IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 551 

Recognizing the importance of the United States-Israel economic relationship 

and encouraging new areas of cooperation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 3, 2015 

Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. ROYCE, and 

Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of the United States-Israel economic relationship and encouraging new areas of cooperation. 

Whereas the deep bond between the United States and Israel 

is exemplified by its many facets, including the robust 

economic and commercial relationship; 

Whereas, on April 22, 2015, the United States celebrated the 

30th anniversary of its free trade agreement with Israel, 

which was the first free trade agreement entered into by 

the United States; 

Whereas the United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement established the Joint Committee to facilitate the agreement 

and collaborate on efforts to increase bilateral cooperation and investment; 


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•HRES 551 IH 

Whereas since the signing of this agreement, two-way trade 

has multiplied tenfold to over $40,000,000,000 annually; 

Whereas Israel is the third largest importer of United States 

goods in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates 

despite representing only 2 percent of the region’s population; 

Whereas nearly half of all investment into the United States 

from the MENA region comes from Israel; 

Whereas Israel has more companies listed on the NASDAQ 

Stock Exchange than any other country except for the 

United States and China; 

Whereas in 1956, the United States-Israel Education Foundation was established to administer the Fulbright Program in Israel, and has facilitated the exchange of nearly 

3,300 students between the United States and Israel 

since its inception; 

Whereas in 1972, the United States-Israel Binational Science 

Foundation (BSF) was established to promote scientific 

relations between the United States and Israel by supporting collaborative research projects in basic and applied scientific fields, and has generated investments of 

over $480,000,000 to over 4,000 projects since its inception. Binational Science Foundation grant recipients have 

included 43 Nobel Laureates, 19 winners of the Albert 

Lasker Medical Research Award, and 38 recipients of the 

Wolf Prize; 

Whereas in 1977, the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD) was 

established to stimulate, promote and support non-defense industrial research and development of mutual benVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Dec 04, 2015 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR551.IH HR551

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•HRES 551 IH 

efit to both countries in agriculture, communications, life 

sciences, electronics, electro-optics, energy, healthcare information technology, homeland security, software, water 

and other technologies, and has provided over 

$300,000,000 to over 700 joint projects since its inception; 

Whereas recent successful BIRD projects include the ReWalk 

system that helps paraplegics walk, a medical teaching 

simulator for Laparoscopic Hysterectomies and a new 

drug to treat chronic gout; 

Whereas in 1978, the United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund was established 

as a competitive funding program for mutually beneficial, 

mission-oriented, strategic and applied research of agricultural problems conducted jointly by American and 

Israeli scientists, and has provided over $250,000,000 to 

over 1,000 projects since its inception; 

Whereas an independent review of the United States-Israel 

Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund 

(BARD) estimated that the dollar benefits of just 10 of 

its projects through 2010 came to $440,000,000 in the 

United States and $300,000,000 in Israel, far exceeding 

total investment in the program; 

Whereas in 1984, the United States and Israel began convening the Joint Economic Development Group (JEDG) 

to regularly discuss economic conditions and identify new 

opportunities for collaboration; 

Whereas in 1994, the United States-Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF) was established to promote 

the advancement of science and technology for mutual 


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economic benefit and has developed joint research and 

development programs that reach 12 States; 

Whereas the United States-Israel Innovation Index (USI3), 

which was developed by USISTF to track and benchmark 

innovation relationships, ranks the United States-Israel 

innovation relationship as top-tier; 

Whereas in 2007, the United States-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD) Energy program was established to provide support for joint 

United States-Israel research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and has provided 

$18,000,000 to 20 joint projects since its founding; 

Whereas since 2011, the United States Department of Energy and the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures, 

Energy and Water Resources have led an annual United 

States-Israel Energy Meeting with participants across 

government agencies to facilitate bilateral cooperation in 

that sector; 

Whereas in 2012, the United States Congress passed and 

President Barack Obama signed into law the United 

States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 

2012, which set United States policy to expand bilateral 

cooperation across the spectrum of civilian sectors including high technology, agriculture, medicine, health, pharmaceuticals, and energy; 

Whereas in 2013, President Barack Obama said in reference 

to Israel’s contribution to the global economy, ‘‘That innovation is just as important to the relationship between 

the United States and Israel as our security cooperation.’’; 


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•HRES 551 IH 

Whereas in 2014, United States Secretary of the Treasury 

Jacob Lew said, ‘‘As one of the most technologically-advanced and innovative economies in the world, Israel is 

an important economic partner to the United States.’’; 

Whereas the 2014 Global Venture Capital Confidence Survey 

ranked the United States and Israel as the two countries 

with the highest levels of investor confidence in the world; 

Whereas in 2014, the United States Congress passed and 

President Obama signed into law the United States-Israel 

Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, which deepened cooperation on energy, water, agriculture, trade and defense, and expressed the sense of Congress that Israel is 

a major strategic partner of the United States; and 

Whereas economic cooperation between the United States and 

Israel has also thrived at the state and local levels 

through both formal agreements and bilateral organizations in over 30 States that have encouraged new forms 

of cooperation in fields such as water conservation, cybersecurity, and alternative energy and farming technologies: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) affirms that the United States-Israel eco3 nomic partnership has achieved great tangible and 

4 intangible benefits to both countries and is a 

5 foundational component of the strong alliance; 

6 (2) recognizes that science and technology inno7 vation present promising new frontiers for United 

8 States-Israel economic cooperation, particularly in 

9 light of widespread drought, cybersecurity attacks, 


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•HRES 551 IH 

1 and other major challenges impacting the United 

2 States; 

3 (3) encourages the Administration to regularize 

4 and expand existing forums of economic dialogue 

5 with Israel and foster both public and private sector 

6 participation; and 

7 (4) expresses support for the Administration to 

8 explore new agreements with Israel, including in the 

9 fields of energy, water, agriculture, medicine, 

10 neurotechnology and cybersecurity. 

Æ 


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