[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 93 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 93

   Congratulating the European Union on the 60th anniversary of the 
signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic 
  Community and laid the foundation for decades of European peace and 
                              prosperity.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 23, 2017

   Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Mr. McCain) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Congratulating the European Union on the 60th anniversary of the 
signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic 
  Community and laid the foundation for decades of European peace and 
                              prosperity.

Whereas 6 European countries signed the Treaty of Rome on March 25, 1957, 
        creating the European Economic Community, which established a customs 
        union and common market among the signatory countries in order to foster 
        economic cooperation and interdependence;
Whereas the United States welcomed and supported this European economic 
        integration, recognizing that this kind of union would promote 
        interdependence and therefore prevent future war and conflict;
Whereas this economic integration has broadened and evolved into the European 
        Union, a unique political and economic union covering much of the 
        European continent and based on the principles of rule of law and 
        representative democracy, which has pursued common policies in economic, 
        security, diplomatic, and political areas and has helped bring 
        unprecedented peace and stability to Europe and its neighbors;
Whereas European integration has been essential in opening and expanding 
        markets, strengthening the rule of law and respect for basic freedoms, 
        and fostering democracy in Europe itself, both in European Union members 
        and aspiring nations;
Whereas, since World War II, the United States has firmly supported and been an 
        active partner in the European integration project, working with Europe 
        to rebuild its war-torn continent through the Marshall Plan and to 
        create an Atlantic security alliance built on shared values and ideals, 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), to permanently prevent 
        the kind of conflict we had just endured;
Whereas the United States and Europe have since engaged in a close and robust 
        Transatlantic partnership, constructed on a strong foundation of shared 
        values and commitment to democracy, freedom and the rule of law, to the 
        benefit of the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world;
Whereas a strong United States-European Union partnership has helped build our 
        mutual economies, ensured unprecedented peace in Europe, and remains 
        essential to creating a freer, safer, and more prosperous and more 
        interconnected world;
Whereas the Transatlantic economy is the world's largest and wealthiest market 
        and the single most important driver of global economic growth and 
        prosperity, with the United States and European Union together 
        accounting for over half of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), 
        generating $5,500,000,000,000 in yearly commercial sales and employing 
        up to 15,000,000 workers in domestic jobs on both sides of the Atlantic;
Whereas mutual investment is the backbone of the Transatlantic economy, and the 
        United States and Europe are each other's primary source and destination 
        for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI);
Whereas the United States and the European Union are each other's largest 
        trading partners, and United States-European Union trade totaled 
        approximately $687,000,000,000 during 2016, almost double the level at 
        the beginning of the century;
Whereas the Transatlantic economy drives innovation, with the United States and 
        European Union investing more in mutual Research and Development than 
        any other 2 international partners and collaborating across areas of 
        science and technology, including marine and Arctic science, 
        transportation and energy technologies, and health research;
Whereas this historic partnership goes far beyond economic and commercial ties, 
        and the United States and the European Union work together to promote 
        peace and stability, protect human rights, foster democracy and 
        sustainable development, combat global threats like terrorism, and 
        eradicate disease and poverty;
Whereas the United States and the European Union have developed numerous 
        mechanisms to strengthen the Transatlantic relationship and to improve 
        communication and collaboration among our respective governments, 
        including annual European Union-United States Summit meetings and the 
        Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue, which facilitates meetings between 
        members of the European Parliament and the United States Congress on 
        issues of mutual concern;
Whereas, despite representing approximately 12 percent of the world's 
        population, the United States and the European Union together provide 
        more than three-quarters of official development assistance worldwide 
        and have established an ongoing Development Dialogue to improve the 
        quality and effectiveness of development aid;
Whereas the United States and the European Union collaborate to promote peace 
        and stability and prevent conflict around the world, working together to 
        address conflicts including those in Syria and Ukraine and confront 
        global security challenges like terrorism, nuclear weapons 
        proliferation, transnational crime, and cybercrime;
Whereas, in pursuit of an integrated, free, and peaceful Europe, the United 
        States and the European Union have worked together to promote peace, 
        stability, and prosperity in the Balkans and to advance their 
        cooperation with and integration into institutions like NATO and the 
        European Union.
Whereas, in response to its annexation of Crimea and continued aggression in the 
        sovereign nation of Ukraine, the United States and the European Union 
        imposed and have maintained sanctions to increase the diplomatic and 
        financial costs on the Russian Federation for its illegal actions;
Whereas, in the face of ongoing threats from terrorism, the United States and 
        the European Union cooperate closely to target terrorist financing, 
        secure transportation and borders, provide mutual assistance with cross-
        border investigations and extraditions, and share information; and
Whereas leaders on both sides of the Atlantic have long recognized the value of 
        and expressed their commitment to the Transatlantic partnership, 
        including--

    (1) President John F. Kennedy, who said in 1962 that ``we do not regard 
a strong and united Europe as a rival but as a partner,'' and asserted that 
the United States believed ``that a united Europe will be capable of 
playing a greater role in the common defense, of responding more generously 
to the needs of poorer nations, of joining with the United States and 
others in lowering trade barriers, resolving problems of commerce, 
commodities, and currency, and developing coordinated policies in all 
economic, political, and diplomatic areas'';

    (2) President Ronald Reagan, who addressed the European Parliament in 
1985 ``to reaffirm to the people of Europe the constancy of the American 
purpose'' and to state that ``America remains . . . dedicated to the unity 
of Europe'' and ``is at your side today, because, like you, we have not 
veered from the ideals of the West--the ideals of freedom, liberty, and 
peace'';

    (3) President Barack Obama, who stated in a 2016 address in Germany 
that ``the United States, and the entire world, needs a strong and 
prosperous and democratic and united Europe . . . because Europe's security 
and prosperity is inherently indivisible from our own'' and recognized that 
``Europe helps to uphold the norms and rules that can maintain peace and 
promote prosperity around the world''; and

    (4) Vice President Mike Pence, who asserted that ``our two continents 
share the same heritage, the same values and above all, the same purpose to 
promote peace and prosperity through freedom, democracy and the rule of 
law'' and reiterated that the United States ``will stand with Europe, today 
and every day,'' while traveling in Europe in February 2017: Now, 
therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the European Union and its member states 
        on the 60th anniversary of the historic signing of the Treaty 
        of Rome;
            (2) commends the European Union for its critical role in 
        spreading peace, prosperity, and stability throughout Europe 
        and worldwide, as well as its close and enduring partnership 
        with the United States;
            (3) recognizes the challenges the European Union, its 
        Transatlantic partners, and the broader global community 
        continue to face, including an unprecedented migration and 
        refugee crisis, increased Russian aggression and interference, 
        violent extremism, and the rise of nationalist and populist 
        sentiment; and
            (4) affirms the desire of the United States Government to 
        strengthen the Transatlantic partnership with the European 
        Union and its member states.
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