[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 13178-13180]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE WITH RESPECT TO MOLDOVA

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs be discharged from further 
consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 562) expressing the sense of 
the House of Representatives with respect to enhanced relations with 
the Republic of Moldova and support for Moldova's territorial 
integrity, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 562

       Whereas the United States has enjoyed good relations with 
     the Republic of Moldova since the Republic of Moldova's 
     independence in 1991;
       Whereas since the Republic of Moldova's independence, the 
     United States has provided financial assistance to support 
     the people of Moldova's efforts to build a prosperous 
     European democracy;
       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Moldova 
     further strengthened their partnership through the launching 
     of a Strategic Dialogue on March 3, 2014;
       Whereas the Republic of Moldova is due to sign an 
     Association Agreement containing comprehensive free trade 
     provisions with the European Union on June 27, 2014;
       Whereas the United States Government supports the 
     democratic aspirations of the people of the Republic of 
     Moldova and their expressed desire to deepen their 
     association with the European Union;
       Whereas in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human 
     Rights found that Transnistria was set up with the support of 
     the Russian Federation and considered it ``under the 
     effective authority or at least decisive influence of 
     Russia'';
       Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and 
     territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and on that 
     basis participates as an observer in the ``5+2'' negotiations 
     to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a 
     special status for the separatist region of Transnistria 
     within Moldova;

[[Page 13179]]

       Whereas the leaders of the Transnistrian region of the 
     Republic of Moldova requested to postpone the ``5+2'' round 
     of talks scheduled to take place in April 2014;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation banned the 
     import of Moldovan wine in 2013 and has threatened to ban 
     Moldovan agricultural products, curtail the supply of energy 
     resources to Moldova, and impose stricter labor migration 
     policies on the people of Moldova;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains 
     a contingent of Russian troops and a stockpile of Russian 
     military equipment and ammunition within the Moldovan region 
     of Transnistria;
       Whereas the Government of Russia has been actively issuing 
     Russian passports to the residents of the Transnistria 
     region;
       Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for 
     Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Government of 
     Moldova have called upon the Government of the Russian 
     Federation to remove its troops from the territory of the 
     Republic of Moldova;
       Whereas authorities in the Republic of Moldova's 
     Transnistria region have restricted access to the region by 
     OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors, preventing the Mission from 
     providing impartial reporting on the security situation in 
     the region;
       Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate both 
     passed by an overwhelming majority, and the President signed 
     into law, S. 2183, providing for a United States 
     international broadcasting programming surge to counter 
     misinformation from Russian-supported news outlets and 
     ensuring that Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine and 
     Moldova have access to independent news and information; and
       Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in 
     promoting global security by participating in U.N. 
     peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, and 
     Georgia: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to 
     support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial 
     integrity of the Republic of Moldova and the inviolability of 
     its borders by other nation-states;
       (2) supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to 
     strengthen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the 
     United States and enhance the democratic, economic, rule of 
     law, and security reforms already being implemented by the 
     Republic of Moldova;
       (3) encourages the President and the Department of State to 
     enhance United States cooperation with the Government of 
     Moldova and civil society organizations and focus assistance 
     on justice sector reform, anti-corruption efforts, 
     strengthening democratic institutions, domestic energy 
     development, diversification of energy supplies and energy 
     efficiency, as well as promoting trade and investment 
     opportunities;
       (4) encourages the President to expedite the implementation 
     of Public Law 113-96, especially for populations in Ukraine 
     and Moldova;
       (5) affirms the Republic of Moldova's sovereign right to 
     determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and 
     pressure, and affirms Moldova's right to associate with the 
     European Union or any regional organization;
       (6) calls upon the Government of Russia to fulfill its 
     commitments made at the OSCE's Istanbul summit in 1999 and to 
     withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the 
     internationally recognized territory of the Republic of 
     Moldova;
       (7) calls upon the Government of Russia to refrain from 
     economic threats and pressure against Moldova and to cease 
     any and all actions that support separatist movements on the 
     territory of Moldova;
       (8) supports constructive engagement and confidence-
     building measures between the Government of Moldova and the 
     authorities in the Transnistria region in order to secure a 
     peaceful resolution to the conflict;
       (9) supports efforts to resolve the Transnistria issue 
     through a comprehensive settlement that affirms Moldova's 
     sovereignty and territorial integrity, while providing a 
     special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova;
       (10) urges officials in the Transnistrian region to allow 
     OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors unrestricted access to the 
     region;
       (11) urges all parties to refrain from unilateral actions 
     that may undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution, 
     as well as the agreements already reached, and encourages 
     leaders of the Transnistrian region to resume negotiations 
     toward a political settlement; and
       (12) affirms that lasting stability and security in Europe 
     is a key priority for the United States and that these can 
     only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty 
     of all European countries is respected.

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
strong support for House Resolution 562, which expresses the sense of 
the House with regard to the United States' special relationship with 
the Republic of Moldova. I am especially pleased to join my colleague, 
Congressman Joe Pitts, with whom I co-chair the Congressional Moldova 
Caucus here in the House, and with whom I am proud to have coauthored 
the resolution before us here today.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States and Moldova have enjoyed a strong and 
evolving friendship for many years. Since its independence following 
the fall of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Moldova--like all nascent 
democracies--has weathered the at-times uncertain path toward a stable, 
certain future. But the remarkable progress of the past several decades 
is a testament not only to the tenacity and spirit of the Moldovan 
people, but also to Moldova's promise and potential as a strong, 
independent nation in the future.
  In the past several years, we have seen Moldova reach a number of 
milestones on the path toward broader and more comprehensive engagement 
with Europe--and with the United States. Our House Democracy 
Partnership witnessed the country's progress first-hand on a 2007 
visit. I was pleased to join Congressman Pitts and more than 360 of our 
colleagues at the end of the last Congress to support a bill that 
finally removed unnecessary trade barriers between the Republic of 
Moldova and the United States.
  And we were heartened last fall by the initialing of the Association 
Agreement between Moldova and the European Union in Vilnius--an 
Agreement that, as noted in the Resolution under consideration here 
today, was formally signed by the parties on June 27, 2014, just a few 
weeks ago. This enhanced Association is especially timely given the 
role played by the Russian Federation in neighboring Ukraine, where the 
fomenting of unrest and rebellion has ominous implications for the 
region as a whole.
  Lastly, I am particularly pleased to note that the bond between 
Moldova and the United States lies not just at the national level; 
North Carolina and Moldova enjoy a significant friendship as ``sister 
states,'' through the North Carolina-Moldova Partnership. Our National 
Guard works closely with their counterparts in Moldova through the 
Guard's State Partnership Program. This close relationship between my 
state and the Republic of Moldova has brought our citizens together and 
promises cultural and economic benefits to come.
  I congratulate the Republic of Moldova, and the Moldovan people, and 
look forward to our continued friendship.


              AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. SMITH OF NEW JERSEY

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I have an amendment to the text at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following:
       That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to 
     support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial 
     integrity of the Republic of Moldova and the inviolability of 
     its borders by other nation-states;
       (2) supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to 
     strengthen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the 
     United States and enhance the democratic, economic, rule of 
     law, and security reforms already being implemented by the 
     Republic of Moldova;
       (3) encourages the President and the Department of State to 
     enhance United States cooperation with the Government of 
     Moldova and civil society organizations and focus assistance 
     on justice sector reform, anti-corruption efforts, 
     strengthening democratic institutions, domestic energy 
     development, diversification of energy supplies and energy 
     efficiency, as well as promoting trade and investment 
     opportunities;
       (4) encourages the President to expedite the implementation 
     of Public Law 113-96, especially for populations in Ukraine 
     and Moldova;
       (5) affirms the Republic of Moldova's sovereign right to 
     determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and 
     pressure, and affirms Moldova's right to associate with the 
     European Union or any regional organization;
       (6) calls upon the Government of Russia to fulfill its 
     commitments made at the OSCE's Istanbul summit in 1999 and to 
     withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the 
     internationally recognized territory of the Republic of 
     Moldova;
       (7) calls upon the Government of Russia to refrain from 
     economic threats and pressure against Moldova and to cease 
     any and all actions that support separatist movements on the 
     territory of Moldova;
       (8) supports constructive engagement and confidence-
     building measures between the Government of Moldova and the 
     authorities in the Transnistria region in order to secure a 
     peaceful resolution to the conflict;
       (9) supports efforts to resolve the Transnistria issue 
     through a comprehensive settlement that affirms Moldova's 
     sovereignty and territorial integrity, while providing a 
     special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova;
       (10) urges officials in the Transnistrian region to allow 
     OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors unrestricted access to the 
     region;

[[Page 13180]]

       (11) urges all parties to refrain from unilateral actions 
     that may undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution, 
     as well as the agreements already reached, and encourages 
     leaders of the Transnistrian region to resume negotiations 
     toward a political settlement; and
       (12) affirms that lasting stability and security in Europe 
     is a key priority for the United States and that these can 
     only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty 
     of all European countries is respected.

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent that the reading of the text be dispensed with.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, was agreed to.


      Amendment to the Preamble Offered by Mr. Smith of New Jersey

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment to the 
preamble at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas the United States has enjoyed good relations with 
     the Republic of Moldova since the Republic of Moldova's 
     independence in 1991;
       Whereas since the Republic of Moldova's independence, the 
     United States has provided financial assistance to support 
     the people of Moldova's efforts to build a prosperous 
     European democracy;
       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Moldova 
     further strengthened their partnership through the launching 
     of a Strategic Dialogue on March 3, 2014;
       Whereas the Republic of Moldova is due to sign an 
     Association Agreement containing comprehensive free trade 
     provisions with the European Union on June 27, 2014;
       Whereas the United States Government supports the 
     democratic aspirations of the people of the Republic of 
     Moldova and their expressed desire to deepen their 
     association with the European Union;
       Whereas in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human 
     Rights found that Transnistria was set up with the support of 
     the Russian Federation and considered it ``under the 
     effective authority or at least decisive influence of 
     Russia'';
       Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and 
     territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and on that 
     basis participates as an observer in the ``5+2'' negotiations 
     to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a 
     special status for the separatist region of Transnistria 
     within Moldova;
       Whereas the leaders of the Transnistrian region of the 
     Republic of Moldova requested to postpone the ``5+2'' round 
     of talks scheduled to take place in April 2014;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation banned the 
     import of Moldovan wine in 2013 and has threatened to ban 
     Moldovan agricultural products, curtail the supply of energy 
     resources to Moldova, and impose stricter labor migration 
     policies on the people of Moldova;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains 
     a contingent of Russian troops and a stockpile of Russian 
     military equipment and ammunition within the Moldovan region 
     of Transnistria;
       Whereas the Government of Russia has been actively issuing 
     Russian passports to the residents of the Transnistria 
     region;
       Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for 
     Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Government of 
     Moldova have called upon the Government of the Russian 
     Federation to remove its troops from the territory of the 
     Republic of Moldova;
       Whereas authorities in the Republic of Moldova's 
     Transnistria region have restricted access to the region by 
     OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors, preventing the Mission from 
     providing impartial reporting on the security situation in 
     the region;
       Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate both 
     passed by an overwhelming majority, and the President signed 
     into law, S. 2183, providing for a United States 
     international broadcasting programming surge to counter 
     misinformation from Russian-supported news outlets and 
     ensuring that Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine and 
     Moldova have access to independent news and information; and
       Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in 
     promoting global security by participating in U.N. 
     peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, and 
     Georgia: Now, therefore, be it

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent that the reading of the preamble text be dispensed 
with.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________