Congressional Resolution - Story

07 Oct 2009

The United States House of Representatives adopted House Concurrent Resolution 51 (Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Antarctic Treaty) on September 30, 2009.

For the full text and additional information about the resolution, including the full list of co-sponsors  - click here to download House Concurrent Resolution 51. 

Click to hear the Testimony from Congressman Howard Berman from California, Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, on the floor of the United States House Representatives on September 30, 2009, as recorded by C-SPAN.

Click to hear the Testimony from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on September 30, 2009, as recorded by C-SPAN. 

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress--

(1) recognizes that the Antarctic Treaty has greatly contributed to science and science cooperation worldwide and successfully ensured the "use of Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and the continuance of international harmony" for the past half century; and

(2) encourages diverse international and interdisciplinary collaboration in the Antarctic Treaty Summit to identify lessons from 50 years of international cooperation under the Antarctic Treaty that have legacy value for humankind.