IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 21 
Reaffirming a strong commitment to the United States-Australia alliance 
relationship. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2017 
Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. KEATING, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. BERA, Mr. TED LIEU of 
California, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. 
MEEKS, Mrs. TORRES, Mr. SIRES, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsyl-
vania, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. HANABUSA, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. 
HASTINGS, Mr. EVANS, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. 
COURTNEY, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. HIMES, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. TITUS, Mr. 
COHEN, and Mr. MCGOVERN) submitted the following concurrent resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Reaffirming a strong commitment to the United States- 
Australia alliance relationship. 
Whereas Australia is a vital partner of the United States; 
Whereas the United States and Australia share core values 
as well as deep cultural, security, and people-to-people 
ties; 
Whereas Australia has been a treaty ally of the United States 
since the signing of the Australia-New Zealand-United 
States (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951; 
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•HCON 21 IH 
Whereas an alliance bond is a sacred vow of friendship and 
trust, and Australia has always been a faithful and reli-
able partner to the United States; 
Whereas United States-Australia defense and intelligence ties 
and cooperation are exceptionally close, and Australian 
forces have fought together with the United States mili-
tary in every significant conflict since World War I and 
over 100,000 Australian servicemembers have paid the 
highest price in the course of their service alongside 
American allies; 
Whereas Australia was one of the first countries to commit 
troops to United States military operations in Afghani-
stan and Iraq after September 11, 2001; 
Whereas Australia is a close partner of the United States, 
sharing information essential to the defense and security 
of the two countries, including through the Five Eyes in-
telligence community; 
Whereas the United States-Australia alliance is an anchor for 
peace and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region and 
around the world; 
Whereas Australia has welcomed proposals to reposition 
United States Marines to maintain Marine forces in the 
western Pacific and improve the United States strategic 
posture in the Indo-Asia Pacific region; 
Whereas the United States Air Force and the Australian Air 
Force have expanded cooperation and training to enhance 
the interoperability of the militaries of the two countries; 
Whereas Australia has led peacekeeping efforts in the Indo- 
Asia Pacific region, including in Timor-Leste and the 
Solomon Islands; 
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•HCON 21 IH 
Whereas Australia and the United States share strategic in-
terests in the Indo-Asia Pacific region and globally, and 
have worked together to promote these shared goals and 
objectives; 
Whereas the United States and Australia have been free 
trade agreement partners since 2005, and the United 
States has a positive trade balance with Australia; 
Whereas robust United States-Australia defense cooperation 
contributes not only to the mutual defense of the two 
countries but also to American jobs; 
Whereas more than 300,000 U.S. jobs are supported by 
United States exports to Australia and nearly 9,000 Aus-
tralian companies sell or operate in the United States; 
Whereas the United States and Australia work closely in the 
numerous global and regional fora, including the World 
Trade Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-
operation forum; 
Whereas Australia shares many of the United States con-
cerns in the struggle against Islamist militancy in South-
east Asia and beyond, and is part of the global coalition 
to defeat the ‘‘so-called Islamic State (IS)’’; and 
Whereas the United States and Australia have enjoyed a 
close relationship over many successive Republican and 
Democratic administrations: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms the strong alliance relationship be-
tween Australia and the United States; 
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•HCON 21 IH 
(2) supports continued diplomatic, military, and 
economic cooperation between Australia and the 
United States; and 
(3) reaffirms the importance of a United 
States-Australia relationship based on mutual re-
spect and befitting a close and longstanding United 
States alliance partner crucial to the preservation of 
United States national interests in the Indo-Asia Pa-
cific region and around the world. 
Æ 
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