, and Mr. Saxton) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that the International Committee of 
    the Red Cross should immediately recognize the Magen David Adom 
                    Society, and for other purposes.

Whereas it is the mission of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
        Movement to prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be 
        found, without discrimination;
Whereas the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a worldwide 
        institution in which all National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 
        have equal status;
Whereas the Magen David Adom Society is the national humanitarian society in the 
        state of Israel;
Whereas the Magen David Adom Society follows all the principles of the 
        International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
Whereas since the founding of the Magen David Adom Society in 1930, the American 
        Red Cross has regarded it as a sister national society and close working 
        ties have been established between the two societies;
Whereas the Magen David Adom Society has used the Red Shield of David as its 
        humanitarian emblem since its founding in 1930 for the same purposes 
        that other national red cross and red crescent societies use their 
        respective emblems;
Whereas since 1949 Magen David Adom has been refused admission into the 
        International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and has been relegated 
        to observer status without a vote because it has used the Red Shield of 
        David;
Whereas Magen David Adom is the only humanitarian organization equivalent to a 
        national Red Cross or Red Crescent society in a sovereign nation that is 
        denied membership into the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
        Movement;
Whereas the American Red Cross has consistently advocated recognition and 
        membership of the Magen David Adom Society in the International Red 
        Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
Whereas the House of Representatives adopted H. Res. 464 on May 3, 2000, and the 
        Senate adopted S. Res. 343 on October 18, 2000, expressing the sense of 
        the House of Representatives and the sense of the Senate, respectively, 
        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 the Secretary of State testified before the Committee on the Budget of 
        the Senate on March 14, 2001, and stated that admission of Magen David 
        Adom into the International Red Cross movement is a priority; and
Whereas the United States provided $119,230,000 for the International Committee 
        of the Red Cross in fiscal year 2000: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the International Committee of the Red Cross should 
        immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society;
            (2) the 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 as a 
        full member of the International Committee of the Red Cross;
            (3) the Red Shield of David should be accorded the same 
        protections under international law as the Red Cross and the 
        Red Crescent; and
            (4) the United States should continue to press for full 
        membership for the Magen David Adom in the International Red 
        Cross Movement.
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