[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 29025]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         EQUALITY FOR ISRAEL AT THE UNITED NATIONS ACT OF 1999

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of calendar No. 376, S. 923.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 923) to promote full equality at the United 
     Nations for Israel.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and any statements relating to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 923) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 923

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Equality for Israel at the 
     United Nations Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. EFFORT TO PROMOTE FULL EQUALITY AT THE UNITED NATIONS 
                   FOR ISRAEL.

       (a) Congressional Statement.--It is the sense of the 
     Congress that--
       (1) the United States should help promote an end to the 
     inequity experienced by Israel in the United Nations whereby 
     Israel is the only longstanding member of the organization to 
     be denied acceptance into any of the United Nations region 
     blocs, which serve as the basis for participation in 
     important activities of the United Nations, including 
     rotating membership on the United Nations Security Council; 
     and
       (2) the United States Ambassador to the United Nations 
     should take all steps necessary to ensure Israel's acceptance 
     in the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG) regional bloc, 
     whose membership includes the non-European countries of 
     Canada, Australia, and the United States.
       (b) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 60 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and on a quarterly basis 
     thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report which includes 
     the following information (in classified or unclassified form 
     as appropriate):
       (1) actions taken by representatives of the United States, 
     including the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, 
     to encourage the nations of the Western Europe and Others 
     Group (WEOG) to accept Israel into their regional bloc;
       (2) efforts undertaken by the Secretary General of the 
     United Nations to secure Israel's full and equal 
     participation in that body;
       (3) specific responses solicited and received by the 
     Secretary of State from each of the nations of Western Europe 
     and Others Group (WEOG) on their position concerning Israel's 
     acceptance into their organization; and
       (4) other measures being undertaken, and which will be 
     undertaken, to ensure and promote Israel's full and equal 
     participation in the United Nations.

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