The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REGARDING H.R. 938” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E367-E368 on March 12, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REGARDING H.R. 938
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HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of H.R. 938, the U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Act. I want to thank Representatives Ros-Lehtinen and Deutch for their work on this important and broadly bipartisan bill.
H.R. 938 will help strengthen the strategic partnership the U.S. shares with Israel in addition to helping Israel better meet the new security challenges it faces in the region. By enhancing cooperation between the U.S. and Israel in such areas as intelligence, trade and energy, H.R. 938 continues our commitment to helping Israel maintain its qualitative military edge while creating opportunities for U.S. companies and educational institutions to benefit from the deepening academic and commercial ties that will arise as a result of the bill.
H.R. 938 also addresses homeland security priorities shared by our two countries by encouraging our cooperation against cyber threats and by advocating for the participation of Israel in the Visa Waiver Program--when it has fully met the requirements of membership. Permitting Israel to join the Visa Waiver Program should help reduce paperwork and make travel easier for citizens of both our countries. Membership in the program carries with it the obligation of full reciprocity. To that end, as the process moves forward, the State Department must work with Israel to ensure that all Americans are treated fairly in the program without any discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or race.
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