110 HRES 607 IH: Extending best wishes to the people of U.S. House of Representatives 2007-08-02 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 607 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 2, 2007 Mr. McDermott (for himself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Extending best wishes to the people of India as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of India’s independence from the British Empire.

Whereas August 15th, India’s Independence Day, is a national holiday in India; Whereas on August 15, 1947, India officially became a sovereign nation; Whereas August 15, 2007, will mark the 60th anniversary of the day India gained its independence from the British Empire; Whereas India has progressed as a secular, sovereign, and democratic republic, and is continually making strides in gender, education, and social and economic equality; Whereas India has opened up its economy to trade and investment and the United States is the largest trading partner of India; Whereas India elected its first female President, The Honorable Pratibha Patil, on July 25, 2007, 41 years after it elected its first female Prime Minister, The Honorable Indira Gandhi; Whereas India and the United States have a strong ongoing partnership regarding the promotion of democratic values, cooperation on international security, and collaboration on strategic initiatives; Whereas Americans of Indian origin are the fastest growing and one of the highest educated immigrant groups in the United States; Whereas Americans of Indian origin have become important contributors in the political, military, and economic sectors of the United States; Whereas Americans of Indian origin are serving in all branches of the United States Armed Forces, including in Afghanistan and Iraq; and Whereas foreign direct investment by India continues to grow at record levels and contributes significantly to the growth of the United States economy: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes India as a long-term strategic partner of the United States; (2)applauds the Indian-American community in the United States for the important role it plays in the relationship between the United States and India; and (3)extends best wishes to the people of India as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of India’s independence from the British Empire.