Aba da Causa

110TH CONGRESS


1ST SESSION H. RES. ll
Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome signed on March
25, 1957, which was a key step in creating the European Union, and
reaffirming the close and mutually beneficial relationship between the
United States and Europe.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. WEXLER submitted the following resolution;

RESOLUTION
Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome
signed on March 25, 1957, which was a key step in
creating the European Union, and reaffirming the close
and mutually beneficial relationship between the United
States and Europe.

Whereas, after a half century marked by two world wars and
at a time when Europe was divided and some nations
were deprived of freedom, and as the continent faced the
urgent need for economic and political recovery, major
European statesmen such as Robert Schuman, Jean
Monnet, Paul-Henri Spaak, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de
Gasperi, Sir Winston Churchill, and others joined together
to lay the foundations of an ever closer unionamong their peoples;
Whereas on March 25, 1957, the Federal Republic of Germany,
France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg
signed the Treaty of Rome to establish a customs
union, to create a framework to promote the free
movement of people, services, and capital among the
member states, to support agricultural growth, and to
create a common transport policy, which gave new impetus
to the pledge of unity in the European Coal and Steel
Agreement of 1951;
Whereas to fulfill its purpose, the European Union has created
a unique set of institutions: the directly-elected European
Parliament, the Council consisting of representatives
of the Member States, the Commission acting in the
general interest of the Community, and the Court of Justice
to enforce the rule of law;
Whereas on February 7, 1992, the leaders of the then 12
members of the European Community signed the Treaty
of Maastricht establishing a common European currency,
the Euro, to be overseen by a common financial institution,
the European Central Bank, for the purpose of a
freer movement of capital and common European economic
policies;
Whereas the European Union was expanded with the addition
of the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Ireland in 1973,
Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986, a unified
Germany in 1990, Austria, Finland, and Sweden in
1995, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia
in 2004, and Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, making the
European Union a body of 27 countries with a population
of over 450 million people;
Whereas the European Union has developed policies in the
economic, security, diplomatic, and political areas: it has
established a single market with broad common policies
to organize that market and ensure prosperity and cohesion;
it has built an economic and monetary union, including
the Euro currency; and it has built an area of
freedom, security, and justice, extending stability to its
neighbors;
Whereas following the end of the Cold War and the disintegration
of the Soviet Union, the European Union has
played a critical role in the former Central European
communist states in promoting free markets, democratic
institutions and values, respect for human rights, and the
resolve to fight against tyranny and for common national
security objectives;
Whereas for the past 50 years the United States and the European
Union have shared a unique partnership, mindful
of their common heritage, shared values and mutual interests,
have worked together to strengthen transatlantic
security, to preserve and promote peace and freedom, to
develop free and prosperous economies, and to advance
human rights; and
Whereas the United States has supported the European integration
process and has consistently supported the objective
of European unity and the enlargement of the European
Union as desirable developments which promote
prosperity, peace, and democracy, and which contribute
to the strengthening of the vital relationship between the
United States and the nations of Europe: Now, therefore,
be it
1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
2 (1) recognizes the historic significance of the
3 Treaty of Rome on the occasion of the 50th anniver4
sary of its signing;
5 (2) commends the European Union and the
6 member nations of the European Union for the posi7
tive role which the institution has played in the
8 growth, development, and prosperity of contem9
porary Europe;
10 (3) recognizes the important role played by the
11 European Union in fostering the independence, de12
mocracy, and economic development of the former
13 Central European communist states following the
14 end of the Cold War;
15 (4) acknowledges the vital role of the European
16 Union in the development of the close and mutually
17 beneficial relationship that exists between the United
18 States and Europe;
19 (5) affirms that in order to strengthen the
20 transatlantic partnership there must be a renewed
21 commitment to regular and intensive consultations
22 between the United States and the European Union;
23 and
24 (6) joins with the European Parliament in
25 agreeing to strengthen the transatlantic partnership

1 by enhancing the dialogue and collaboration between
2 the United States Congress and the European Parliament.