[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 430 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 430


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 26, 2006

                                Received

                           November 13, 2006

             Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION



   Recognizing the accomplishments of the American Council of Young 
  Political Leaders for providing 40 years of international exchange 
   programs, increasing international dialogue, and enhancing global 
         understanding, and commemorating its 40th anniversary.

Whereas citizen-to-citizen exchanges offer unique opportunities for learning 
        from one another about commonly-shared solutions to problems, as well as 
        different perspectives on forms of government and the aspirations other 
        nations have for their citizens;
Whereas the American Council of Young Political Leaders (hereinafter referred to 
        as the ``ACYPL'') was



incorporated on September 1, 1966, by young leaders to open lines of 
communication and increase cross cultural understanding among future 
generations of political leadership;

Whereas ACYPL prepares in-depth study tours for young leaders, aged between 25 
        and 40 years old, to give them much-needed international exposure early 
        in their political careers;
Whereas ACYPL targets young politicians likely to assume future positions of 
        responsibility and leadership as Federal and State legislators, mayors, 
        city council members and other State and local elected officials, many 
        of whom may not have previously traveled outside the United States;
Whereas ACYPL programs are strictly bipartisan: American delegates are drawn 
        equally from both major political parties and from all 50 States; 
        ACYPL's overseas delegations are chosen to represent the political and 
        cultural diversity of their home countries;
Whereas every dollar ACYPL receives in Federal funding becomes about another 
        dollar and fifty cents through cost-share, in-kind contributions and 
        outside fundraising, making this program one of the most cost effective 
        public diplomacy programs supported by the United States Department of 
        State;
Whereas the ACYPL's operations have evolved from its initial focus on Western 
        Europe where there was limited interaction between the emerging 
        leadership in the post-World War II nations and the United States to 
        meet the challenges and to embrace public diplomacy opportunities in a 
        changing world;
Whereas in the ensuing decades, the ACYPL's programs have extended to 90 nations 
        in all regions of the world, including the Middle East, sub-Sahara 
        Africa, the Western Hemisphere, East Asia, and the Pacific Rim;
Whereas ACYPL became one of the very few organizations with which the Soviet 
        Union agreed to conduct political exchanges during the height of the 
        Cold War, and ACYPL launched an exchange relationship between young 
        political leaders in the United States and China following normalization 
        of relations in 1979;
Whereas ACYPL exchange programs have endured during times of government-to-
        government strain, such as with China during the hostilities in 
        Tiananmen Square and the Hainan Island incident, with the Soviets during 
        their war in Afghanistan, and with Venezuela today;
Whereas ACYPL maintains its legacy of exchanging with recent post-conflict 
        nations and assembling young leaders from places that have experienced 
        bitter conflict, including Vietnam, Northern Ireland, Pakistan and 
        India, Israel and the West Bank, and Greece and Turkey;
Whereas since 1966, the ACYPL has produced a global network of more than six 
        thousand alumni, a large number of whom have risen to positions of great 
        influence in the United States and in nations around the world;
Whereas prominent American ACYPL alumni include members of the United States 
        Congress, cabinet members, governors, United States ambassadors, and 
        many senior level national, State, and local executive and legislative 
        branch officials;
Whereas distinguished international ACYPL alumni include prime ministers, 
        cabinet members, ambassadors and parliamentarians; and
Whereas ACYPL looks to the future in an increasingly uncertain world, and 
        remains steadfast in its mission to promote understanding and cultivate 
        lasting political, economic and cultural relationships among young 
        political leaders and policy-makers worldwide through the regular 
        exchange of delegations, educational forums, leadership training and 
        ongoing dialogue: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That--
            (1) Congress commends the American Council of Young 
        Political Leaders for working for forty years to prepare young 
        political leaders to play a leadership role in international 
        relations and world affairs;
            (2) Congress congratulates the American Council of Young 
        Political Leaders for exemplifying a stellar example of public 
        diplomacy that works; and
            (3) Congress salutes the American Council of Young 
        Political Leaders for being a preeminent

catalyst for introducing rising political leaders and policy makers to 
international affairs and to each other.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 25, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.