[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 92 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 92

 Recognizing the deep and abiding friendship between the United States 
                              and Israel.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 13, 2017

Mr. Graves of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, Mr. Russell, 
 and Mr. Cuellar) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the deep and abiding friendship between the United States 
                              and Israel.

Whereas the Jewish people have had a homeland in modern-day Israel for more than 
        3,000 years;
Whereas, on November 2, 1917, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Lord Arthur 
        Balfour wrote to Lord Walter Rothschild, to be declared to the Zionist 
        Federation, a letter declaring, on behalf of the Government of the 
        United Kingdom, support for a home for the Jewish people in the former 
        Ottoman district of Palestine;
Whereas this letter, known as the Balfour Declaration, was ratified by the 
        League of Nations on July 24, 1922;
Whereas, on September 21, 1922, President Warren G. Harding signed House Joint 
        Resolution 322, after unanimous support from the House of 
        Representatives and the Senate, favoring the establishment, in the 
        former Ottoman district of Palestine, of a national home for the Jewish 
        people;
Whereas the Balfour Declaration clearly recognized and sought to uphold the 
        ``civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities in 
        Palestine,'' as well as the ``rights and political status enjoyed by 
        Jews in any other country'';
Whereas the Balfour Declaration was a significant part of the chain of events 
        that led to the establishment of the modern State of Israel on May 14, 
        1948;
Whereas since Israel's founding, it has been a strong and steadfast ally to the 
        United States, and the relationship is built on a mutual commitment to 
        shared values;
Whereas Israel serves as a beacon for democracy by holding free and transparent 
        elections and promoting the free exchange of ideas;
Whereas in April 1998, the United States designated Israel as a Major Non-NATO 
        ally and in 2014 was elevated to the status of a Major Strategic 
        Partner; and
Whereas the 100th Anniversary of the Balfour Declaration offers an opportunity 
        for recommitment to strengthening the relationship between the United 
        States and Israel; Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) affirms its commitment to maintaining the strongest of 
        bilateral ties with the State of Israel;
            (2) recognizes the importance of the establishment of the 
        modern State of Israel as a secure and democratic homeland for 
        the Jewish people, without prejudice to the rights of all 
        people to live within or alongside Israel in peace; and
            (3) supports efforts to continue to increase economic, 
        security and cultural ties between the United States and 
        Israel.
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