[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 10, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 41--RECOGNIZING 100 YEARS OF THE UNITED 
          STATES-AUSTRALIA RELATIONSHIP--100 YEARS OF MATESHIP

  Mr. BLUNT (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Capito, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Markey, Mr. McCain, 
Mr. Alexander, Mr. Risch, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Perdue, and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) 
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                            S. Con. Res. 41

       Whereas United States and Australian troops first fought 
     together in and won the Battle of Hamel on the Western Front 
     in France on July 4, 1918, under the command of Australian 
     General John Monash;
       Whereas the hard fought victory achieved by the combined 
     forces at Hamel helped turn the tide of World War I;
       Whereas Australia has fought together with the United 
     States in every major conflict since 1918;
       Whereas more than 100,000 Australian service members have 
     given the ultimate sacrifice alongside their brothers and 
     sisters in arms from the United States;
       Whereas the United States and Australia officially 
     established bilateral diplomatic relations on January 8, 
     1940;
       Whereas the United States and Australia formalized their 
     security alliance with the signing of the Australia, New 
     Zealand, United States Security Treaty, done at San Francisco 
     September 1, 1951 (commonly known as the ANZUS Treaty);
       Whereas the ANZUS Treaty was invoked the first and only 
     time in response to the terrorist attacks on the United 
     States on September 11, 2001;
       Whereas the United States and Australia share information 
     essential for security and defense through the Five Eyes 
     intelligence alliance;
       Whereas the Force Posture Agreement between the Government 
     of Australia and the Government of the United States of 
     America, done at Sydney August 12, 2014, enables closer 
     security and defense cooperation between the 2 allies;
       Whereas the United States and Australia conduct diverse 
     joint military exercises and training to enhance capabilities 
     throughout the world, and Australia hosts United States 
     Marines at bases in its Northern Territory;
       Whereas the United States and Australia work closely in a 
     number of international fora, including the Group of Twenty 
     (G-20);
       Whereas the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, 
     done at Washington May 18, 2004, came into effect on January 
     1, 2005;
       Whereas the United States and Australia conduct 
     $65,000,000,000 in 2-way trade and have an investment 
     relationship valued at $1,100,000,000,000,
       Whereas July 4, 2018, marks the 100-year anniversary of the 
     Battle of Hamel and serves as the date on which the United 
     States and Australia celebrate the first 100 years of 
     Mateship:
       Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of 
     Hamel, forging the unique and enduring relationship between 
     the United States and Australia;
       (2) reaffirms the strong military alliance relationship 
     between the United States and Australia; and
       (3) supports continued diplomatic, security, and economic 
     cooperation between the United States and Australia.

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