IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 160 
Welcoming the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held in Panama 
City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 11, 2015. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2015 
Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Welcoming the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held 
in Panama City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 
11, 2015. 
Whereas the United States is inexorably linked with the peo-
ple and countries in the Western Hemisphere by geog-
raphy, culture, and economic interdependency; 
Whereas it is in the interest of the United States to support 
economic growth, prosperity, stability, security, and 
democratic governance throughout the Western Hemi-
sphere; 
Whereas the countries in the region are important trading 
partners for the United States, and United States foreign 
direct investment in the Americas continues to grow; 
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•HRES 160 IH 
Whereas trade between the United States and the Western 
Hemisphere totaled $1.8 trillion in 2013, and resulted in 
a goods and services trade surplus of $12 billion; 
Whereas United States foreign direct investment in the hemi-
sphere totaled $1.3 trillion in 2013, which was 12 per-
cent higher than 2012; 
Whereas since 1998, trade between the United States and the 
Latin America and Caribbean region has grown at a fast-
er rate than United States trade with Asia and the Euro-
pean Union; 
Whereas beginning with the First Summit of the Americas, 
held in Miami, Florida, in 1994, the Summits have 
served as important fora for heads of states in the Amer-
icas to discuss common policy issues, affirm shared val-
ues, and commit to work collaboratively to address endur-
ing and new challenges in the hemisphere; 
Whereas the Seventh Summit of the Americas will be held in 
Panama City, Panama, April 10, 2015, and April 11, 
2015, with a theme of ‘‘Prosperity with Equity: The 
Challenge of Cooperation in the Americas’’, and heads of 
states have committed to take action in the areas of edu-
cation, health, energy, environment, migration, security, 
citizen participation, and democratic governance at the 
Summit; and 
Whereas the Seventh Summit of the Americas will provide an 
open forum specifically for civil society representatives, 
and the United States has advocated for expanded oppor-
tunities for civil society groups to participate throughout 
the Summit process: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 160 IH 
(1) welcomes the Seventh Summit of the Amer-
icas to be held in Panama City, Panama, April 10, 
2015, and April 11, 2015; 
(2) believes the Seventh Summit of the Amer-
icas will be an important multilateral forum for 
heads of state in the Western Hemisphere to discuss 
common policy issues, work collaboratively, and set 
achievable and measurable policy goals; 
(3) encourages all countries in the Western 
Hemisphere to commit to transparent democratic 
governance, free and open markets, and basic 
human rights and to uphold the principles enshrined 
in the Inter-American Democratic Charter; 
(4) believes the Seventh Summit of the Amer-
icas provides a forum for the United States to ad-
vance its interests in the region, including— 
(A) economic growth and opportunity; 
(B) energy security, reliability and diver-
sification; 
(C) strengthening effective institutions of 
democratic governance; 
(D) citizen security and social inclusion of 
underserved populations, including indigenous 
and Afro-descendent populations; and 
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•HRES 160 IH 
(E) combating threats from transnational 
criminal organizations, terrorist organizations 
and other organized criminal groups; and 
(5) urges heads of state to provide opportuni-
ties for all civil society organizations to meaningfully 
engage and provide input during events surrounding 
the Summit. 
Æ 
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