[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 211 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 211

 Expressing the sense of Congress and appreciation for the support and 
cooperation from Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar in Operation Iraqi Freedom.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 5, 2003

 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Pence, Mr. Burton of 
     Indiana, and Mr. Tancredo) submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress and appreciation for the support and 
cooperation from Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Whereas Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar openly gave their support to Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom;
Whereas Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have openly expanded their bilateral and 
        security cooperation with the United States in recent years;
Whereas through their support for and cooperation with the United States, 
        Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar exposed themselves to the threat of 
        conventional and unconventional attacks from Iraq;
Whereas during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kuwait was subjected to attack by 20 
        Iraqi missiles, some of which caused injuries and property damage;
Whereas Kuwait provided substantial humanitarian assistance to Iraq in support 
        of coalition goals during Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas since its independence in 1961, Kuwait has maintained close relations 
        with the United States;
Whereas since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Camp Doha, Ali Salem, and Ahmed Al 
        Jaber airbases have served as critical facilities in Kuwait for the 
        deployment of United States forces in the region;
Whereas Kuwait openly put these and other Kuwaiti bases and training camps at 
        the disposal of coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas Kuwait openly allowed the United States to pre-position large numbers of 
        troops and weapons in it country, thus serving as the major staging 
        point for Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas before and during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Kuwait placed itself at grave 
        risk by providing vital and unwavering assistance to the United States 
        and its coalition partners, including access to airports, port 
        facilities, and bases;
Whereas Kuwait has openly allowed itself to be named on the United States' list 
        of the ``coalition of the willing'', and has been the most receptive 
        Arab government to United States efforts to depose the Iraqi regime of 
        Saddam Hussein;
Whereas Bahrain openly serves as the headquarters for the United States Navy's 
        Fifth Fleet and as the home port for four United States Navy 
        minesweepers;
Whereas Bahrain has also openly supported the United States by allowing the use 
        of the Sheikh Isa airbase for cargo storage and supply flights for 
        coalition forces;
Whereas Bahrain has openly supported the United States in Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom by providing extensive overflight clearances for a multitude of 
        United States aircraft;
Whereas Bahrain recently expelled Nazem Jawad, the First Secretary of Iraq's 
        embassy in Bahrain, for his alleged connection to an explosion at the 
        United States Navy's Fifth Fleet Headquarters on March 24, 2003;
Whereas since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the United States and Qatar have 
        extensively expanded bilateral relations;
Whereas Qatar allowed for the rapid expansion and utilization by coalition 
        forces of al-Udaid airbase, where the United States military has 
        operated its forward-deployed command-and-control center for Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas Qatar openly allowed the United States to construct the As-Sayliyah Army 
        base, the largest pre-positioning facility for United States military 
        equipment in the world;
Whereas on December 11, 2002, the United States and Qatar signed an agreement 
        providing for expanded United States access to Qatar's al-Udeid airbase;
Whereas Qatar has also closely cooperated with the United States in support of 
        Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; and
Whereas other allies in the region quietly provided logistical and intelligence 
        support, the pre-positioning of military equipment, overflight rights, 
        humanitarian and reconstruction aid, the use of ports and other 
        facilities, and political support: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) expresses its gratitude to the people and Governments 
        of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar for their generous and steadfast 
        support of the United States-led coalition in Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom;
            (2) reaffirms its appreciation to the people and 
        Governments of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar for welcoming the 
        presence of United States and coalition military forces in 
        their countries for Operation Iraqi Freedom;
            (3) commends the people and Governments of Kuwait, Bahrain, 
        and Qatar for pledging their assistance to rebuilding a free, 
        democratic, and unified Iraq;
            (4) notes with gratitude that the people and Governments of 
        Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have been full and active partners 
        with the United States in the global war on terrorism following 
        the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred 
        on September 11, 2001;
            (5) supports the people and Governments of Kuwait, Bahrain, 
        and Qatar in their pursuit of democratic reforms; and
            (6) urges a further strengthening of relations between 
        Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar and the United States on issues of 
        mutual concern.
                                 <all>