[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 131 (Wednesday, October 18, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10735-S10736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING AND ADMITTING ISRAEL'S MAGEN DAVID ADOM SOCIETY

  Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the 
immediate consideration of Calendar No. 863, S. Res. 343.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.

       A resolution (S. Res. 343) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Movement should recognize and admit to full membership 
     Israel's Magen David Adom Society, with its emblem, the Red 
     Shield of David.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. SESSIONS. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements relating to this resolution be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 343) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 343

       Whereas Israel's Magen David Adom Society has since 1930 
     provided emergency relief to people in many countries in 
     times of need, pain, and suffering, regardless of nationality 
     or religious affiliation;
       Whereas in the past year alone, the Magen David Adom 
     Society has provided invaluable humanitarian services in 
     Kosovo, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, as well as Greece 
     and Turkey in the wake of the earthquakes that devastated 
     these countries;
       Whereas the American Red Cross has recognized the superb 
     and invaluable work done by the Magen David Adom Society and 
     considers the exclusion of the Magen David Adom Society from 
     the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement ``an 
     injustice of the highest order'';
       Whereas the American Red Cross has repeatedly urged that 
     the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement 
     recognize the Magen David Adom Society as a full member, with 
     its emblem;
       Whereas the Magen David Adom Society utilizes the Red 
     Shield of David as its emblem, in similar fashion to the 
     utilization of the Red Cross and Red Crescent by other 
     national societies;
       Whereas the Red Cross and the Red Crescent have been 
     recognized as protective emblems under the Statutes of the 
     International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
       Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross has 
     ignored previous requests from the United States Congress to 
     recognize the Magen David Adom Society;
       Whereas the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red 
     Crescent Movement state that it ``makes no discrimination as 
     to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political 
     opinions,'' and it ``may not take sides in hostilities or 
     engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, 
     religious or ideological nature'';
       Whereas although similar national organizations of Iraq, 
     North Korea, and Afghanistan are recognized as full members 
     of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the 
     Magen David Adom Society has been denied membership since 
     1949;
       Whereas in the six fiscal years 1994 through 1999, the 
     United States Government provided a total of $631,000,000 to 
     the International Committee of the Red Cross and $82,000,000 
     to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Societies; and
       Whereas in fiscal year 1999 alone, the United States 
     Government provided $119,500,000 to the International 
     Committee of the Red Cross and $7,300,000 to the 
     International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Societies: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the International Committee of the Red Cross should 
     immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society and the 
     Magen David Adom Society should be granted full membership in 
     the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
       (2) the International Federation of Red Cross and Red 
     Crescent Societies should grant full membership to the Magen 
     David Adom Society immediately following recognition by the 
     International Committee of the Red Cross of the Magen David 
     Adom Society;
       (3) the Magen David Adom Society should not be required to 
     give up or diminish its use of its emblem as a condition for 
     immediate and full membership in the International Red Cross 
     and Red Crescent Movement; and

[[Page S10736]]

       (4) the Red Shield of David should be accorded the same 
     recognition under international law as the Red Cross and the 
     Red Crescent.

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