IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 130 
Expressing support for the appointment of former Senator George Mitchell 
as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2009 
Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. COHEN, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. GEORGE 
MILLER of California, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mrs. DAVIS of Cali-
fornia, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. KILROY, Mr. 
BLUMENAUER, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. EDWARDS
of Maryland, Mrs. 
HALVORSON, Mr. PERRIELLO, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. SESTAK, Mr. RAHALL, 
Mr. ISSA, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mr. POLIS of Colorado, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, Ms. BALD-
WIN, Mr. RANGEL, and Mr. FORTENBERRY) submitted the following reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the appointment of former Senator 
George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, 
and for other purposes. 
Whereas, on January 9, 2009, the House of Representatives 
passed, by an overwhelming margin, a resolution that re-
affirmed ‘‘its strong support for United States Govern-
ment efforts to promote a just resolution of the Israeli- 
Palestinian conflict through a serious and sustained 
peace process that leads to the creation of a viable and 
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•HRES 130 IH 
independent Palestinian state living in peace alongside a 
secure State of Israel.’’; 
Whereas, on January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama 
and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the ap-
pointment of former Senator George Mitchell as the 
United States Government’s Special Envoy for Middle 
East Peace; 
Whereas President Obama, upon announcing Senator Mitch-
ell’s appointment, stated that ‘‘It will be the policy of my 
administration to actively and aggressively seek a lasting 
peace between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as 
Israel and its Arab neighbors’’ that ‘‘. . . recognizes 
(Israel’s) rightful place in the community of nations.’’; 
Whereas President Obama, upon announcing this appoint-
ment, stated that Senator Mitchell ‘‘. . . will be fully em-
powered at the negotiating table, and he will sustain our 
focus on the goal of peace.’’; 
Whereas President Obama stated that he ‘‘. . . was deeply 
concerned by the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in re-
cent days and by the substantial suffering and humani-
tarian needs in Gaza. Our hearts go out to Palestinian 
civilians who are in need of immediate food, clean water, 
and basic medical care, and who’ve faced suffocating pov-
erty for far too long.’’; 
Whereas Secretary of State Clinton stated that Special Envoy 
Mitchell ‘‘will lead our efforts to reinvigorate the process 
for achieving peace between Israel and its neighbors. He 
will help us to develop an integrated strategy that de-
fends the security of Israel, works to bring an end to the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will result in two states, 
living side by side in peace and security, and to achieve 
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•HRES 130 IH 
further agreements to promote peace and security be-
tween Israel and its Arab neighbors. Senator Mitchell will 
also work to support the objectives that the President 
and I believe are critical and pressing in Gaza, to develop 
a program for humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruc-
tion, working with the Palestinian Authority and Israel 
on behalf of those objectives.’’; 
Whereas Senator Mitchell stated, upon his appointment, that 
‘‘peace and stability in the Middle East are in our na-
tional interest.’’; 
Whereas Senator Mitchell also stated that ‘‘Conflicts are cre-
ated, conducted and sustained by human beings; they can 
be ended by human beings’’ and that ‘‘This effort must 
be determined, persevering and patient. It must be 
backed up by political capital, economic resources, and 
focused attention at the highest levels of our government. 
And it must be firmly rooted in a shared vision of a 
peaceful future by the people who live in the region. At 
the direction of the President and the Secretary of State, 
and in pursuit of the President’s policies, I pledge my full 
effort in the search for peace and stability in the Middle 
East.’’; 
Whereas Senator Mitchell brings significant credibility to this 
effort as an experienced diplomat and negotiator, having 
been credited with brokering Northern Ireland’s Good 
Friday peace accord that led to a resolution of the 
‘‘Troubles’’ in Northern Ireland and the termination of 
an 800-year old sectarian and national conflict; and 
Whereas Senator Mitchell possesses appropriate expertise on 
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, having authored a well-re-
ceived report on the causes of the second intifada in April 
2001: Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 130 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) congratulates Senator George Mitchell on 
his appointment as Special Envoy for Middle East 
Peace; 
(2) commits to supporting President Obama, 
Secretary Clinton, and Special Envoy Mitchell in 
their vigorous pursuit of a diplomatic resolution to 
the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts 
based on the establishment of 2 states, the State of 
Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and 
security, and with recognized borders; 
(3) reaffirms that peace between Israel and the 
Palestinians and Israel and the Arab world are es-
sential national security interests of the United 
States; and 
(4) expresses its appreciation to those engaged 
in support of Middle East peacemaking and the re-
cent cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and 
southern Israel, and calls on the international com-
munity to aggressively pursue efforts that facilitate 
a just and lasting resolution of these conflicts. 
Æ 
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