[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 25 (Thursday, February 14, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S1083]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration of S. 
Res. 444 and that the Senate then proceed to its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 444) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate regarding the strong alliance that has been forged 
     between the United States and the Republic of Korea and 
     congratulating Myung-Bak Lee on his election to the 
     presidency of the Republic of Korea.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, the 
preamble, as amended, be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 444) was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 4084) was agreed to, as follows:

   (Purpose: To modify the description of the economic relationship 
          between the United States and the Republic of Korea)

       On page 2, strike ``the Republic of Korea is the United 
     States seventh largest training partner and the United States 
     is the third largest trading partner of the Republic of 
     Korea, with nearly $80,000,000,000 in goods and services 
     passing between the 2 countries each year'' and insert ``the 
     economic relationship between the United States and the 
     Republic of Korea is deep and growing and has been mutually 
     beneficial to both countries''.

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, as amended, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 444

       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea enjoy a 
     comprehensive alliance partnership founded in shared 
     strategic interests and cemented by a commitment to 
     democratic values;
       Whereas the alliance between the United States and the 
     Republic of Korea has been forged in blood and honed by 
     struggles against common adversaries;
       Whereas on December 19, 2007, the Senate passed S. Res. 
     279, marking the 125th anniversary of the 1882 Treaty of 
     Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the Kingdom of 
     Chosun (Korea) and the United States, and recognizing that 
     ``the strength and endurance of the alliance between the 
     United States and the Republic of Korea should be 
     acknowledged and celebrated'';
       Whereas during the 60 years since the founding of the 
     Republic of Korea on August 15, 1948, the Republic of Korea, 
     with unwavering commitment and support from the United 
     States, has accomplished a remarkable economic and political 
     transformation, rising from poverty to become the 11th 
     largest economy in the world and a thriving multi-party 
     democracy;
       Whereas the economic relationship between the United States 
     and the Republic of Korea is deep and growing and has been 
     mutually beneficial to both countries;
       Whereas there are deep cultural and personal ties between 
     the people of the United States and the people of the 
     Republic of Korea, as exemplified by the large flow of 
     visitors and exchanges each year between the 2 countries and 
     the nearly 2,000,000 Korean Americans who currently reside in 
     the United States;
       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea are 
     working together to address the threat posed by North Korea's 
     nuclear weapons program and to build a lasting peace on the 
     Korean Peninsula;
       Whereas this alliance is promoting international peace and 
     security, economic prosperity, human rights and the rule of 
     law, not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also throughout 
     the world; and
       Whereas Myung-Bak Lee, who won election to become the next 
     President of the Republic of Korea, has affirmed his deep 
     commitment to further strengthening the alliance between the 
     United States and the Republic of Korea, by expanding areas 
     of cooperation and realizing the full potential of our 
     mutually beneficial partnership: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate congratulates Myung-Bak Lee on 
     his election to the presidency of the Republic of Korea and 
     wishes him and the Korean people well on his inauguration on 
     February 25, 2008.

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