IV

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 282

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning the ban on the use of

United States passports in Lebanon.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AUGUST 12, 1994

Mr. RAHALL (for himself, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs.

BYRNE, Mr. MICHEL, Ms. DANNER, Mr. HOKE, Mr. KILDEE, Mr.

FINGERHUT, Mr. COX, Ms. MCKINNEY, and Mr. KNOLLENBERG) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress concerning the ban

on the use of United States passports in Lebanon.

Whereas, on January 26, 1987, the United States Department of State issued a prohibition on the use of United

States passports in Lebanon, creating in effect a ban on

travel to Lebanon by United States citizens;

Whereas the ban on travel to Lebanon was instituted during

a time of civil war, anarchy, and general lawlessness in

Lebanon, at a time when the safety and well-being of

United States citizens were at particular risk as evidenced by the bombing of the United States Marine barracks and the American Embassy in Beirut, in which 258
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Americans were killed, as well as by the taking of American hostages by terrorists;

Whereas the civil war in Lebanon ended in 1990 and the last

American hostage held in Lebanon was freed on December 2, 1991;

Whereas the security situation in Lebanon has improved demonstrably since the end of the civil war;

Whereas the United States returned its Ambassador to Lebanon on November 28, 1990, and the United States

maintains an economic and military assistance program

in Lebanon;

Whereas it is estimated that more than 40,000 United States

citizens have traveled safely to Lebanon in 1993 either in

defiance of the ban or, under current United States regulations which permit the use of passports by dual Lebanese-American nationals in urgent humanitarian cases;

Whereas the Government of Lebanon has made considerable

progress in reasserting sovereignty and control over significant portions of Lebanese territory and in initiating

a 10-year, $18 billion reconstruction effort;

Whereas in 1993 the Lebanese Government awarded more

than 100 contracts worth $2.4 billion to business firms

for development, reconstruction, and consulting projects;

Whereas the ban on the use of United States passports in

Lebanon creates a major impediment to United States

firms that wish to bid for contracts in Lebanon;

Whereas it is in the United States national interest for

United States firms to participate in the reconstruction

of Lebanon, as American participation will bring economic benefit to the United States and help create a stable and sound infrastructure in Lebanon;
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Whereas the United States Secretary of State must give

paramount consideration to the safety and security of

United States citizens in regulating the travel of Americans abroad; and

Whereas in regulating the travel of United States citizens

abroad, the Secretary of State has a variety of options,

including instituting a travel advisory for countries where

United States citizens are deemed at risk or have been

attacked, as has been done for such countries as Bosnia,

Rwanda, Somalia, Haiti, Columbia, Peru, the Philippines,

and Turkey: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

3 (1) in determining whether to restrict the use

4 of United States passports in any country, the Sec5 retary of State should apply consistent criteria; and

6 (2) in deciding whether to extend the ban on

7 the use of United States passports in Lebanon, the

8 Secretary of State should—

9 (a) give paramount consideration to the

10 need to ensure the safety of United States citi11 zens;

12 (b) give full consideration to the improved

13 security situation in Lebanon, the effect of the

14 ban on the opportunities for American busi15 nesses, and the impact of the ban on American

16 interests in Lebanon and the Middle East; and
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1 (c) give full consideration to whether

2 United States interests would be more effec3 tively served by removing the ban on the use of

4 United States passports in Lebanon, and insti5 tuting instead a travel advisory for Lebanon.

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