III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 324 

Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the United States-Australia alliance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2011 

Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. INHOFE, and Mr. WEBB) submitted 

the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the United StatesAustralia alliance. 

Whereas the United States Government enhanced its relationship with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand 

with the signing of the Australia-New Zealand-United 

States (ANZUS) Treaty on September 1, 1951, and subsequently engaged in annual, bilateral Australian-United 

States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations between the 

Australian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence and 

the United States Secretaries of State and Defense, including a meeting in San Francisco in September 2011 

that commemorated the 60th anniversary of the United 

States-Australia alliance; 

Whereas the alliance remains fundamental to the security of 

Australia and the United States and to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and is 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 324 ATS 

one dimension of a broad and deep relationship between 

the two countries that encompasses robust bilateral strategic, intelligence, trade, and investment relations based 

on shared interests and values, a common history and 

cultural traditions, and mutual respect; 

Whereas numerous visits by Presidents of the United States, 

including this week by President Barack Obama, and by 

the Australian Prime Minister to the United States, including in 2011 when Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressed a Joint Session of Congress, have underscored 

the strength and closeness of the relationship; 

Whereas members of the United States and Australian armed 

forces have fought side-by-side in every major conflict 

since the First World War, with the commitment to mutual defense and security between the United States and 

Australia being longstanding and unshakeable, as was 

demonstrated by the joint decision to invoke the ANZUS 

Treaty in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Australia 

continue to share a common approach to the most pressing issues in global defense and security, including in Afghanistan, where about 1,550 Australian Defence Force 

personnel are deployed, and in response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises, such as in Japan following 

the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011; 

Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently stated, 

‘‘We are expanding our alliance with Australia from a 

Pacific partnership to an Indo-Pacific one, and indeed a 

global partnership. . .. Australia’s counsel and commitment have been indispensable.’’; 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 324 ATS 

Whereas Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently remarked that ‘‘the United States has no closer ally than 

Australia. . .. [We] affirm this alliance, affirm that it remains strong, and that we are determined to deepen our 

security cooperation even further to counter the threats 

and challenges that we face in the future.’’; 

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Australia 

agreed to set up a Force Posture Working Group at the 

November 2010 AUSMIN to examine options to align respective force postures consistent with the national security requirements of both countries and to help positively 

shape the regional security environment; 

Whereas the United States and Australia committed in a 

Joint Statement on Cyberspace during the 2011 

AUSMIN meeting to consult together and determine appropriate options to address any threats; 

Whereas the Government of Australia is a major purchaser 

of United States military resources, approximately 50 

percent of Australia’s war-fighting assets are sourced 

from the United States, and the Government of Australia 

has plans to spend a substantial sum over the next 10- 

15 years to update or replace up to about 85 percent of 

its military equipment; 

Whereas, on September 29, 2010, the Senate provided its advice and consent to ratification of the Treaty Between the 

Government of the United States of America and the 

Government of Australia Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation, signed at Sydney, Australia, September 5, 

2007, which will facilitate defense trade between the two 

nations and enhance interoperability between military 

forces; 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 324 ATS 

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Australia 

support open, transparent, and inclusive regional architectures to preserve and enhance peace, security, and 

prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region; 

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Australia 

cooperate closely in regional and global forums, as evidenced by Australia’s support for the United States as 

the host this month of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in 2011 and the United States’ support 

for Australia to host the G-20 in 2014; 

Whereas the United States and Australia elevated their trade 

relationship through the Australia-United States Free 

Trade Agreement that entered into force on January 1, 

2005, and exports of United States goods to Australia 

have risen by 53 percent since that time, totaling 

$21,900,000,000 in 2010; 

Whereas the United States is Australia’s largest destination 

for foreign investment, helping create jobs for United 

States workers, with Australian companies employing 

more than 88,000 people directly in the United States; 

Whereas the Governments and people of the United States 

and Australia work closely to advance and support 

human rights, the rule of law, and basic freedoms worldwide; 

Whereas the Governments and people of the United States 

and Australia work jointly and separately to support democracy, economic reform, and good governance in the 

Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, South and Central Asia, 

the Middle East, and North Africa, among other areas of 

the world; and 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 324 ATS 

Whereas the Governments of the United States and Australia 

are working through their respective aid agencies 

(USAID and AusAID) and also exploring opportunities 

for collaboration across a wide variety of areas: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the 

3 United States-Australia alliance and takes this op4 portunity to reiterate the enduring significance of 

5 this historic friendship that serves as an anchor of 

6 peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific 

7 region and in the world; 

8 (2) supports United States efforts to strengthen 

9 military, diplomatic, trade, economic, and people-to10 people cooperation with Australia, including initia11 tives to positively shape the evolving strategic and 

12 economic environment that connects the Indian and 

13 the Pacific Oceans; and 

14 (3) urges close consultation between the Gov15 ernments of the United States and Australia in 

16 preparation for the East Asia Summit to be chaired 

17 by Indonesia on November 19, 2011, and encourages 

18 other, new forms of cooperation with the Govern19 ment and people of Australia that strengthen reVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:53 Nov 17, 2011 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR324.ATS SR324

jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 324 ATS 

1 gional architectures to enhance peace, security, and 

2 prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS