[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNITION OF BOSNIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Bosnian 
people as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bosnia and 
Herzegovina's independence.
  As a founding member and cochairman of the Congressional Bosnian 
Caucus and having the distinct honor of representing a growing, vibrant 
community of Bosnian Americans in St. Louis, Missouri, one of the 
largest Bosnian American communities in the U.S., I'm pleased to 
recognize Bosnian Independence Day with my constituents and the people 
of Bosnia.
  Yesterday, our caucus cochair, Representative Chris Smith, and I had 
a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss progress 
and continued challenges in Bosnia. I'm encouraged that the elected 
leaders have begun to do what is in the best interest of their country: 
to form a government, to begin to pass laws that will help put Bosnia 
on a path to membership in NATO and the European Union.
  In the face of tremendous challenge, Bosnia has made great progress 
over the past 20 years, but there is much more to be done.
  Yesterday, I urged Secretary Clinton to continue active U.S. 
involvement in the country and to strengthen U.S. support for the 
Bosnian people as they embark on a wide range of needed reforms.
  I'm proud to represent thousands of Bosnians in the St. Louis region. 
It's with great pride that I continue to stand with them today and 
offer a hearty congratulations on the 20th anniversary of independence.

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