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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 495 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 495

 Honoring the 30th anniversary of the partnership between the State of 
  Nebraska and the Czech Republic under the State Partnership Program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 12, 2023

  Mr. Ricketts (for himself and Mrs. Fischer) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Honoring the 30th anniversary of the partnership between the State of 
  Nebraska and the Czech Republic under the State Partnership Program.

Whereas Nebraska has the highest percentage of citizens with Czech ancestry of 
        any State in the United States;
Whereas the State Partnership Program was created in 1993 to link a State's 
        National Guard with a partner nation's military, security forces, and 
        disaster response organizations in a cooperative, mutually beneficial 
        relationship;
Whereas, in July 1993, the partnership between the State of Nebraska and the 
        Czech Republic under the State Partnership Program was established;
Whereas the State Partnership Program has fostered military-to-military 
        cooperation and enhanced interoperability between units of the Nebraska 
        National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic;
Whereas that cooperation has included joint training exercises, exchanges of 
        personnel, and sharing of military expertise and practices;
Whereas, since 1993, the Nebraska National Guard has executed more than 300 
        engagements with the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic and has engaged 
        with more than 2,500 members of those forces;
Whereas the State Partnership Program has been mutually beneficial for the 
        Nebraska National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, 
        strengthening diplomatic, military, and cultural ties and contributing 
        to regional and international security and cooperation;
Whereas the State Partnership Program has better prepared the Armed Forces of 
        the Czech Republic for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
        exercises, integration in NATO air mobility operations, cyber defense, 
        and combined exercises with other State Partnership Program partners;
Whereas the Czech Republic has been a trusted and valuable member of the NATO 
        alliance since the Czech Republic joined the alliance in 1999;
Whereas the Czech Republic has contributed to various NATO-led missions, 
        including in Afghanistan, where 11,500 Czech soldiers were deployed and 
        14 were killed in action fighting the Taliban;
Whereas the Czech Republic has provided significant military and humanitarian 
        support to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in response to Russia's 
        unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022; and
Whereas the Czech Republic has been recognized with awards for joint military 
        operations carried out in cooperation with the United States, NATO 
        achievements, and acts of heroism and service: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the cooperation and beneficial relationship 
        between the Czech Republic and the State of Nebraska and the 
        steadfast partnership between the Czech Republic and the United 
        States over the past 30 years;
            (2) expresses appreciation for the commitment of the Armed 
        Forces of the Czech Republic to the Nebraska National Guard in 
        advancing peace, stability, and mutual understanding;
            (3) expresses continued support for the State Partnership 
        Program between the State of Nebraska and the Czech Republic;
            (4) commends the Czech Republic for committing to meet the 
        NATO target of spending at least two percent of its Gross 
        Domestic Product on defense in 2024; and
            (5) commends the Czech Republic for increasing its 
        cooperation with Taiwan, including collaboration that may 
        enhance Taiwan's defense posture.
                                 <all>
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