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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 34 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 34

Recognizing the rich history, heritage, and strategic importance of the 
    Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Marshallese population 
                     residing in the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 27, 2018

   Mr. Boozman (for himself and Mr. Cotton) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
                         and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Recognizing the rich history, heritage, and strategic importance of the 
    Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Marshallese population 
                     residing in the United States.

Whereas the Republic of the Marshall Islands--

    (1) is a sovereign country in free association with the United States 
under the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United 
States and the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (referred 
to in this preamble as the ``Compact''), approved in the Compact of Free 
Association Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-188; 117 Stat. 2720), 
which--

    G    (A) is set to expire in 2023; and

    G    (B) authorizes economic assistance, through Federal grants and 
programs, to persons in the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and

    (2) has full authority and responsibility over security and defense 
matters relating to the Republic of the Marshall Islands;

Whereas, under the Compact, eligible citizens of the Republic of the Marshall 
        Islands may reside, work, and study in the United States without a visa 
        and may serve in the Armed Forces of the United States;
Whereas an estimated \1/3\ of the population of the Republic of the Marshall 
        Islands has relocated to the United States; and
Whereas Marshallese individuals who live in the United States--

    (1) offer positive economic and cultural benefits to the communities in 
which those individuals live;

    (2) pay Federal and State taxes but are not eligible for benefits 
under--

    G    (A) the Medicare program established under title XVIII of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); or

    G    (B) the Medicaid program established under title XIX of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.); and

    (3) were undercounted in the 2010 census and, as a result, areas where 
those individuals live are underserved by the Federal Government: Now, 
therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) commends--
                    (A) the rich history and heritage of the Republic 
                of the Marshall Islands; and
                    (B) citizens of the Republic of the Marshall 
                Islands who live in the United States for the 
                contributions of those individuals to--
                            (i) the communities in which those 
                        individuals live; and
                            (ii) the national defense of the United 
                        States through their service in the Armed 
                        Forces of the United States;
            (2) recognizes--
                    (A) the strategic importance of the Republic of the 
                Marshall Islands; and
                    (B) the importance of the upcoming renegotiation of 
                the Compact of Free Association between the Government 
                of the United States and the Government of the Republic 
                of the Marshall Islands; and
            (3) encourages a continued commitment to improve census 
        data to better serve citizens of the Republic of the Marshall 
        Islands who live in the United States.
                                 <all>
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