[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 230 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 230
Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome signed on March
25, 1957, which was a key step in creating the European Union, and
reaffirming the close and mutually beneficial relationship between the
United States and Europe.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2007
Mr. Wexler (for himself, Mr. Lantos, and Mr. Gallegly) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome signed on March
25, 1957, which was a key step in creating the European Union, and
reaffirming the close and mutually beneficial relationship between the
United States and Europe.
Whereas, after a half century marked by two world wars and at a time when Europe
was divided and some nations were deprived of freedom, and as the
continent faced the urgent need for economic and political recovery,
major European statesmen such as Robert Schuman, Jean Monnet, Paul-Henri
Spaak, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi, Sir Winston Churchill, and
others joined together to lay the foundations of an ever closer union
among their peoples;
Whereas on March 25, 1957, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy,
Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed the Treaty of Rome to
establish a customs union, to create a framework to promote the free
movement of people, services, and capital among the member states, to
support agricultural growth, and to create a common transport policy,
which gave new impetus to the pledge of unity in the European Coal and
Steel Agreement of 1951;
Whereas to fulfill its purpose, the European Union has created a unique set of
institutions: the directly-elected European Parliament, the Council
consisting of representatives of the Member States, the Commission
acting in the general interest of the Community, and the Court of
Justice to enforce the rule of law;
Whereas on February 7, 1992, the leaders of the then 12 members of the European
Community signed the Treaty of Maastricht establishing a common European
currency, the Euro, to be overseen by a common financial institution,
the European Central Bank, for the purpose of a freer movement of
capital and common European economic policies;
Whereas the European Union was expanded with the addition of the United Kingdom,
Denmark, and Ireland in 1973, Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in
1986, a unified Germany in 1990, Austria, Finland, and Sweden in 1995,
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia in 2004, and Bulgaria and Romania in
2007, making the European Union a body of 27 countries with a population
of over 450 million people;
Whereas the European Union has developed policies in the economic, security,
diplomatic, and political areas: it has established a single market with
broad common policies to organize that market and ensure prosperity and
cohesion; it has built an economic and monetary union, including the
Euro currency; and it has built an area of freedom, security, and
justice, extending stability to its neighbors;
Whereas following the end of the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet
Union, the European Union has played a critical role in the former
Central European communist states in promoting free markets, democratic
institutions and values, respect for human rights, and the resolve to
fight against tyranny and for common national security objectives;
Whereas for the past 50 years the United States and the European Union have
shared a unique partnership, mindful of their common heritage, shared
values and mutual interests, have worked together to strengthen
transatlantic security, to preserve and promote peace and freedom, to
develop free and prosperous economies, and to advance human rights; and
Whereas the United States has supported the European integration process and has
consistently supported the objective of European unity and the
enlargement of the European Union as desirable developments which
promote prosperity, peace, and democracy, and which contribute to the
strengthening of the vital relationship between the United States and
the nations of Europe: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the historic significance of the Treaty of
Rome on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its signing;
(2) commends the European Union and the member nations of
the European Union for the positive role which the institution
has played in the growth, development, and prosperity of
contemporary Europe;
(3) recognizes the important role played by the European
Union in fostering the independence, democracy, and economic
development of the former Central European communist states
following the end of the Cold War;
(4) acknowledges the vital role of the European Union in
the development of the close and mutually beneficial
relationship that exists between the United States and Europe;
(5) affirms that in order to strengthen the transatlantic
partnership there must be a renewed commitment to regular and
intensive consultations between the United States and the
European Union; and
(6) joins with the European Parliament in agreeing to
strengthen the transatlantic partnership by enhancing the
dialogue and collaboration between the United States Congress
and the European Parliament.
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