[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 617 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 617

Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for 
             Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2004

    Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Pence, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of 
    Virginia, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Blunt, and Mr. Lantos) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for 
             Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Whereas Israel has been trying to join the Organization for Economic Co-
        operation and Development (OECD) since 2000, when it met the OECD's 
        membership requirements relating to industrial and per-capita product 
        criteria;
Whereas Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Finance Minister Binyamin 
        Netanyahu recently sent a joint letter to the foreign and finance 
        ministers of the 30 member countries of the OECD, stating that Israel's 
        involvement as a non-member country in the OECD's various committees is 
        increasing, and that Israel meets the economic and institutional 
        criteria required to join the OECD;
Whereas Israel was recently asked to take part in the OECD's Insurance and 
        Commerce Committees;
Whereas membership in the OECD could enhance Israel's status on the global 
        market and within international financial institutions, lowering the 
        risk factor on foreign loans to Israel;
Whereas Israel's economic and technological standing could potentially benefit 
        OECD member countries in the science and technology, including high-
        technology, sectors;
Whereas in 2003, the World Economic Forum ranked Israel 20th out of 102 
        countries in its Growth Competitiveness Index, and the World Economic 
        Forum's Technology Index ranked Israel 9th, before Canada (11th), Norway 
        (13th), Germany (14th), the United Kingdom (16th), and the Netherlands 
        (18th); and
Whereas Israel is carrying out far reaching economic reforms based on the OECD's 
        recommendations with respect to taxes, labor, competition, capital 
        markets, pension funds, energy, infrastructures, communications, and 
        transport: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) Israel shares the commitment to democratic government 
        and the market economy that is the foundation of the 
        Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
            (2) Israel meets the OECD's membership requirements and has 
        been an active participant as a non-member country in various 
        OECD activities, such as adherence to the OECD Declaration on 
        International Investment and Multinational Enterprises;
            (3) the United States Government should support and 
        advocate the accession of Israel to the OECD at the next 
        meeting of the OECD, including through coordination of efforts 
        with Mexico, Great Britain, and other countries supportive of 
        Israel's membership in the OECD; and
            (4) given the discriminatory policies against Israel in 
        other international fora, Israel, upon accession to the OECD, 
        should be afforded all the rights and privileges granted to all 
        other member countries, including representation in the OECD's 
        Council, the governing body of the organization.
                                 <all>