H. Res. 54 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

April 3, 2017. 

Whereas, on November 22, 2015, the citizens of the Argentine Republic elected Mauricio Macri as their President; 

Whereas President Macri has pledged to promote greater national unity, rebuild the economy, combat domestic corruption, strengthen freedom of the press, defend human 

rights abroad, attract foreign direct investment, return to 

international credit markets, and reassert Argentina’s 

leadership globally; 

Whereas President Macri has emphasized his intention to 

seek closer ties with the United States and restore the bilateral partnership previously enjoyed by both countries; 

Whereas the Argentine Republic has been a major non-NATO 

ally of the United States since 1998 and is the only country designated as such in Latin America; 

Whereas United States-Argentina relations are historically 

characterized by comprehensive commercial ties and 

strong bilateral cooperation on human rights, peacekeeping, science and technology, non-proliferation, and 

education, as well as on regional and global issues; 

Whereas, in an appearance with President Macri at the Casa 

Rosada in Buenos Aires in March 2016, President 

Barack Obama said that ‘‘our countries share profound 
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values in common—respect for human rights, for individual freedoms, for democracy, for justice, and for 

peace’’; 

Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry visited Argentina in 

August 2016 to launch a High-Level Dialogue to develop 

and sustain cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global 

challenges, including democratic development and protection of human rights in Latin America; 

Whereas Secretary Kerry, during his visit, stated that ‘‘the 

United States strongly supports President Macri’s effort 

to deepen Argentina’s integration with the global economy’ ’’ and that ‘‘our governments will be supporting 

policies that are aimed at strong, sustainable, and balanced economic growth’’; 

Whereas the United States Department of the Treasury no 

longer opposes multilateral development banks lending to 

Argentina because of the Government of Argentina’s 

‘‘progress on key issues and positive economic policy trajectory’’; 

Whereas President Macri prioritized Argentina resolving its 

15-year standoff with private creditors stemming from 

the 2001-2002 economic crisis, which facilitated Argentina’s return to international financial markets; 

Whereas the Macri Administration lifted controls on trade, 

currency, and poultry, enhanced the quality and transparency of government data, and eliminated subsidies on 

electricity, water, and gas; 

Whereas Argentina is Latin America’s third largest economy 

and the International Monetary Fund, in April 2016, 

claimed the Macri Administration ‘‘embarked on an am-
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bitious, much needed transition to remove domestic imbalances and distortions and correct relative prices’’; and 

Whereas the Government of Argentina has expressed a renewed commitment to bring the perpetrators of the 1994 

bombing of the Asociacio ́n Mutual Israelita Argentina 

(AMIA) building, that occurred in Buenos Aires on July 

18, 1994, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds, to justice: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) upholds its commitment to the partnership between the United States and Argentina and reaffirms 

that the Argentine Republic is a major non-NATO ally 

of the United States; 

(2) encourages the Department of State to coordinate a new interagency strategy to increase cooperation 

with the Government of Argentina on areas of bilateral, 

regional, and global concern; 

(3) commends the Government of Argentina for 

making far-reaching economic reforms that will benefit 

the people of Argentina, stimulate economic growth, and 

deepen Argentina’s integration with the global economy; 

(4) praises the Government of Argentina for resolving most of its business disputes at the World Bank’s 

International Centre for the Settlement of Investment 

Disputes (ICSID) thereby hastening their re-entry into 

world financial markets to the benefit of the Argentine 

people; and 
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(5) encourages the Government of Argentina to continue to investigate and prosecute those responsible for 

the 1994 bombing of the Asociacio ́n Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires, as well as the 

January 2015 death of AMIA special prosecutor Alberto 

Nisman. 

Attest: 

Clerk.