[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 17, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E518-E519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING 50 YEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QATAR AND THE U.S.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 2022

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to 
commemorate the 50-year relationship between the United States and 
Qatar.
  In addition to serving as the Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on 
Qatar, I serve on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the 
House Armed Services Committee. I am grateful for the opportunity to 
work closely with Qatar both diplomatically and strategically.
  The United States established diplomatic relations with Qatar 
following its independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. Officially, 
the beginning of diplomatic relations took place on March 19, 1972, 
when American diplomat William Stoltzfus met with Qatari government 
officials and submitted his credentials. Bilateral relations between 
the two countries expanded when the U.S. opened its embassy in Doha in 
March 1973; and when the first resident U.S. Ambassador, Robert Peter 
Paganelli, arrived in July 1974.
  The United States and Qatar cooperate militarily and strategically on 
security in the region. One of the earliest and most notable military 
cooperation's between the U.S. and Qatar was in 1991, when joint 
military operations were conducted against Saddam Hussein's Iraq during 
Operation Desert Storm. In the aftermath, both nations agreed upon the 
need for a Defense Cooperation Agreement. This pact, which has 
subsequently been expanded, has served as the basis for our military 
collaboration.
  In 1996, Qatar built Al Udeid Air Base to further security ties 
between our countries. In 1999, then Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad, told 
U.S. officials that he ``would like to see as many as 10,000 U.S. 
servicemen permanently stationed at Al Udeid.'' The U.S. first used the 
then-secret base in late September 2001, when the Air Force needed to 
get aircraft in position for its operations in Afghanistan. In April 
2003, the U.S. Combat Air Operations Center for the Middle East moved 
from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia to Qatar, underscoring the 
importance of Qatar to the American presence and objectives in the 
region.
  Al Udeid is now home to the largest U.S. military base in the Middle 
East and more notably Qatar is not only allowing expansion of Al Udeid, 
but also funding it and managing the construction. In fact, the Qatari 
government has provided over $8 billion in funding for Al Udeid Air 
Base since 2003. After renovations and expansions, Al Udeid will be 
able to accommodate up to 120 aircraft and 10,000 troops, just like 
then Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad had wished for.
  Personally, I am grateful that the U.S. Air Forces Central Command is 
headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina and has a forward 
headquarters in Qatar. As the air component of CENTCOM, AFCENT is 
responsible for air operations, either unilaterally or in concert with 
coalition partners, and for developing contingency plans in support of 
national objectives for CENTCOM's 20-nation area of responsibility.
  Qatar has been an invaluable partner on several diplomatic fronts. 
Qatar quietly assisted in ending the Israel-Hamas war in May 2021 and 
continues to be helpful in seeking to improve Israeli relations with 
Palestinians. Qatar played a significant role in the evacuation of more 
than 100,000 people from Afghanistan after the disastrous withdrawal by 
the Biden Administration. Qatar facilitated vetting of individuals 
seeking to leave the country and organized aspects of their departure. 
Many of the flights that enabled people to evacuate were by way of 
Qatari airlines. In addition, a large percentage of the new refugees 
were brought to Qatar, which arranged housing and other shelter for 
them as well as food, medicine and other provisions. At one point, the 
Qatari military was providing over 50,000 meals per day to the newly 
arrived refugees. There are still thousands of Afghan refugees in 
Qatar, where they continue to receive much needed care and assistance.
  In addition to security and diplomatic relations, the United States 
and Qatar have extensive economic ties. As Qatar's largest foreign 
direct investor and its single largest source of imports, the United 
States has developed a robust trade relationship with Qatar, with over 
120 U.S companies operating in country. U.S. exports to Qatar increased 
by 47.7 percent from 2018 to 2019, totaling $6.5 billion in 2019.

[[Page E519]]

  The United States is a leading equipment supplier and partner for 
Qatar's oil and gas industry, and U.S. companies have played a 
significant role in the development of the oil and gas sector. In 
addition to energy, U.S. companies also export to Qatar's defense, 
aviation, ICT, healthcare, food, and engineering/construction sectors. 
U.S. imports from Qatar include liquefied natural gas, aluminum, 
fertilizers, and sulfur. The United States and Qatar signed a trade and 
investment framework agreement and participate in annual bilateral 
Strategic Dialogues.
  I appreciate Qatar's efforts to invest $45 billion in the United 
States, including large investments in South Carolina. Qatari firm 
Barzan is helping fund a facility in Charleston, South Carolina, adding 
an estimated 50,000 American jobs.
  Major educational ties have been developed over the course of the 
fifty-year relationship. Annually, there are hundreds of Qatari 
students studying in the United States and six U.S. universities have 
branch campuses in Qatar's Education City complex. These Universities 
are Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, Weill 
Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, 
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University School of 
Foreign Service in Qatar, and Northwestern University.
  In conclusion, over the course of the fifty-year relationship, the 
United States and Qatar have developed military and strategic ties, 
cooperated on major diplomatic initiatives, enlarged financial and 
economic relations, and supported educational advancement for students 
in both countries. With that being said, the most important factor to 
consider is that two nations located in different regions of the world, 
with different histories and cultures have been able to forge an 
enduring and prosperous friendship based on many shared values. This 
will set the stage for the next fifty years and beyond.

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