[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 114 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           RECOGNIZING JORDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 2013

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to support House 
Resolution 222, recognizing the long-term partnership and friendship 
between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, working 
together towards peace and security in the Middle East. I would like to 
recognize the bipartisan support of my colleagues, including House 
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot 
Engel. This resolution comes at a time of extreme unrest and conflict 
in the region.
  Since taking up the post of our country's top diplomat in February, 
Secretary of State John Kerry has traveled to Amman over six times. 
Close cooperation between our two nations is critical to meet the 
challenges of the Middle East region. Jordan plays a key role as the 
host and mediator in Middle East peace negotiations between the 
Israelis and Palestinians. Jordan has maintained full, normalized 
diplomatic relations with Israel for almost 20 years since signing the 
historic 1994 Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty. As an advocate for progress 
in the Middle East peace process, Jordan is a stabilizing force for the 
region.
  The horrific violence in neighboring Syria threatens to destabilize 
an entire region. The al-Assad regime continues to fuel a humanitarian 
crisis through attacks against innocent civilians. Over 100,000 Syrian 
lives have been lost and approximately 1.8 million refugees have fled 
Syria. Jordan is hosting over half a million refugees, which is almost 
10% of Jordan's population. The government of Jordan is partnering with 
the international community to care for the needs of this vulnerable 
population, providing shelter, food, water, health care and education. 
The burden of caring for such a large number of refugees places 
enormous economic and social pressures on the country.
  The United States has enjoyed a strong alliance with Jordan for over 
six decades. The Jordanians work closely with the United States in 
multiple areas, from cooperation in regional and global 
counterterrorism efforts, to economic development and humanitarian 
assistance. King Abdullah II is an advocate for modernization in the 
Arab world, and recognizes the potential opportunity for political 
reform in Jordan. U.S.-Jordan relations are a key element of U.S. 
strategic interests in the Middle East. I am pleased to offer this 
resolution commending the people and Government of Jordan for their 
continued friendship with the United States and commitment to peace, 
security and stability in the Middle East.

                          ____________________