[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H10106-H10108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTARCTIC TREATY

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the

[[Page H10107]]

concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 51) recognizing the 50th 
anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 51

       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 nations in 
     Washington, DC, on December 1, 1959, ``with the interests of 
     science and the progress of all mankind'';
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty was established to continue 
     and develop international ``cooperation on the basis of 
     freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica as applied 
     during the International Geophysical Year'';
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty came into force on June 23, 
     1961, after its unanimous ratification by the seven countries 
     (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, 
     and the United Kingdom) with territorial claims in the region 
     and five other countries (Belgium, Japan, South Africa, the 
     Soviet Union, and the United States), which had collaborated 
     in Antarctic research activities during the International 
     Geophysical Year from July 1, 1957, through December 31, 
     1958;
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty now has 47 nations as 
     signatories that together represent nearly 90 percent of 
     humanity;
       Whereas Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty states that ``no 
     acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is 
     in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting 
     or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in 
     Antarctica'';
       Whereas the 14 articles of the Antarctic Treaty have 
     provided a lasting foundation for maintaining the region 
     south of 60 degrees south latitude, nearly 10 percent of the 
     Earth's surface, ``for peaceful purposes only'';
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty prohibits ``any measure of a 
     military nature'';
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty has promoted international 
     nuclear cooperation by prohibiting ``any nuclear explosions 
     in Antarctica and the disposal there of radioactive waste 
     material'';
       Whereas the Antarctic Treaty provides a framework for the 
     signatories to continue to meet ``for the purpose of 
     exchanging information, consulting together on matters of 
     common interest pertaining to Antarctica, and formulating and 
     considering, and recommending to their Governments, measures 
     in furtherance of the principles and objectives of the 
     Treaty'';
       Whereas common interests among the Antarctic Treaty nations 
     facilitated the development and ratification of the 
     Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living 
     Resources;
       Whereas the international cooperation represented by the 
     Antarctic Treaty offers humankind a precedent for the 
     peaceful governance of international spaces;
       Whereas in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 
     International Geophysical Year, the Antarctic Treaty Parties 
     in their Edinburgh Declaration recognized the current 
     International Polar Year for its contributions to science 
     worldwide and to international cooperation; and
       Whereas the International Polar Year program has endorsed 
     the Antarctic Treaty Summit that will convene in Washington, 
     DC, at the Smithsonian Institution on the 50th anniversary of 
     the Antarctic Treaty: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes that the Antarctic Treaty has greatly 
     contributed to science and science cooperation worldwide and 
     successfully ensured the ``use of Antarctica for peaceful 
     purposes only and the continuance of international harmony'' 
     for the past half century; and
       (2) encourages international and interdisciplinary 
     collaboration in the Antarctic Treaty Summit to identify 
     lessons from 50 years of international cooperation under the 
     Antarctic Treaty that have legacy value for humankind.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 51, a 
resolution introduced by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi), 
recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic 
Treaty. On December 1, 1959, 12 countries, including the United States 
and the former Soviet Union, signed the Antarctic Treaty here in 
Washington, D.C. The treaty, which was created to govern activities in 
Antarctica, has been widely seen as a success. The treaty's preamble 
states: ``It is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall 
continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall 
not become the scene or object of international discord.''
  As a result of the treaty, the Antarctic was the first space in which 
the international community agreed to preclude acts or activities to 
assert, support or deny a claim to territorial sovereignty. This 
exclusion led to the peaceful and scientific exploration of the 
continent without geopolitical competition. In celebration of the 50th 
anniversary, the Smithsonian Institution will host the Antarctic Treaty 
Summit between November 30 and December 2 in Washington. This gathering 
will raise awareness of the treaty's accomplishments, provide a forum 
for a broad cross section of civil society to examine lessons learned 
from the treaty and discuss how they can be applied globally.
  I commend Mr. Tiberi for sponsoring this timely resolution. I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  For half a century, the Antarctic Treaty has served as the 
indispensable element, allowing for the expansion of knowledge about 
that continent and its central role in the life of our planet. As 
stated in its preamble, the purpose of the treaty is to ensure that 
Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful 
purposes, the interests of science and the progress of all mankind.
  That promise has been fulfilled, Mr. Speaker. The treaty is an 
enduring demonstration that international cooperation is not only 
possible across a broad and expanding range of subjects but also among 
an array of countries that in other areas have been strong competitors 
and even enemies.
  The original seven signatories have since been joined by 40 more, 
which together represent the vast majority of the population of the 
world. The growing list of countries with active research efforts on 
the continent include the United States, Britain, France, Russia, 
China, and Argentina, among others, underscoring the welcoming setting 
the treaty has created.
  Once a mysterious and far-off land of seemingly marginal relevance to 
the world in which we live, half a century of scientific research has 
resulted in the universal recognition of Antarctica's global role. 
Although cooperation is not mandated, the treaty's promotion of the 
exchange of research, joint endeavors and free access to all areas of 
the continent and surrounding waters has resulted in an extraordinarily 
productive outpouring of knowledge about the continent and its direct 
impact on the life of our planet.
  The treaty has been a laboratory for more than just science and 
research, however. It has also demonstrated that cooperation across a 
broad and expanding range of interests can occur without the need for 
international bureaucracy, bureaucrats or tribunals. The treaty itself 
was only the beginning. A long list of agreements followed that have 
promoted increasingly close cooperation and added additional 
protections for their continent, ranging from the convention for the 
conservation of Antarctic marine living resources to the protocol on 
environmental protection.
  In this past half century, we have learned that although Antarctica 
can be an intimidating and even a harsh environment, it is also a 
fragile place which humans can easily degrade and even destroy. Thanks 
to the success of the Antarctic Treaty, we have gained countless 
benefits for all mankind, learned to care for a precious part of Earth 
and preserve this wonderful, irreplaceable inheritance for all 
generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. I yield back the balance of my time
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 51, as amended.

[[Page H10108]]

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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