[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 17962]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 WELCOMING THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 357, submitted 
earlier by Senator Brownback and Senator Wellstone.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The resolution will be stated by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 357) welcoming Prime Minister Atal 
     Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, upon his first 
     official visit to the United States, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be 
agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, and finally any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed in the record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 357) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 357

       Whereas the United States and India are two of the world's 
     largest democracies that together represent one-fifth of the 
     world's population and more than one-fourth of the world's 
     economy;
       Whereas the United States and India share common ideals and 
     a vision for the 21st century, where freedom and democracy 
     are the strongest foundations for peace and prosperity;
       Whereas the growing partnership between the United States 
     and India is reinforced by the ties of scholarship and 
     commerce and, increasingly, of kinship among our people;
       Whereas the million-strong Indian-American community in the 
     United States has enriched and enlivened the societies of 
     both the United States and India, and this community provides 
     a strong bond between India and the United States and is 
     playing an important role in deepening and strengthening 
     cooperation between India and the United States; and
       Whereas the visit to the United States of the Prime 
     Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is a significant 
     step in the broadening and strengthening of relations between 
     the United States and India: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby--
       (1) welcomes the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari 
     Vajpayee, upon his first official visit to the United States;
       (2) pledges its commitment to the expansion of ties between 
     the United States and India, to the mutual benefit of both 
     countries; and
       (3) recognizes that the visit of the Prime Minister of 
     India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to the United States is a 
     significant step towards broadening and deepening the 
     friendship and cooperation between the United States and 
     India.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the President with the request that he 
     further transmit such copy to the Prime Minister of India, 
     Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

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