[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3834-H3837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONGRATULATING ISRAEL ON OECD MEMBERSHIP

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1391) congratulating Israel for its accession 
to membership in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and 
Development, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1391

       Whereas Israel first sent an observer delegation to the 
     Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 
     in 1994, and first began actively seeking to join the OECD in 
     2000, when it met the OECD's membership requirements relating 
     to industrial and per-capita product criteria;
       Whereas in May 2006, the OECD adopted in full the Report by 
     the Working Party on the Implications of Future Enlargement 
     on OECD Governance, stating that expanding membership is 
     vital to the organization;
       Whereas Israel has been the most active nonmember country 
     in the OECD, is a member, observer, or ad hoc observer in 
     dozens of working bodies, is party to various OECD 
     declarations, and is already in compliance with multiple OECD 
     standards;
       Whereas Israel's tax burden, encompassing income and 
     property taxes, customs duties, value-added taxes, and 
     national insurance, is much lower than in most OECD member 
     states;
       Whereas the World Bank ranks Israel among the 30 countries 
     in which it is easiest to do business, and ranks Israel as 
     tied for fourth in ease of getting credit and tied for fifth 
     in protection of investors;
       Whereas in 2010, the World Economic Forum ranked Israel 
     27th out of 133 countries in its Growth Competitiveness 
     Index, and in particular ranked Israel third in quality of 
     scientific research institutions, fourth in utility patents, 
     fifth in strength of investor protection, fifth in the 
     Forum's legal rights index, seventh in life expectancy, ninth 
     in innovation, 15th in financial market sophistication, 15th 
     in availability of the latest technologies, and 15th in 
     judicial independence;
       Whereas the World Economic Forum ranked Israel 28th out of 
     133 countries in its 2009-2010 Networked Readiness Index and 
     29th out of 121 in its 2009 Enabling Trade Index;
       Whereas Israel has carried out far-reaching economic 
     reforms in recent years with respect to taxes, labor, 
     competition, capital markets, pension funds, energy, 
     infrastructures, communications, transport, housing, and 
     other fields, growing its private sector and streamlining its 
     public sector;
       Whereas Israel is a world leader in science and technology 
     and is home to the most high-technology start-up companies, 
     scientific publications, and research and development 
     spending per capita;
       Whereas membership in the OECD will likely strengthen the 
     position of Israel in the global economy and within 
     international financial institutions, solidify Israel's 
     transition from an emerging market to an advanced economy, 
     and encourage increased foreign direct investment in Israel;
       Whereas Israel's accession to membership in the OECD will 
     strengthen the OECD because of Israel's high living 
     standards, free and stable markets, and commitment to 
     democracy, human rights, and freedom;
       Whereas Israel's economic and technological standing will 
     likely benefit OECD member states in innovation, in research 
     and development, and in the science and technology, including 
     high-technology, sectors;
       Whereas Israel is a strong ally and friend of the United 
     States and supports the United

[[Page H3835]]

     States in international organizations more consistently than 
     any other country;
       Whereas, on November 8, 2005, the House of Representatives 
     unanimously adopted H. Res. 38, and on May 3, 2007, the 
     Senate by unanimous consent adopted S. Res. 188, in support 
     of Israel's accession to membership in the OECD;
       Whereas in May 2007, during the annual meeting of the 
     OECD's ministerial council, OECD member states invited Israel 
     to open talks for accession to membership in that 
     organization;
       Whereas the Secretary-General of the OECD, Angel Gurria, 
     has supported Israel's candidacy for accession to OECD 
     membership and worked to ensure that Israel's candidacy was 
     not politicized, and was judged by objective economic and 
     democratic standards;
       Whereas the United States has supported Israel's candidacy 
     for accession to OECD membership;
       Whereas, on May 10, 2010, the 31 OECD member states 
     unanimously agreed to invite Israel to become a member of 
     that organization, with the OECD noting in a statement that 
     ``Israel's scientific and technological policies have 
     produced outstanding outcomes on a world scale.'';
       Whereas, on May 10, 2010, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin 
     Netanyahu noted regarding Israel's accession to OECD 
     membership that ``Israel's accession to the OECD has 
     strategic importance for the process of positioning Israel's 
     economy as a developed and advanced economy, as well as in 
     attracting international investments . . . There is still 
     work to be done. We have done a great deal. We are doing a 
     great deal; and we will do a great deal . . . so that we can 
     be on the list of leading countries, among the 15 most 
     advanced countries in the world. This goal is possible and it 
     won't take us too many years to accomplish.'';
       Whereas Israel will be welcomed into the OECD during the 
     annual meeting of that organization's ministerial council on 
     May 27, 2010, and will fully accede to membership once it 
     passes the requisite enacting legislation, a process that is 
     likely to be completed within months; and
       Whereas Israel continues to pursue further opportunities to 
     accede to membership or enhance its participation, as the 
     case may be, in international forums: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates Israel for its accession to membership in 
     the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 
     (OECD);
       (2) commends the 31 nations of the OECD, as well as OECD 
     Secretary-General Angel Gurria, for recognizing Israel's 
     economic success as well as its commitment to the principles 
     of democratic government and market economy by unanimously 
     electing Israel to OECD membership;
       (3) recognizes the importance of the strong role played by 
     the United States in Israel's successful bid for accession to 
     membership in the OECD; and
       (4) calls on responsible nations to support efforts by 
     Israel to accede to membership or enhance its participation, 
     as the case may be, in international forums.

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


                             General Leave

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BERKLEY. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Israel's 
accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 
a prestigious group of the world's most advanced economies, is a 
monumental achievement and is testimony to Israel's remarkable economic 
success and diplomatic acumen.
  The unanimous decision by the 31 member states of the OECD to accept 
Israel is a recognition of Israel's economic strength as well as of its 
democracy and of its ability to contribute to the organization and to 
the world's economy.
  Israel was one of the few economies in the world to have positive 
economic growth in the midst of last year's global economic crisis, and 
it is expected to grow at least 3.5 percent in 2010. As a member of the 
OECD, Israel will be in an even better position to advance key economic 
sectors of its economy, including technology, medicine and agriculture. 
This will prove beneficial, not only to the State of Israel but, as the 
record of Israeli entrepreneurial creativity attests, to the entire 
world.
  Mr. Speaker, Israel's accession to the OECD is an important 
achievement for the State of Israel, and it also demonstrates the 
importance of U.S. engagement in multilateral organizations. Without 
the emphatic support of the Obama administration's delegation to the 
OECD, Israel almost certainly would still be waiting at the 
organization's door, knocking to come in.
  I would like to congratulate and thank our OECD mission in Paris for 
their hard work. This strong team of diplomats worked tirelessly to 
support Israel's OECD candidacy, and it dutifully ensured that Israel's 
candidacy was not politicized and that it was judged by objective 
economic and democratic standards.
  Mr. Speaker, the lesson from this victory is clear: U.S. engagement 
works. Without a strong presence at this international organization, we 
risk leaving our ally Israel to battle alone against its many biased 
critics. It is important to remember that maintaining a strong U.S. 
voice in international organizations isn't important just for America's 
interest but for Israel's interest as well.
  I want to thank the Obama administration for their strong support for 
Israel at the OECD, and I look forward to working with them to ensure 
that there is the same support going forward at the OECD, at the U.N., 
and at other multilateral organizations.
  The unanimous vote by OECD members to admit Israel not only 
highlights Israel's growing global economic importance, which it 
certainly does and is, but it also represents an important sign that 
the U.S., when properly engaged, can help to defeat the unrelenting 
efforts of Israel's detractors and, may I say, haters.
  I would like to thank my dear friend, Ranking Member Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen, for introducing this important resolution and for making 
Israel's accession to the OECD possible.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank my good friend, the lovely lady from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), 
for those kinds words.
  Mr. Speaker, we have got a good, strong partnership when it comes to 
promoting the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law; and in 
that category, Israel will always stand out.
  I am proud, obviously, to support this resolution, which I authored 
and sponsored, House Resolution 1391, which congratulates Israel on 
being approved for membership in the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development. The OECD brings together governments 
committed to democracy and a market economy in advancing freedom and in 
advancing prosperity. The recent unanimous support of OECD member 
states for Israel's membership is a well-deserved seal of approval for 
Israel, one that can reinforce its progress and that will benefit both 
Israel and the members of the OECD.
  Mr. Speaker, the history of Israel's pursuit of membership in the 
OECD speaks volumes about the nature of Israel, also, lamentably, of 
the Palestinian leadership and of the U.S. engagement in international 
organizations. Israel, the free, democratic country that it is, pursued 
OECD membership, not with a sense of entitlement but with patience and 
eagerness to demonstrate its eligibility and its competence in 
improving herself in the process.
  Israel first sent an observer delegation to the OECD in 1994. In the 
16 years since that time, Israel has carried out far-reaching economic 
reforms with respect to taxes, labor, competition, capital markets, 
pension funds, energy, communications, transport, and housing. Mr. 
Speaker, the list goes on and on.

                              {time}  1100

  It has grown its now-booming private sector and streamlined its 
overgrown public sector. Its tax burden is much lower than that of most 
OECD member states.
  Israel is now a world leader in science, technology, and 
entrepreneurship, home to the most high technology startup companies, 
scientific publications, and research and development spending per 
capita. And it has

[[Page H3836]]

been the most active nonmember country in the OECD, becoming a member 
or an observer in dozens of working bodies, a party to numerous OECD 
declarations, and coming into compliance with multiple OECD standards.
  Israel also continues to uphold the democratic values of its founding 
with a vibrant political system, a robust and autonomous judiciary, and 
a commitment to human rights. In short, Israel's democracy, its 
prosperity, and its freedom are a model for many nations and many 
people. Israel has clearly made its case for OECD membership.
  The Palestinian leadership, in contrast, has spent the last 16 years 
demonstrating time after time that it never misses an opportunity to 
miss an opportunity. It has rejected every offer of peace from Israel. 
It has refused to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. 
It has failed to crack down on violent extremism and anti-Israel 
incitement. Indeed, it has even tolerated and encouraged such behavior.
  It has supported boycotts of Israeli goods, and the Palestinian 
Authority's prime minister, whom some consider a moderate, even 
participated in a mass burning of such goods. And it has consistently 
tried to use international organizations, from the U.N. General 
Assembly to the Human Rights Council, with its infamous Goldstone 
Report, to the International Criminal Court, to demonize and 
delegitimize Israel.
  The Palestinian Authority tried hard to block Israel's candidacy for 
membership in the OECD, with the same Palestinian Authority prime 
minister personally lobbying foreign governments to oppose Israel's 
membership.
  Is this a partner for peace, Mr. Speaker?
  But it gets worse. A former Palestinian Authority foreign minister 
and senior associate of Abu Mazen announced just last week that the 
Palestinian Authority was intensifying its diplomatic and economic 
offensive against Israel. He said the Palestinian Authority needed ``to 
increase our efforts in the international arena to isolate and punish 
Israel, prevent it from deepening its relations with the European 
Union, and attempt to expel it from the United Nations.'' He continues, 
``We must pursue Israel in all international bodies and institutions.'' 
And Palestinian leaders keep threatening violence to extract 
concessions.
  Instead of focusing on building a better future for its people, the 
Palestinian leaders are focusing on tearing down that future for Israel 
and her citizens. This Congress should not reward such behavior by 
providing yet another $400 million bailout to the West Bank and Gaza, 
including another $150 million in cash directly to the Palestinian 
Authority.
  Finally, Israel's candidacy for OECD membership teaches us a lesson 
about when and how the U.S. should participate in international forums, 
and when and how it should not. The OECD is what the U.N. was intended 
to be, a group of free, Democratic countries cooperating to advance 
their values and shared interests. It has rigorous membership standards 
and new members must be approved by all existing members.
  Its Secretary General has demonstrated commitment to ensuring that 
Israel's candidacy and other issues are determined on the merits and 
are not politicized. That is why the U.S. should and does participate 
in the OECD, including by actively supporting Israel's candidacy for 
membership.
  In contrast, the UN's misnamed ``Human Rights Council'' has no 
meaningful standards for membership, other than the ability to gain the 
support of a mere majority of the U.N. General Assembly, which itself 
includes scores of countries that are not free democracies.
  In the most recent so-called ``elections,'' using the term loosely, 
to the Human Rights Council earlier this month, every single candidate, 
no matter how oppressive the government, ran unopposed on previously 
agreed upon regional slates. That is not democracy. It's what happens 
in the Castro brothers' Cuba. So it is no surprise that the Cuban 
regime is a longstanding member of the rogue's gallery that is the 
Human Rights Council, as are China, Saudi Arabia, and now Qaddafi's 
Libyan regime.
  None of these countries ever are condemned by the Human Rights 
Council for their rampant human rights violations, nor is Iran, nor is 
Syria. But the Council has devoted 80 percent of its resolutions and 
about half of its special sessions to bashing the democratic Jewish 
State of Israel, and it has passed numerous other anti-freedom 
measures.
  The administration's decision to join the Council, and the last year 
of the U.S. membership on that Council, have not changed these grim 
facts, lamentably. When the deck is stacked, when the fix is in against 
freedom and against democracy, the answer should be not to participate 
and instead vote ``no.'' The answer is for the U.S. and other 
responsible nations to walk out and demand better.
  Today, however, in this legitimate and distinguished House, I will 
proudly vote yes on this resolution. I encourage all of my colleagues 
to do the same.
  I thank my good friend and colleague from New York, Mr. Crowley, for 
cosponsoring this resolution with me; I thank our wonderful chairman, 
Chairman Berman, for agreeing to move it so promptly for floor 
consideration; and I again thank my good friend from Nevada, Ms. 
Berkley, for also standing on the side of Israel, always standing on 
the side of freedom and democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is plain to see from the words of my esteemed 
colleague, it is plain to see Israel's extraordinary impact on the 
global economy. Its accession to the OECD will have a positive impact 
on our global economy at a time when our economy is suffering 
worldwide.
  It would be my hope that the Palestinians, rather than to continue to 
refuse to make peace with Israel, to continue its terrorist attacks on 
innocent Israelis, its continuance to refuse face-to-face negotiations 
with the Israelis for peace, to actively incite anti-Semitism and 
hatred towards Israel, and to continue its attempts to delegitimize 
Israel's very right to exist, that perhaps instead it would be more 
worthwhile for the Palestinian people if its leaders would work with 
Israel to improve its own economic situation, to raise the Palestinian 
people from the misery, poverty, and squalor in which they live, and in 
which they continue to live, not because of the Israelis' success, but 
because of the lack of movement on the part of the Palestinian 
leadership that continues to use and abuse their own people and attempt 
to delegitimize Israel's very right to exist.
  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1391, 
congratulating Israel for its accession to membership in the 
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  On May 10, 2010, 31 OECD member states unanimously agreed to invite 
Israel to become a member of that organization. The OECD noted in a 
statement that ``Israel's scientific and technological policies have 
produced outstanding outcomes on a world scale.'' Israel's finance 
minister, Yuval Steinitz, described Israel joining the OECD as ``a 
badge of honor'' for Israel, which was one of the few economies to show 
growth in 2009 during the world economic crisis.
  It is critical to recognize the importance of Israel's involvement 
now and in the future in international organizations. I stand with my 
colleagues in commending President Obama and the administration for the 
integral role it played in Israel's successful bid for accession to 
membership in the OECD. This only furthers to strengthen the bonds 
between the United States and Israel.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1391, a 
resolution congratulating and commending Israel for its accession to 
membership in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and 
Development, OECD.
  On May 10th, it was announced that OECD member states had unanimously 
voted to extend membership to Israel. This landmark vote recognizes 
Israel's economic strength, and it is a clear victory over efforts to 
marginalize and delegitimize the country. Israel's accession to the 
OECD will speed its economic integration into the global community and 
provide increased opportunities for foreign investment.
  Despite living under the constant threat of terror and war, Israel 
has developed one of the world's most robust economies. Last year, 
Israel boasted one of few economies in the world to show growth during 
the economic crisis. OECD has predicted a 3.5 percent increase in 
Israel's economy in 2010.

[[Page H3837]]

  I visited Israel in early April and saw a modern, vibrant economy 
driven by scientific and technological advancement. While international 
attention remains fixed on the politics of the region, the OECD vote is 
a critical recognition of Israel's robust economy and ongoing 
innovation.
  Last week, I joined over 30 of my colleagues in signing a letter to 
President Obama, thanking him for his administration's strong support 
of Israel's bid, as well as a letter to OECD Secretary-General Angel 
Guria expressing appreciation for the OECD vote.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support Israel's accession to the OECD, and I 
encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  Ms. BERKLEY. 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 
gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1391, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________