[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 5, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H10428-H10429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING CONTINUED IMPORTANCE OF TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP AND
PROMOTING STRONGER RELATIONS WITH EUROPE
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on International Relations be discharged from further consideration of
the resolution (H. Res. 390) recognizing the continued importance of
the transatlantic relationship and promoting stronger relations with
Europe by reaffirming the need for a continued and meaningful dialogue
between the United States and Europe, and ask for its immediate
consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to
the gentleman from Nebraska for purposes of a description of the
resolution.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
[[Page H10429]]
Mr. BEREUTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I offer this resolution in that it recognizes the
continued importance of transatlantic relations and the need for a
continued and meaningful dialogue between the United States and Europe.
Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the difficult debate over Iraq, the
Subcommittee on Europe held two hearings in June on the future of
transatlantic relations. At these hearings, experts from both Europe
and the United States presented their views on what went wrong. More
important, however, was the consensus view of all of the witnesses who
testified at these hearings that the time was right to put the debate
over the Iraq war behind us and to begin to energetically consider how
to reenergize the transatlantic relationship in a positive manner which
is forward looking and which focuses on developing common strategies to
address common challenges.
H. Res. 390 urges a renewed effort to develop stronger relations with
our friends and allies in Europe through enhanced dialogue and
communications between this Nation and Europe, especially through such
mechanisms as the various formal and informal interparliamentary
organizations which we have here in the Congress.
Mr. Speaker, as the Iraq debate has shown, both sides need to
communicate more. It is neither in the interest of the United States to
ignore Europe nor to try to work with a weak or divided Europe.
Europeans, on the other hand, need to attempt to better understand U.S.
policies and objectives and its responsibilities as a global power.
The good news is there is dialogue, but that dialogue must be
enhanced, and it must be predicated on the conviction that the United
States and Europe cannot meet the global challenges which confront us
both unless we strengthen our partnership and address these challenges
together.
Mr. WEXLER. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I
would like to congratulate and thank the gentleman from Nebraska, the
chairman, for his leadership in introducing this resolution which
recognizes the importance of America's transatlantic relationship. It
is an undeniable fact that the present and future of America and Europe
are interwoven and cannot be separated without grave consequence to
either side. If the transatlantic relationship is to move forward, it
is critical that Europe accept the realities of a post-Saddam Iraq and
the potential for transformation in the greater Middle East. At the
same time, the Bush administration, which has deftly managed to turn
most of Europe against America, must understand that military power
alone is not a panacea to guaranteeing our security, fighting terror or
halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Ultimately,
these goals cannot be achieved without the assistance of our allies in
Europe and throughout the world. It is this message of friendship,
understanding and cooperation that I hope will lay the future of
transatlantic ties.
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 390
Whereas for more than a half century transatlantic policy
cooperation and coordination have been essential for the
preservation of peace and freedom in Europe, have enabled the
development of free and prosperous economies, and helped
restore stability and unity in the Euro-Atlantic area;
Whereas a central goal of United States policy toward
Europe remains that the development of a Europe united, free,
strong, and at peace is in the best interests of the United
States and Europe so long as the United States and Europe
continue to work as partners, not rivals or counterweights;
Whereas the central pillar of the United States partnership
with Europe remains a strong and cohesive Atlantic Alliance;
Whereas the United States and the European community are
aware of their shared responsibility, not only to further
transatlantic security, but to address other common interests
such as environmental protection, poverty reduction,
combatting international crime and promoting human rights,
and to work together to meet those transnational challenges
which affect the well-being of all;
Whereas in recognition of the threats posed by global
terrorism, terrorist states, the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, and the nexus of the three, the partnership
should be expanded progressively from a transatlantic
community of values to an effective transatlantic community
of action by developing a collaborative strategy and action
plan for dealing with those challenges of mutual interest and
concern;
Whereas no policy disagreement, such as the dispute with
respect to Iraq, should be allowed to significantly disrupt
transatlantic relations nor cause any member of the Euro-
Atlantic community to choose between partners;
Whereas a renewed commitment to strengthen the partnership
through increased cooperation, communication, consultation
and information-exchange is required to achieve our common
goals, which will continue to ensure peace and prosperity
between the United States and Europe;
Whereas Congress has played a constructive role in this
cooperative approach to partnership with Europe through
mechanisms such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) Parliamentary Assembly, the Transatlantic Legislators'
Dialogue, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly which have for years
brought together legislators of both the United States and
Europe for discussions of issues of common interest in order
to further transatlantic understanding and partnership at the
parliamentary level; and
Whereas the House of Representatives welcomes and
congratulates the newest member nations invited to join NATO
and the European Union and looks forward to broader dialogue
through their participation in these transatlantic
parliamentary organizations: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) affirms the conviction of the United States that,
despite the occasional differences and difficulties, the
underlying ties which have historically bound the people of
the United States and of Europe remain strong;
(2) accepts the indivisibility of transatlantic security
which provides an indispensable link between North America
and Europe;
(3) recognizes that both the United States and Europe face
new challenges at home and abroad and must strengthen and
adapt the transatlantic partnership to effectively meet these
challenges;
(4) acknowledges that in order to strengthen the
transatlantic partnership there must be a renewed commitment
to regular and intensive consultation, information exchange
and dialogue between the United States Government and the
governments of Europe and the European Union; and
(5) commits on its part to continue to improve the
transatlantic partnership by enhancing the communication
between the United States Congress and the legislatures of
Europe through the formal frameworks of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, the Transatlantic Legislators'
Dialogue, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and various other
formal and informal inter-parliamentary organizations.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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