IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 873 

Establishing a United States Consulate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 27, 2009 

Mr. ROHRABACHER (for himself and Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Establishing a United States Consulate in the Kurdistan 

Region of Iraq. 

Whereas 15 countries including leading European nations 

have diplomatic and consulate representation in Erbil, 

the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; 

Whereas the United States Department of State modified its 

Travel Warning for Iraq this year to reflect the relative 

safety and security of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is consistent with current 

United States policy to normalize bilateral United StatesIraq relations at the diplomatic, commercial, cultural, 

and educational levels as the United States Armed 

Forces redeploys from Iraq; 


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•HRES 873 IH 

Whereas greater United States Government civilian representation throughout Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region, will serve the United States interest during this period of military transition across the country; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will increase travel between 

the United States and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and 

thus strengthen people-to-people exchanges between both 

sides; 

Whereas presently, United States citizens either living in or 

visiting the Kurdistan Region must travel to the United 

States Embassy in Baghdad, 200 miles away, to receive 

consular services; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region will both be helpful in attracting 

greater United States business and investment to the region and ensuring that the region continues to serve as 

a ‘‘gateway’’ to United States business success in other 

parts of Iraq, as a number of United States Government 

agencies have advocated; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region will demonstrate a United States 

commitment to maintaining and building upon the success and stability of this prosperous and democratic Iraqi 

region; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will allow more government 

and nongovernmental missions between the United States 

and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a mutual interest; 

Whereas the Kurds of Iraq have been willing partners with 

the United States in the democratic transition in Iraq 


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•HRES 873 IH 

since 2003 and the Kurdistan Region has served as a 

model of Iraq’s democratization since Operation Iraqi 

Freedom; 

Whereas the United States and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have been full partners in the battle 

against terrorism and those who seek to undermine continued progress in a pluralistic, democratic, and federal 

Iraq; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will play a helpful role in 

continuing to safeguard Iraq’s territorial integrity from 

external aggression and support United States and Iraqi 

diplomatic initiatives that seek to prevent outside interference in Iraq’s affairs; 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will also foster continued 

dialogue at a strategic level between the United States 

and the KRG; and 

Whereas the establishment of a United States Consulate in 

the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will positively contribute to 

continued diplomatic initiatives between the KRG and 

Turkey: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on 

2 the Department of State to establish a United States Con3 sulate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

Æ 


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