[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 221 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 221

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 12, 2011

  Ms. Foxx (for herself, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Connolly of Virginia, and Mr. 
 Whitfield) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Congratulating the Government and people of the Republic 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, 2009, 
        through April 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 Turkey played an important role in the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) Membership Action Plan process of Bosnia and 
        Herzegovina in 2010 and contributed to dialogue between the Balkan 
        nations through trilateral processes;
Whereas recent dramatic developments in the Middle East have once again 
        demonstrated the importance of the Turkish model as a vibrant democracy 
        and a free market economy;
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 serve as goodwill ambassadors promoting 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 NATO on the southeastern 
        flank of the Alliance and guarded a long common border with the former 
        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 the United States and Turkey signed an Agreement on Scientific and 
        Technological Cooperation in September 2010 paving the way for enhanced 
        cooperation in areas ranging from health and education to energy and 
        natural disasters;
Whereas Turkey is the 16th largest economy in the world, with the highest growth 
        rate among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
        Development in 2010;
Whereas in 2010, Turkey was the 26th largest market for United States exports, 
        totaling $10.55 billion and representing an increase of 48.8 percent 
        over 2009;
Whereas in 2010, Turkey was the 47th largest source of United States imports, 
        totaling $4.2 billion, resulting in a merchandise trade surplus of $6.35 
        billion for the United States;
Whereas upon the instructions by the Presidents of the United States and Turkey, 
        a Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation was 
        launched in 2010, providing for the establishment of a Business Council 
        and the convening of annual cabinet level meetings focused on enhancing 
        bilateral economic ties;
Whereas having twice commanded the International Security Assistance Force, and 
        leading Regional Command Capital for the second time, Turkey continues 
        to play an increasingly important role in Afghanistan contributing to 
        the capacity building efforts and development of the country by building 
        schools, hospitals, and roads, by training Afghan national security 
        forces, and by maintaining two Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Wardak 
        and Jowzjan Provinces;
Whereas the United States and Turkey are working in close cooperation to promote 
        stability and unity in Iraq and to support the integration of Iraq into 
        the international community and world markets; and
Whereas the United States and Turkey are cooperating effectively to address the 
        threat of terrorism by devising new approaches to counter radical 
        extremism leading to violence: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the Republic of 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.
                                 <all>