Title: Recognizing the self determination of Gibraltar to determine its status as a British Overseas Territory.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Honors Gibraltar's contribution to advancing U.S. security interests in the Mediterranean region.
States that the views and rights of Gibraltarians should always be imperative in any discussion of Gibraltar's status as a British Overseas Territory.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 199 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 199

Recognizing the self determination of Gibraltar to determine its status 
                    as a British Overseas Territory.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2017

Mr. Holding (for himself, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Ms. Frankel of 
 Florida, Mr. Nunes, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Kind, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Cooper, 
  Mr. Thomas J. Rooney of Florida, Mr. Sherman, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. 
Roskam, Mr. Courtney, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Ruppersberger, 
 Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Higgins of New York, and Ms. Speier) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the self determination of Gibraltar to determine its status 
                    as a British Overseas Territory.

Whereas the Department of State recognizes Gibraltar as an overseas territory of 
        the United Kingdom based on the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht;
Whereas the citizens of Gibraltar have freely and democratically expressed their 
        view to remain a British Overseas Territory in 1967 and 2002 when 99.6 
        and 98.48 percent of the Gibraltarians, respectively, voted in a popular 
        referenda their wish to remain a British Overseas Territory;
Whereas the United States has relied on Gibraltar's military facilities numerous 
        times, including America's first overseas military intervention in 1801 
        against the Barbary States, World War II, and the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization intervention in 2011 in Libya;
Whereas, during World War II, General Dwight Eisenhower used Gibraltar as his 
        headquarters to plan the liberation of North Africa stating, ``Without 
        it the vital air cover would not have been quickly established on the 
        North African fields.'';
Whereas the security situation in North Africa and the Middle East continues to 
        underscore the need for the United States to maintain secure access to 
        Gibraltar's military facilities;
Whereas Gibraltar has the right, under the United Nations Charter and the 
        International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to determine its 
        own future; and
Whereas the United Kingdom is a loyal ally that has stood by the United States: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the United States honors the contribution that 
        Gibraltar has made to advancing United States security 
        interests in the Mediterranean region since 1801 and extends 
        its deepest appreciation and thanks to the Government of 
        Gibraltar and its citizens; and
            (2) the views and rights of Gibraltarians should always be 
        imperative in any discussion of Gibraltar's status as a British 
        Overseas Territory.
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