IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 949 

Commending the people and Government of Romania, on the occasion of 

the visit of Romanian President Traian Basescu to the United States, 

for the strong relationship between Romania and the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 26, 2006 

Mr. HYDE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on International Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the people and Government of Romania, on 

the occasion of the visit of Romanian President Traian 

Basescu to the United States, for the strong relationship 

between Romania and the United States. 

Whereas, following the terrorist attacks upon the United 

States in September 2001, the Government of Romania 

immediately expressed its sympathy for Americans and 

others killed in the attacks and pledged its full support 

in fighting the war on terror; 

Whereas, on September 19, 2001, the Romanian Parliament 

voted to open Romanian territory and airspace to United 

States Armed Forces involved in Operation Enduring 

Freedom in Afghanistan; 


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•HRES 949 IH 

Whereas, beginning in June 2002, Romanian aircraft flew 

Romanian soldiers to serve in Afghanistan as part of the 

forces involved in Operation Enduring Freedom and the 

International Security Assistance Force, and over 700 

elite Romanian soldiers are currently stationed in Afghanistan; 

Whereas Romania stood with the United States as a vital 

member of the international coalition in Operation Iraqi 

Freedom by offering diplomatic, political, and military 

support; 

Whereas, on February 12, 2003, the Romanian Parliament 

voted to open Romanian territory and airspace to United 

States Armed Forces carrying out Operation Iraqi Freedom; 

Whereas hundreds of American aircraft flew through Romanian airspace and landed at Romanian airfields during 

the combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom from May 

to July 2003; 

Whereas thousands of United States soldiers were stationed 

and transported into the Iraq theatre of operations from 

Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, and the neighboring Black 

Sea port of Constantza was also used in the fall of 2002 

and spring of 2003 for rotating United States Armed 

Forces and equipment in and out of the Balkans; 

Whereas, beginning on March 12, 2003, Romania began deploying military forces to Iraq to assist in building security, peace, and democracy, and over 890 Romanian soldiers are currently stationed in Iraq; 

Whereas recently President Basescu reaffirmed Romania’s intention to continue to deploy Romanian armed forces in 

Iraq; 


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•HRES 949 IH 

Whereas in recognition of the close U.S.-Romanian security 

and political relationship, in December 2005 Romania 

signed a bilateral agreement with the United States to 

allow U.S. forces to use Romania military bases; 

Whereas, together with Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 

Slovakia, and Slovenia, Romania successfully achieved 

the military, economic, and political reforms necessary to 

be invited, at the November 2002 summit meeting in 

Prague of the North Atlantic Council, to join the NATO 

alliance; 

Whereas Romania became a member of the NATO alliance 

on March 29, 2004; 

Whereas Romania has made important progress with respect 

to economic reform and democratic development; 

Whereas in recognition of these and other developments Romania is slated to accede to the European Union during 

2007; 

Whereas, however, necessary progress has not been made 

with respect to rule of law issues including judicial reform and ongoing cases such as Romania’s actions 

against Rompetrol Group NV underscores Romania’s 

lack of a truly independent, professional, and non-political justice system; 

Whereas, on June 21, 2004, the Parliament of Romania enacted Law 273/2004 on adoption, which prohibits intercountry adoption except by a child’s biological grandparent or grandparents; and 

Whereas in his historic address at Piata Revolutiei on November 23, 2002, President Bush told the Romanian people that ‘‘Romania has made a historic journey. Instead 

of hatred, you have chosen tolerance. Instead of destrucVerDate Aug 31 2005 06:31 Jul 28, 2006 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR949.IH HR949

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•HRES 949 IH 

tive rivalry with your neighbors, you have chosen reconciliation. Instead of state control, you have chosen free 

markets and the rule of law. And instead of dictatorship, 

you have built a proud and working democracy.’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends the strong and vibrant relations 

3 between the United States and Romania; 

4 (2) recognizes the steps the Government of Ro5 mania has taken and continues to take in economic, 

6 political, and social reforms, and urges the Govern7 ment to take additional steps to establish an inde8 pendent, professional, and non-political justice sys9 tem, in part by taking action to end all politically in10 spired legal cases; 

11 (3) values the participation of a significant 

12 number of Romanian troops and civilian experts in 

13 Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 

14 Freedom, the permission granted by the Government 

15 of Romania for the United States to use Romanian 

16 airspace and territory, and the deployment of Roma17 nian military forces in support of Operation Endur18 ing Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, all of 

19 which have been important contributions to the glob20 al war on terror and serve as a tangible and ongoing 


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•HRES 949 IH 

1 demonstration of Romania’s commitment as an ally 

2 of the United States; 

3 (4) urges the Government of Romania to com4 plete the processing of intercountry adoption cases 

5 which were pending when Law 273/2004 was en6 acted and to amend its child welfare and adoption 

7 laws to decrease barriers to adoption, both domestic 

8 and intercountry, including by allowing intercountry 

9 adoption by persons other than biological grand10 parents; and 

11 (5) welcomes Romanian President Traian 

12 Basescu to the United States and looks forward to 

13 expanded political, diplomatic, economic, and mili14 tary cooperation between Romania and the United 

15 States. 

Æ 


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