Blunt Lauds Resolution Honoring Israel on its 60th Anniversary

WASHINGTON, April 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement today after voting on the House floor to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel, one of America's greatest and truest allies:

"As this Congress takes a moment today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel, we'd all do well to consider and appreciate the important relationship our countries have been able to cultivate over all these years.

"As a Missourian, I'm proud to boast that it was President Truman who first established that link - against the advice of some of his closest advisors - by recognizing Israel as a legitimate democracy only minutes after it was established.

"In the years since, Israel has become and remained one of America's greatest, truest, and most strategic allies - occupying a part of the world marked by danger, tumult, and a rise in violent extremism. Let's also remember that this country, born out of the ashes of the Holocaust, represents the hopes and dreams of generations of oppressed Jewish diaspora. It's for all these reasons, and myriad others, that I'm proud to congratulate Israel on its upcoming birthday - and offer my sincere hope that our relationship with this crucial ally grows even stronger in the future."

NOTE: The resolution honoring Israel ahead of its 60th birthday passed the House by a vote of 417-0.

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Source: House Republican Whip Roy Blunt

CONTACT: Nick Simpson, Antonia Ferrier, or Chris Tucker,
+1-202-226-7022, all of the Office of House Republican Whip Roy Blunt

2008-04-23 18:46:24 0343815 PRNEWSWIRE