[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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