Europe remains one of America's closest allies. We share with Europe a long history of political friendship, economic cooperation, and military alliance. In fact, this strong relationship continues to grow as America and Europe face common challenges. We are at this point in our history where there is no more important and dynamic relationship than that between the United States and Europe. Our future today is more intertwined with Europe than it has ever been, and I do not see a prosperous future for America without a strong relationship with Europe.

We have seen many changes in Europe in recent years, from the rebirth of democracy in Eastern Europe, the evolution of these states into stable economic and democratic countries, and their integration into the European Union. However, our work is certainly not complete, and I have no doubt that the United States will continue to play a vital role in helping European states develop and prosper.

As the Ranking Democratic Member on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Helsinki Commission) and former President of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, I frequently have the occasion to meet with European heads of state, foreign ministers, European parliamentarians, and other officials. There is no doubt that they all are committed to strengthening the U.S.-European relationship.

This is why I introduced several pieces of legislation in the 111th Congress to recognize this relationship and support our allies. They are as follows: H.Res.968, expressing sympathy to Russia following the Nevsky Express bombing, and H.Res.775, expressing appreciation to Portugal for accepting two men released from Guantanamo Bay. Further, I have supported legislation to honor our friendship with Romania, Poland, Ukraine, and numerous Balkan countries.

In addition, I have championed the fight against any type of discrimination in Europe. Sadly, Americans and Europeans share a common history of discriminatory practices, especially racial and religious, and both continents have undertaken similar struggles to put an end to this injustice. This is why I have worked with my European counterparts to address the issue cooperatively. I have partnered with European officials to keep the memory of the Holocaust and its victims alive and to continue to fight against anti-Semitism on both continents. I also hosted several Black European Summits to raise awareness of the challenges Black Europeans face. Additionally, I have worked to end inter-ethnic conflicts, as such violence against the Roma people.

Lastly, I have continuously advocated for the promotion of human rights and freedom of speech, and helped control election frauds and human trafficking in Eastern Europe. In the 111th Congress, I introduced H.R. 578, a bill to assist Iraqi refugees in Europe and the Middle East and H.Res. 1315, a resolution designating the Caucasus Emirate as a terrorist organization. Please know that I will continue to work to further our relationship with European states, and promote peace and democracy in the region.