[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 638 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 638

 Congratulating the government and people of Turkey as they celebrate 
                 Republic Day, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2009

Ms. Foxx (for herself, Mr. Snyder, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Hastings of Florida, 
  Mr. Whitfield, Mr. Wexler, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mrs. 
  Schmidt, Mr. Latta, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. 
Wilson of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating the government and people of Turkey as they celebrate 
                 Republic Day, and for other purposes.

Whereas every year on October 29, Turkey celebrates Republic Day, commemorating 
        the day when Turkey became a republic;
Whereas, on October 29, 1923, the Republic of Turkey was formally established 
        and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the visionary leader of modern Turkey, became 
        its first President;
Whereas President Barack Obama made a historic visit to Turkey on April 5-7, 
        2009, reaffirming the strategic relationship between the two countries 
        and outlining a ``model partnership'' to help resolve regional issues;
Whereas Turkey is a secular, pluralistic, westward-looking democracy with a 
        predominantly Muslim population;
Whereas Turkey has a significant and constructive physical influence reaching 
        into the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia;
Whereas the United States and Turkey share common values of democracy, 
        diversity, tolerance, social mobility, and the separation of religious 
        and civic life;
Whereas Anatolia, home of the Republic of Turkey, has been a cradle of 
        civilizations for millennia;
Whereas the city states of the Lycian Federation, located in Patara, Turkey, 
        inspired the Founding Fathers of the United States as they wrote the 
        Constitution of the United States;
Whereas the United States and Turkey have been close friends and allies for more 
        than half a century;
Whereas Turkish Americans are an important part of the fabric of the United 
        States, as evidenced by their contributions to the arts, science, 
        academia, and business;
Whereas Turkish Americans serving as goodwill ambassadors promote greater 
        understanding between the United States and Turkey, by educating people 
        in the United States about Turkey's rich cultural heritage, and the 
        importance of the strategic partnership to advance mutual interests 
        between the United States and Turkey;
Whereas Turkey is becoming a reliable energy hub for the Western World in a 
        highly volatile region, completing the East-West Energy Corridor;
Whereas for decades Turkey has stood as the bulwark of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) on the southeastern flank of the Alliance and 
        guarded a long common border with the Soviet Union;
Whereas since the end of the Cold War, Turkey has become an important partner of 
        the United States in facing 21st century challenges such as 
        international terrorism, ethnic and religious extremism and 
        fundamentalism, energy security and diversity, the proliferation of 
        weapons of mass destruction, and international organized crime including 
        drug and human trafficking;
Whereas Turkey's membership in the European Union will further enhance its 
        stature as a robust member of the transatlantic community;
Whereas in July 2006, the United States and Turkey signed a ``Shared Vision 
        Document'', outlining a strategic vision for bilateral cooperation and 
        coordination on a wide range of international matters of common concern;
Whereas in 2008, Turkey was the 27th largest market for United States exports, 
        totaling $10,440,000,000 and the 48th largest source of United States 
        imports, totaling $4,642,000,000, resulting in a merchandise trade 
        surplus of $5,798,000,000 for the United States;
Whereas Turkey continues to play an important role in Afghanistan, having twice 
        commanded the International Security Assistance Force, and maintains a 
        Provincial Reconstruction Team in Wardak Province, which continues to 
        contribute to the development of the country by building schools, 
        hospitals, and roads; and
Whereas Turkey plays a crucial role in helping supply services and equipment to 
        United States forces in Iraq: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes Turkey as one of the most important 
        strategic partners of the United States;
            (2) commends the government and people of Turkey for 
        strengthening its democracy and becoming a source of stability 
        in its region;
            (3) expresses appreciation for Turkey's contribution to 
        global efforts to combat international terrorism; and
            (4) congratulates the government and people of Turkey as 
        they celebrate Republic Day.
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