[House Hearing, 106 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
H. CON. RES. 331, COMMENDING ISRAEL'S REDEPLOYMENT FROM SOUTHERN
LEBANON
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MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
MAY 24, 2000
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Serial No. 106-160
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Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/
international--relations
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
67-829 WASHINGTON : 2000
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COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman
WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa TOM LANTOS, California
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DAN BURTON, Indiana Samoa
ELTON GALLEGLY, California MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
DANA ROHRABACHER, California SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
PETER T. KING, New York PAT DANNER, Missouri
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama
MARSHALL ``MARK'' SANFORD, South BRAD SHERMAN, California
Carolina ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
MATT SALMON, Arizona STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey
AMO HOUGHTON, New York JIM DAVIS, Florida
TOM CAMPBELL, California EARL POMEROY, North Dakota
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
KEVIN BRADY, Texas GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina BARBARA LEE, California
PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
GEORGE RADANOVICH, California JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania
JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado
Richard J. Garon, Chief of Staff
Kathleen Bertelsen Moazed, Democratic Chief of Staff
Hillel Weinberg, Senior Professional Staff Member and Counsel
Marilyn C. Owen, Staff Associate
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Markup of H. Con. Res. 331, Commending Israel's redeployment from
southern Lebanon............................................... 1
APPENDIX
House Concurrent Resolution 331.................................. 3
H. CON. RES. 331, COMMENDING ISRAEL'S REDEPLOYMENT FROM SOUTHERN
LEBANON
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000
House of Representatives,
Committee on International Relations,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 4:37 p.m. In Room
H-139, The Capitol, Hon. Benjamin A. Gilman (Chairman of the
Committee) presiding.
Chairman Gilman. The Committee will come to order.
The Committee on International Relations meets in open
session, pursuant to notice, to mark up House Concurrent
Resolution 331.
The Chair lays the resolution before the Committee. The
clerk will report the title of the resolution.
Mr. Weinberg. House Concurrent Resolution 331. Concurrent
resolution----
Chairman Gilman. Without objection, the preamble and
operative language of the resolution will be read in that order
for amendment. The clerk will read.
Mr. Weinberg. Whereas Israel has been actively seeking a
comprehensive----
Chairman Gilman. Without objection, the resolution is
considered as having been read and is open to amendment at any
point.
[The bill appears in the appendix.]
Chairman Gilman. This resolution is in the original
jurisdiction of the Full Committee. I would now recognize
myself briefly to introduce this resolution.
H. Con. Res. 331, a concurrent resolution introduced by our
distinguished Majority Leader, Mr. Armey of Texas, commends
Israel's decision to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon.
I was more than pleased to lend my cosponsorship and strong
support to this resolution, which also calls on the U.N.
Security Council to recognize Israel's fulfillment of
Resolution 425, and to insist that all foreign forces be
withdrawn from Lebanon.
Also cosponsoring H. Con. Res. 331 are the distinguished
Minority Leader, Mr. Gephardt of Missouri, as well as our
Ranking Minority Member of our House International Relations
Committee, Mr. Gejdenson of Connecticut.
Israel's courageous decision to pull out of Lebanon
demonstrates its strong commitment to a peaceful resolution to
the conflicts that trouble the region.
By withdrawing from Lebanon, Israel will be in full
compliance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 425.
A major priority of ours is to affirm Israel's right, as
noted in Chapter 7, Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,
to defend itself and its civilians from attack. I am pleased
that in H. Con. Res. 331 we are sending a strong bipartisan
message of peace and stability to the region, and I urge our
colleagues to fully support this important and timely
resolution.
Mr. Gejdenson?
Mr. Gejdenson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to commend
you for moving this resolution as rapidly as we are.
I want to say that Israel, with Prime Minister Barak and
his commitment during the campaign to remove Israeli forces
from Lebanon, has fulfilled that obligation; and I think we are
appropriate in commending the Israelis for this action that has
I think begun, a process of Lebanon taking full control of its
own territory.
The United States and the United Nations should do
everything they can to assist Lebanon in taking over full
control of its territory, removing all the foreign entities and
controlling all internal entities. Clearly, Hezbollah should
recognize this as an opportunity to take peaceful political
actions. Additionally, countries in the region, particularly
Syria, I think, have to be warned that if they try to use this
as an opportunity for creating mischief, they will pay a
terrible price in the international community, let alone any
reaction by the Israelis.
The unanimous position of the Arab world and much of the
world indeed has been that Israel should withdraw from Lebanon;
and now that it has done so, it would be particularly
outrageous if we see the Syrians trying to cause additional
trouble along that border. To the contrary, the Syrians ought
to figure out how to help Lebanon pull itself together and pull
their forces out of Lebanon. Obviously, this is something that
many people have worked on for a long time. Lebanon is a
country that suffered tremendously through the years, and we
should use this as an opportunity to help the Lebanese rebuild
their society.
Chairman Gilman. Thank you, Mr. Gejdenson.
Are any other Members seeking recognition?
If not, I call on the gentleman from New York, Mr. King, to
offer a motion.
Mr. King. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Chairman be
requested to seek consideration of the pending resolution on
the suspension calendar.
Chairman Gilman. The question is on the motion of the
gentleman from New York, Mr. King. As many as are in favor of
the motion, say aye. As many as are opposed, say no.
The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to. Further
proceedings on this measure are postponed.
Mr. Hastings. I would like to have my name added as a
cosponsor.
Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. Wexler would like his name added.
Chairman Gilman. Mr. Wexler, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Cooksey, and
Mr. King also want to be added.
Mr. Gejdenson. I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have an opportunity to submit additional statements for the
record.
Chairman Gilman. Without objection.
Mr. Gejdenson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Gilman. The Committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 4:43 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]
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May 24, 2000
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