[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2284]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH KYRGYZSTAN

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week, I was grateful 
to be part of a Congressional delegation, led by Chairman David Dreier, 
that established a partnership with the parliament of Kyrgyzstan, the 
Jogorku Kenesh. We traveled as members of the House Democracy 
Partnership, which works with parliaments in new democracies to build 
stronger legislatures.
  Following parliamentary elections in 2010, the Kyrgyz Republic last 
year completed the first peaceful democratic transition of Presidential 
power in Central Asia after an open and competitive election. New 
President Almazbek Atambayev is committed to parliamentary democracy.
  Under the leadership of Speaker Asylbek Jeenbekov, the parliament and 
HDP will work together to strengthen committee operations, budget 
analyses, constituent relations, and other institutional reforms.
  Kyrgyzstan is a bright star in Central Asia, with a growing economy, 
dedicated President, the prestigious American University of central 
Asia, and dynamic parliamentarians working with an engaged population 
to establish a democracy.
  In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget 
September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

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