[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 130 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 130

    Expressing support for the appointment of former Senator George 
    Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 4, 2009

 Mr. Delahunt (for himself, Mr. Filner, Mr. Boustany, Mr. Capuano, Ms. 
 Schakowsky, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Cohen, Mrs. Capps, Mr. George Miller of 
 California, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. 
 McCollum, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Ms. Kilroy, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. 
 Hinchey, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, Mrs. Halvorson, Mr. Perriello, Mr. 
  Yarmuth, Mr. Sestak, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Issa, Mr. Olver, Mr. Price of 
 North Carolina, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Polis of Colorado, Ms. 
    Pingree of Maine, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Rangel, and Mr. Fortenberry) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing support for the appointment of former Senator George 
    Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and for other 
                               purposes.

Whereas, on January 9, 2009, the House of Representatives passed, by an 
        overwhelming margin, a resolution that reaffirmed ``its strong support 
        for United States Government efforts to promote a just resolution of the 
        Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a serious and sustained peace 
        process that leads to the creation of a viable and independent 
        Palestinian state living in peace alongside a secure State of Israel.'';
Whereas, on January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State 
        Hillary Clinton announced the appointment of former Senator George 
        Mitchell as the United States Government's Special Envoy for Middle East 
        Peace;
Whereas President Obama, upon announcing Senator Mitchell's appointment, stated 
        that ``It will be the policy of my administration to actively and 
        aggressively seek a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, 
        as well as Israel and its Arab neighbors'' that ``. . . recognizes 
        (Israel's) rightful place in the community of nations.'';
Whereas President Obama, upon announcing this appointment, stated that Senator 
        Mitchell ``. . . will be fully empowered at the negotiating table, and 
        he will sustain our focus on the goal of peace.'';
Whereas President Obama stated that he ``. . . was deeply concerned by the loss 
        of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent days and by the substantial 
        suffering and humanitarian needs in Gaza. Our hearts go out to 
        Palestinian civilians who are in need of immediate food, clean water, 
        and basic medical care, and who've faced suffocating poverty for far too 
        long.'';
Whereas Secretary of State Clinton stated that Special Envoy Mitchell ``will 
        lead our efforts to reinvigorate the process for achieving peace between 
        Israel and its neighbors. He will help us to develop an integrated 
        strategy that defends the security of Israel, works to bring an end to 
        the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will result in two states, living 
        side by side in peace and security, and to achieve further agreements to 
        promote peace and security between Israel and its Arab neighbors. 
        Senator Mitchell will also work to support the objectives that the 
        President and I believe are critical and pressing in Gaza, to develop a 
        program for humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction, working with 
        the Palestinian Authority and Israel on behalf of those objectives.'';
Whereas Senator Mitchell stated, upon his appointment, that ``peace and 
        stability in the Middle East are in our national interest.'';
Whereas Senator Mitchell also stated that ``Conflicts are created, conducted and 
        sustained by human beings; they can be ended by human beings'' and that 
        ``This effort must be determined, persevering and patient. It must be 
        backed up by political capital, economic resources, and focused 
        attention at the highest levels of our government. And it must be firmly 
        rooted in a shared vision of a peaceful future by the people who live in 
        the region. At the direction of the President and the Secretary of 
        State, and in pursuit of the President's policies, I pledge my full 
        effort in the search for peace and stability in the Middle East.'';
Whereas Senator Mitchell brings significant credibility to this effort as an 
        experienced diplomat and negotiator, having been credited with brokering 
        Northern Ireland's Good Friday peace accord that led to a resolution of 
        the ``Troubles'' in Northern Ireland and the termination of an 800-year 
        old sectarian and national conflict; and
Whereas Senator Mitchell possesses appropriate expertise on the Israeli-
        Palestinian conflict, having authored a well-received report on the 
        causes of the second intifada in April 2001: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates Senator George Mitchell on his 
        appointment as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace;
            (2) commits to supporting President Obama, Secretary 
        Clinton, and Special Envoy Mitchell in their vigorous pursuit 
        of a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian and 
        Israeli-Arab conflicts based on the establishment of 2 states, 
        the State of Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace 
        and security, and with recognized borders;
            (3) reaffirms that peace between Israel and the 
        Palestinians and Israel and the Arab world are essential 
        national security interests of the United States; and
            (4) expresses its appreciation to those engaged in support 
        of Middle East peacemaking and the recent cessation of 
        hostilities in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, and calls on 
        the international community to aggressively pursue efforts that 
        facilitate a just and lasting resolution of these conflicts.
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