IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 617
Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for 
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2004
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. PENCE, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, 
Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. BLUNT, and Mr. LANTOS) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Inter-
national Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organi-
zation for Economic Co-operation and Development 
(OECD).
Whereas Israel has been trying to join the Organization for 
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 
2000, when it met the OECD’s membership requirements 
relating to industrial and per-capita product criteria; 
Whereas Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Finance 
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently sent a joint letter 
to the foreign and finance ministers of the 30 member 
countries of the OECD, stating that Israel’s involvement 
as a non-member country in the OECD’s various commit-
tees is increasing, and that Israel meets the economic 
and institutional criteria required to join the OECD;
•HRES 617 IH 
Whereas Israel was recently asked to take part in the 
OECD’s Insurance and Commerce Committees; 
Whereas membership in the OECD could enhance Israel’s 
status on the global market and within international fi-
nancial institutions, lowering the risk factor on foreign 
loans to Israel; 
Whereas Israel’s economic and technological standing could 
potentially benefit OECD member countries in the 
science and technology, including high-technology, sec-
tors; 
Whereas in 2003, the World Economic Forum ranked Israel 
20th out of 102 countries in its Growth Competitiveness 
Index, and the World Economic Forum’s Technology 
Index ranked Israel 9th, before Canada (11th), Norway 
(13th), Germany (14th), the United Kingdom (16th), 
and the Netherlands (18th); and 
Whereas Israel is carrying out far reaching economic reforms 
based on the OECD’s recommendations with respect to 
taxes, labor, competition, capital markets, pension funds, 
energy, infrastructures, communications, and transport: 
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that—
(1) Israel shares the commitment to democratic 
government and the market economy that is the 
foundation of the Organization for Economic Co-op-
eration and Development (OECD); 
(2) Israel meets the OECD’s membership re-
quirements and has been an active participant as a
•HRES 617 IH 
non-member country in various OECD activities, 
such as adherence to the OECD Declaration on 
International Investment and Multinational Enter-
prises; 
(3) the United States Government should sup-
port and advocate the accession of Israel to the 
OECD at the next meeting of the OECD, including 
through coordination of efforts with Mexico, Great 
Britain, and other countries supportive of Israel’s 
membership in the OECD; and 
(4) given the discriminatory policies against 
Israel in other international fora, Israel, upon acces-
sion to the OECD, should be afforded all the rights 
and privileges granted to all other member countries, 
including representation in the OECD’s Council, the 
governing body of the organization.
Æ