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Union, forcing a Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and thereby contributing to the end of the Cold War;

Whereas following the Soviet withdrawal, Afghanistan went through a period of chaos and conflict, exacerbated by insufficient attention from the international community, during which time the Taliban militia seized control of much of the country and provided a base of operations to Al Qaeda and other terrorist elements;

Whereas following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom, liberating the Afghan people from tyranny, transforming Afghanistan from a haven for terrorists into a strategic partner in the struggle against international terrorism, and helping Afghans build a democratic government;

Whereas the Afghan Constitution, drafted by a broadly representative Loya Jirga, or Grand Council, and enacted on January 4, 2004, provides for equal rights for and full participation of women, mandates full compliance with international norms for human and civil rights, establishes procedures for free and fair elections, creates a system of checks and balances between the executive, legislative and judicial branches, encourages a free market economy and private enterprise, and obligates the state to prevent all types of terrorist activity and the production and trafficking of narcotics;

Whereas more than 10.5 million Afghan men and women voted in national presidential elections in October 2004, demonstrating commitment to democracy, courage in the face of threats of violence, and a deep sense of civic responsibility;

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Whereas Hamid Karzai, formerly the interim President, was elected to a five-year term as Afghanistan's first democratically-elected President in the country's history;

Whereas nationwide parliamentary elections are planned for September 18, 2005, and further demonstrate the Afghan Government's commitment to adhere to democratic

norms;

Whereas the Government of Afghanistan has demonstrated a firm commitment to halting the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics and has cooperated fully with the United States and its allies on a wide range of counternarcotics initiatives;

Whereas in addition to military and law enforcement operations, President Karzai welcomes the United States and the international community to assist Afghanistan's counter-narcotics campaign by supporting programs to provide alternative livelihoods for farmers, sustained economic development, and governmental and security capacity building;

Whereas recognizing that long-term political stability requires sustained economic security, Afghanistan is striving to create an economic base to provide meaningful livelihoods for all of its people, and the United States has a cooperative interest in helping Afghanistan achieve this goal;

Whereas section 101(1) of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7511(1)) declares that the "United States and the international community should support efforts that advance the development of democratic civil authorities and institutions in Afghanistan and the establishment of a new broad-based, multi-ethnic,

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gender-sensitive, and fully representative government in Afghanistan";

Whereas on June 15, 2004, during President Karzai's visit to the United States, President George W. Bush stated: "Afghanistan's journey to democracy and peace deserves the support and respect of every nation. . . . The world and the United States stand with [the people of Afghanistan] as partners in their quest for peace and prosperity and stability and democracy.";

Whereas on June 15, 2004, in his address to a joint meeting of Congress, President Karzai stated: "We must build a partnership that will consolidate our achievements and enhance stability, prosperity and democracy in Afghanistan and in the region. This requires sustaining and accelerating the reconstruction of Afghanistan, through long-term commitment. . . . We must enhance our strategic partnership. The security of our two nations are intertwined.";

Whereas on April 13, 2005, while receiving the visiting United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, President Karzai, in expressing the desire of the Afghan people for a long-term strategic partnership with the United States, stated: "They want this relationship to be a wholesome one, including a sustained economic relationship, a political relationship, and most important of all, a strategic security relationship that would enable Afghanistan to defend itself, to continue to prosper, to stop interferences, the possibility of interferences in Afghanistan."; and

Whereas the people of the United States, and their elected representatives, are honored to welcome President Karzai back to the United States in May 2005 on a visit that

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will further advance the close partnership between the United States and Afghanistan: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

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(1) Congress welcomes the first democraticallyelected President of Afghanistan, His Excellency

Hamid Karzai, as an honored guest and valued friend upon his visit to the United States in May 2005; and

(2) it is the sense of Congress that

(A) a democratic, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan is a vital security interest of the United States; and

(B) a strong and enduring strategic partnership between the United States and Afghani

stan should continue to be a primary objective

of both countries to advance a shared vision of

peace, freedom, security, and broad-based eco

nomic development between the two countries and throughout the world.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. It is the intention of the Chair to ask unanimous consent to consider the measures en bloc, and that the resolutions and the amendments which the Members have before them be considered as read. All Members are given lead to insert their prepared remarks into the record.

[The amendments referred to follow:]

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