[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 54 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 54

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         April 3, 2017.
Whereas, on November 22, 2015, the citizens of the Argentine Republic elected 
        Mauricio Macri as their President;
Whereas President Macri has pledged to promote greater national unity, rebuild 
        the economy, combat domestic corruption, strengthen freedom of the 
        press, defend human rights abroad, attract foreign direct investment, 
        return to international credit markets, and reassert Argentina's 
        leadership globally;
Whereas President Macri has emphasized his intention to seek closer ties with 
        the United States and restore the bilateral partnership previously 
        enjoyed by both countries;
Whereas the Argentine Republic has been a major non-NATO ally of the United 
        States since 1998 and is the only country designated as such in Latin 
        America;
Whereas United States-Argentina relations are historically characterized by 
        comprehensive commercial ties and strong bilateral cooperation on human 
        rights, peacekeeping, science and technology, non-proliferation, and 
        education, as well as on regional and global issues;
Whereas, in an appearance with President Macri at the Casa Rosada in Buenos 
        Aires in March 2016, President Barack Obama said that ``our countries 
        share profound values in common--respect for human rights, for 
        individual freedoms, for democracy, for justice, and for peace'';
Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry visited Argentina in August 2016 to launch 
        a High-Level Dialogue to develop and sustain cooperation on bilateral, 
        regional, and global challenges, including democratic development and 
        protection of human rights in Latin America;
Whereas Secretary Kerry, during his visit, stated that ``the United States 
        strongly supports President Macri's effort to deepen Argentina's 
        integration with the global economy''' and that ``our governments will 
        be supporting policies that are aimed at strong, sustainable, and 
        balanced economic growth'';
Whereas the United States Department of the Treasury no longer opposes 
        multilateral development banks lending to Argentina because of the 
        Government of Argentina's ``progress on key issues and positive economic 
        policy trajectory'';
Whereas President Macri prioritized Argentina resolving its 15-year standoff 
        with private creditors stemming from the 2001-2002 economic crisis, 
        which facilitated Argentina's return to international financial markets;
Whereas the Macri Administration lifted controls on trade, currency, and 
        poultry, enhanced the quality and transparency of government data, and 
        eliminated subsidies on electricity, water, and gas;
Whereas Argentina is Latin America's third largest economy and the International 
        Monetary Fund, in April 2016, claimed the Macri Administration 
        ``embarked on an ambitious, much needed transition to remove domestic 
        imbalances and distortions and correct relative prices''; and
Whereas the Government of Argentina has expressed a renewed commitment to bring 
        the perpetrators of the 1994 bombing of the Asociacion Mutual Israelita 
        Argentina (AMIA) building, that occurred in Buenos Aires on July 18, 
        1994, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds, to justice: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) upholds its commitment to the partnership between the United 
        States and Argentina and reaffirms that the Argentine Republic is a 
        major non-NATO ally of the United States;
            (2) encourages the Department of State to coordinate a new 
        interagency strategy to increase cooperation with the Government of 
        Argentina on areas of bilateral, regional, and global concern;
            (3) commends the Government of Argentina for making far-reaching 
        economic reforms that will benefit the people of Argentina, stimulate 
        economic growth, and deepen Argentina's integration with the global 
        economy;
            (4) praises the Government of Argentina for resolving most of its 
        business disputes at the World Bank's International Centre for the 
        Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) thereby hastening their re-
        entry into world financial markets to the benefit of the Argentine 
        people; and
            (5) encourages the Government of Argentina to continue to 
        investigate and prosecute those responsible for the 1994 bombing of the 
        Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires, 
        as well as the January 2015 death of AMIA special prosecutor Alberto 
        Nisman.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.