IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 101

Expressing the sense of Congress that the International Committee of the

Red Cross should immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society,

and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 4, 2001

Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. WEINER, Mr.

SHERMAN, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. KING,

Mr. WICKER, and Mr. SAXTON) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the International

Committee of the Red Cross should immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society, and for other purposes.

Whereas it is the mission of the International Red Cross and

Red Crescent Movement to prevent and alleviate human

suffering wherever it may be found, without discrimination;

Whereas the International Red Cross and Red Crescent

Movement is a worldwide institution in which all National

Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have equal status;

Whereas the Magen David Adom Society is the national humanitarian society in the state of Israel;
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Whereas the Magen David Adom Society follows all the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent

Movement;

Whereas since the founding of the Magen David Adom Society in 1930, the American Red Cross has regarded it as

a sister national society and close working ties have been

established between the two societies;

Whereas the Magen David Adom Society has used the Red

Shield of David as its humanitarian emblem since its

founding in 1930 for the same purposes that other national red cross and red crescent societies use their respective emblems;

Whereas since 1949 Magen David Adom has been refused admission into the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and has been relegated to observer status

without a vote because it has used the Red Shield of

David;

Whereas Magen David Adom is the only humanitarian organization equivalent to a national Red Cross or Red Crescent society in a sovereign nation that is denied membership into the International Red Cross and Red Crescent

Movement;

Whereas the American Red Cross has consistently advocated

recognition and membership of the Magen David Adom

Society in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent

Movement;

Whereas the House of Representatives adopted H. Res. 464

on May 3, 2000, and the Senate adopted S. Res. 343 on

October 18, 2000, expressing the sense of the House of

Representatives and the sense of the Senate, respectively,

that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
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Movement should recognize and admit to full membership

Israel’s Magen David Adom Society with its emblem, the

Red Shield of David;

Whereas the Secretary of State testified before the Committee on the Budget of the Senate on March 14, 2001,

and stated that admission of Magen David Adom into the

International Red Cross movement is a priority; and

Whereas the United States provided $119,230,000 for the

International Committee of the Red Cross in fiscal year

2000: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the International Committee of the Red

4 Cross should immediately recognize the Magen

5 David Adom Society;

6 (2) the Federation of Red Cross and Red Cres7 cent Societies should grant full membership to the

8 Magen David Adom Society immediately following

9 recognition by the International Committee of the

10 Red Cross of the Magen David Adom Society as a

11 full member of the International Committee of the

12 Red Cross;

13 (3) the Red Shield of David should be accorded

14 the same protections under international law as the

15 Red Cross and the Red Crescent; and
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1 (4) the United States should continue to press

2 for full membership for the Magen David Adom in

3 the International Red Cross Movement.

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