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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 69 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 69

 Recognizing the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Principality 
  of Liechtenstein, and expressing support for efforts by the United 
  States to continue to strengthen its relationship with that country.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 23, 2019

Mr. Bucshon (for himself, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Kildee, and Mr. Sensenbrenner) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Recognizing the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Principality 
  of Liechtenstein, and expressing support for efforts by the United 
  States to continue to strengthen its relationship with that country.

Whereas Liechtenstein is located between Switzerland and Austria in the Upper 
        Rhine Valley of the European Alps, and is roughly the same geographic 
        size as Washington, DC;
Whereas Liechtenstein has approximately 38,000 inhabitants, primarily Roman 
        Catholics of Germanic ethnicity;
Whereas following the purchases of the Lordship of Schellenberg and the County 
        of Vaduz in 1699 and 1712, respectively, on January 23, 1719, the Holy 
        Roman Emperor Charles VI united the two jurisdictions, elevating them to 
        the rank of Reichsfurstentum (Imperial Principality), establishing the 
        borders and territory that still exist today;
Whereas, in 1806, Napoleon dissolved the Holy Roman Empire, and Liechtenstein 
        became a sovereign country for the first time;
Whereas, in 1868, Liechtenstein disbanded its army and ever since has remained a 
        neutral country, having withstood Europe's challenging periods during 
        the 19th and 20th centuries;
Whereas Liechtenstein is a constitutional hereditary monarchy on a democratic 
        and parliamentary basis, headed by its ruling Prince;
Whereas the parliament of Liechtenstein, the ``Landtag'', consists of 25 
        representatives, elected for 4-year terms by proportional representation 
        in 2 multiseat constituencies, 10 representing the lowland area and 15 
        representing the highland area;
Whereas Liechtenstein maintains a strong system of checks and balances between 
        the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government;
Whereas since the signing of a customs treaty in 1923, Liechtenstein and 
        Switzerland have formed a common economic area;
Whereas Liechtenstein also uses the Swiss franc as its national currency;
Whereas since the end of World War II, despite its small geographic area and 
        limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed a prosperous, 
        highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy, with manufacturing as 
        the main contributor to its economy, followed by general services and 
        financial services;
Whereas Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area since May 
        1995, making it part of the European Union's single market and party to 
        applicable EU regulatory frameworks;
Whereas Liechtenstein is an active member in international organizations such as 
        the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
        Europe, the World Trade Organization, the International Court of 
        Justice, the United Nations, and the European Free Trade Association;
Whereas the United States is Liechtenstein's second-largest bilateral export 
        partner after Germany, exporting a range of products that are integral 
        parts of the United States supply chain of goods in industries including 
        construction, automotive, dentistry, audio-visual, surface technologies, 
        and coating solutions;
Whereas Liechtenstein annually exports goods worth nearly half a billion dollars 
        to the United States, and Liechtenstein's foreign direct investments in 
        the United States amount to nearly $850,000,000, representing more than 
        $22,000 per inhabitant in Liechtenstein;
Whereas Liechtenstein companies based in the United States employ roughly 4,000 
        Americans, which is over 10 percent of Liechtenstein's domestic 
        population;
Whereas Liechtenstein opened a permanent Embassy to the United States in 
        Washington, DC, in 2002, and has since established a network of Honorary 
        Consulates located in Macon, Georgia, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, 
        Illinois, Boston, Massachusetts, and Houston, Texas;
Whereas Liechtenstein continues to partner with the United States to develop 
        further avenues to boost its investment and job growth in the United 
        States and offer opportunities to United States businesses to enter the 
        European market; and
Whereas Liechtenstein works steadfastly with the United States and the 
        international community to relieve and bring solutions to humanitarian 
        crises, such as crimes against humanity, human trafficking, and modern 
        slavery: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the 300th anniversary of the Principality of 
        Liechtenstein; and
            (2) expresses its support for efforts by the United States 
        to continue to strengthen its relationship with that country.
                                 <all>
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