[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 11997-11998]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
      MARKING THE 225TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TREATY OF PARIS OF 1783

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1063) marking the 225th anniversary of the Treaty 
of Paris of 1783, which ended the Revolutionary War with the Kingdom of 
Great Britain and recognized the independence of the United States of 
America, and acknowledging the shared values and close friendship 
between the peoples and governments of the United States and the United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1063

       Whereas the United States will celebrate this year the 
     225th anniversary of its relationship with the United Kingdom 
     of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since the September 3, 
     1783 signing of the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the 
     American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great 
     Britain and the United States of America;
       Whereas both the United Kingdom and the United States are 
     free and democratic nations with a common commitment to human 
     rights and the rule of law;
       Whereas the United Kingdom is a major ally of the United 
     States and 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the US-UK 
     Mutual Defense Agreement that was signed in Washington, DC, 
     on July 3, 1958, and renewed in Washington, DC, on June 14, 
     2004;
       Whereas both the United Kingdom and the United States are 
     founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (NATO), having been party to the North Atlantic Treaty signed 
     in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949;
       Whereas the United Kingdom is a major partner in the 
     worldwide fight against terrorism, supporting the United 
     States in many key armed struggles;
       Whereas the United Kingdom is the second largest 
     contributor to the multinational force in Iraq;
       Whereas the United Kingdom plays a significant role in the 
     military effort to bring lasting stability to Afghanistan and 
     is the second largest contributor to NATO's International 
     Security Assistance Force;
       Whereas the United Kingdom and the United States share a 
     steadfast alliance and a long tradition of opposing 
     extremism, which included fighting the forces of nazism and 
     communism in the 20th century;
       Whereas the United Kingdom is the sixth largest trading 
     partner of the United States, and the United States is the 
     largest trading partner of the United Kingdom;
       Whereas the United States and the United Kingdom share the 
     world's largest foreign direct investment partnership, with 
     American investment sustaining over a million jobs in the 
     United Kingdom and British investment sustaining over a 
     million jobs in the United States;
       Whereas approximately 675,000 British citizens reside in 
     the United States, and 155,000 Americans reside in the United 
     Kingdom, with both communities contributing to the fabric of 
     life in their host countries;
       Whereas approximately 8,400 British students are currently 
     studying at universities in the United States, and 32,000 
     American students are studying at universities in the United 
     Kingdom; and
       Whereas the relationship between the United States and the 
     United Kingdom is one of unity and strength, and has been 
     proven to be of mutual benefit: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) marks the 225th anniversary of relations between the 
     United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain;
       (2) recognizes that the Kingdom of Great Britain's 
     recognition of the United States was an important event in 
     the history of the Nation;
       (3) reaffirms the value of the deep friendship that has 
     developed between our two Countries since the signing of the 
     Treaty of Paris; and
       (4) looks forward to a continued and strengthened 
     relationship between the British and American people.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members have 5 legislative 
days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous 
material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to support this resolution that marks 225 years since 
the Treaty of Paris concluded the Revolutionary War with Great Britain 
and that acknowledges the close friendship enjoyed by our two countries 
ever since.
  I commend our distinguished colleague, Representative Wu of Oregon, 
and Vice-Chair of the British-American Parliamentary Group, who 
introduced this measure. It is important that the House marks this 
anniversary and celebrates such a vital bipartisan partnership, 
bilateral partnership also.
  The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, formally ending 
the Revolutionary War between the 13 original colonies and the Kingdom 
of Great Britain. The settlement of the war and the recognition of our 
young Nation by Great Britain was a moment of great significance in the 
infancy of our Nation.
  Two hundred twenty-five years later, the United Kingdom remains one 
of our closest allies by virtue of our shared history and values. Both 
the United States and the UK have proud histories of representative 
democracy and respect for the rule of law.
  They have also encouraged and helped many people around the world 
secure the freedoms and rights their own citizens enjoy. During World 
War I, the United States and the United Kingdom fought together as a 
part of the allied forces against autocratic imperialism.
  During World War II, again, against the Axis, our countries stood 
together against the scourge of Nazism and fascism. Our brave troops 
helped to liberate European countries from Nazi occupation, and 
innocent civilians from the horrors of concentration camps. We talked 
about the greatest generation, our World War II veterans, that we today 
still admire and respect.
  Throughout the 20th century, the United Kingdom has stood side-by-
side with the United States on critical issues concerning liberty and 
human rights. Most recently the United Kingdom has strongly supported 
the United States' effort in South Asia and the Middle East. British 
soldiers are the second largest contributors to NATO's International 
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and the multinational force in 
Iraq.
  The United States and the United Kingdom share long histories of 
industrialization, being among the first nations to develop 
technologically. Both nations have a culture of intervention and 
curiosity, as evidenced by the innumerable number of scientific 
discoveries and inventions. This work has enhanced the frequent 
collaboration between American and British researchers. We have a 
tremendous bilateral system going.
  Indeed, such links are often developed at an early stage as young 
people take advantage of educational opportunities in each others' 
countries. There are currently 8,400 British students attending 
American universities and 32,000 American youth staying in the UK. 
These young people know all too well the extensive cultural links 
between our countries as British and American arts, music, literature, 
cinema, are enjoyed on both sides of the Atlantic.
  In recognition of the close bilateral relations shared by the United 
States and the United Kingdom, I strongly support this resolution and 
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, while the positive relationship enjoyed by the United 
States and Great Britain is certainly historic, enduring and merits 
recognition, and it merits nurturing, we should also be focusing our 
time and debating policies to address the rising energy costs that are 
facing our Nation.
  Nevertheless, we have this resolution before us marking the 225th 
anniversary of the Treaty of Paris of 1783 between the United States 
and the

[[Page 11998]]

United Kingdom. The great British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was 
the first to refer to the alliance between the United States and the 
United Kingdom as a special relationship. In a speech he delivered in 
1946, he was right to use that term.
  The American British relationship is, indeed, special, with its 
foundation lying in the common values of freedom, democracy and human 
rights. Our mutual commitments to those principles have led the United 
States and Great Britain to stand side by side on the beaches of 
Normandy, at the Berlin wall, in the mountains of Afghanistan, and in 
those the parts of Iraq where the challenges today are greatest.
  The murderous terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in America, 
and on July 7, 2005, in Britain, have bound America and Britain even 
closer together in our determination to defeat extremism.
  During his recent visit to the United States, British Prime Minister 
Gordon Brown reaffirmed our strong relationship saying, ``I continue to 
stand shoulder to shoulder [with the US] in the fight where freedom and 
justice are at risk.''
  By adopting the resolution before us, we will again recognize the 
history of our special relationship with Britain, a relationship that 
ironically began with the revolution of one against the other, but that 
came into its full strength because of the values and the ideals that 
our two people have continued to share.
  Now, 225 years after the treaty of peace, in which Britain recognized 
the independence of the United States of America, that alliance between 
our two countries takes its guidance from the speech in 1946 in which 
Mr. Churchill noted our special relationship, and here is what he said 
then:
  If there is to be a fraternal association . . . with all the extra 
strength and security which both our countries can derive from it, let 
us make sure that that great fact is known to the world, and that it 
plays its part in steadying and stabilizing the foundations of peace. 
There is the path of wisdom.
  I encourage my colleagues to join supporting this resolution which 
follows Mr. Churchill's advice and lets the world know that the United 
States and the United Kingdom, indeed, have a strong and continuing 
relationship. I am not sure what Winston Churchill would say about 
today's high energy costs, but I bet that he would have a detailed plan 
to help us bring our costs down.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
author of this resolution, Mr. David Wu of Oregon, chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Science and Technology.
  Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his many kindnesses.
  Thomas Jefferson once said that ``no two countries upon Earth have so 
many points of common interest and friendship'' as the United States 
and the United Kingdom. Indeed, our two nations share values, 
traditions and a common commitment to democracy, human rights and the 
rule of law.
  I introduced House Resolution 1063 to mark the 225th anniversary of 
our diplomatic relationship with the United Kingdom, which began with 
the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1783. This treaty formalized the 
peace between the United States and Great Britain following our 
Revolutionary War.
  In September of 1782, Benjamin Franklin, along with fellow peace 
commissioners John Adams and John Jay, began formal negotiations for an 
end to hostilities between Great Britain and the de facto independent 
United States of America.
  After 2 months of negotiation, Britain and France and the United 
States reached a preliminary peace agreement. The following September, 
the parties met in Paris and signed what would become known as the 
Treaty of Paris of 1783. Since that time, Britain and the United States 
have come to be friends, allies and economic partners, a relationship 
that advances, enriches and inspires both sides of the Atlantic.
  As with all old sayings, it is the exception which proves the rule. 
For the old saying that great powers have only interests, not friends, 
the relationship between the United States of America and the United 
Kingdom is the exception which proves the rule.
  Recently I joined several of my colleagues in Congress and with 
members of the British Parliament for extensive discussions. It was a 
productive and thought-provoking exchange of ideas. I believe we can 
learn much from the experience of our British counterparts. One example 
would be dealing with the challenge of global climate change.
  I also believe our own knowledge and expertise can be of continued 
value to our friends in the United Kingdom. One example of that would 
be their expressed interest in the Death with Dignity Law which we 
passed in the State of Oregon.
  After two centuries, we can still learn from each other, prosper 
together, and jointly promote a better world.
  So it is fitting that we should mark with special approbation the 
225th anniversary of the treaty that began our relations with the 
United Kingdom as independent States. For over two centuries, our two 
nations have stood together in peace and war, in prosperity and 
hardship. Together we have faced two world wars, the Great Depression, 
the Cold War, terrorism, and triumphs and tragedies too numerous to 
recount.
  Please join me in marking the genesis of our diplomatic relationship 
with the United Kingdom by supporting House Resolution 1063. I thank 
the Speaker of the House for the House consideration of this resolution 
today, and I urge swift passage of H. Res. 1063.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, in order to close, I would like to 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I would like to note that this 225th 
anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the declaration in 
that treaty of the intention of both the U.S. and the United Kingdom to 
forget all past misunderstandings and differences and to secure 
perpetual peace and harmony, over 200 years later these goals remain a 
cornerstone to our strong relationship.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution and reaffirm our 
close ties to our dear ally, Great Britain.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me, once again, say what a great occasion 
it is marking the 225th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris of 1783.
  As has been indicated, we are close allies. Many of our 
organizations, as a matter of fact, the YMCA, which was founded in 
Great Britain in the late 1840s to take people who were coming into 
London because of the Industrial Revolution in London and England found 
a place where they could have a wholesome relationship. Twenty-five 
years later, that organization was brought to the United States of 
America. Still we have relations between them, just another example of 
close ties between the United States and the United Kingdom.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1063.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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