IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 221 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 Atatürk, 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

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.