Welcoming the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 890) welcoming the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and of the U.S.-India relationship. Next week, the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, will come to Washington for a State visit, and I am pleased that with this resolution, the House will offer him its own welcome.

Prime Minister Singh has worked hard to improve our already strong ties and has courageously already taken political risks for our bilateral relationship that few others would venture. But when the Prime Minister put his government and his career on the line, it wasn't for us, though his victory has certainly proved to be to our advantage. No, Prime Minister Singh took his chances for India, for its future and for the fulfillment of that country's enormous potential.

And our partnership is built on this foundation: that India's rise as a great power in Asia and as a global player advances critical American interests ranging from the promotion of democracy and democratic values, to improving stability and security throughout all parts of Asia.

We do not fear a growing India for one simple reason: India's values are our values. India is a real democracy with real institutions that are subordinate to the rule of law. India, though ready to defend itself, doesn't start wars or harbor terrorists. India, though as fastidious as any state about protecting its sovereignty, can be relied upon to keep its word once committed to a treaty or an international agreement. India struggles to preserve its tradition of religious, cultural, and ethnic pluralism. India safeguards sensitive technologies. India fights terrorism.

We do not see ourselves when we look at India, though this Nation has benefited immensely from Indians who have become Americans. India is vastly larger in population, vastly older in history, and vastly more complex culturally with some 2,000 ethnicities and 29 major languages.

We do see similarities. We do see a nation committed to lifting itself by its own means. We do see a nation open to the world, and we do see a nation committed to the same vision of peace and security that has guided our own Nation.

There are, as to be expected, differences between us. Some of them-- and I would note particularly the issue of Iran--are very serious. But as nations committed to a relationship of equals, a relationship of mutual benefit and mutual respect, I believe we can work through our differences and achieve enormous progress in many areas of our mutual concern.

I am delighted that Prime Minister Singh, a man who is one in a billion, is returning to the United States, and I am proud of the House today in offering him such a well-deserved and warm welcome.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

Mr. Speaker, it's now my pleasure to yield to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the majority leader of the House, 1 elastic minute.

I thank the gentlelady for her support and endorsement of the resolution and her wonderful comments; and we yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to raise my voice in strong support for H. Res. 890, a resolution introduced to welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, to the United States. As co-Chair of the caucus on Indian and Indian Americans, I extend our hand in friendship to our close friend and strategic ally in South Central Asia. I've known Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since he was the finance minister in 1990 who really brought about the Indian miracle.

The President has chosen to recognize the close ties between our nations by honoring India with its first official State dinner at the White House next week, and I look forward to participating.

In the 21st century, the world's oldest and largest democracies have much to share and learn from each other. Over the years, I visited India 22 times, but perhaps the most memorable visit came this year as a part of the congressional delegation with John Lewis.

We were there to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic visit to India by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his wife. At the end of the visit, Dr. King said, ``The choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence.'' That truth is self-evident today.

Both India and the United States must deepen our ties--even if we respect different cultures--if we are to make this a safer and better world. And we are up to the challenge. The

Prime Minister has made significant economic progress for the people of India and that has resulted in new business opportunities for American companies and U.S. jobs. In Seattle, the heart of my congressional district, Boeing builds airplanes for a major customer, Air India. That is just one of the examples of the business ties that bind us together.

We also cooperate in science, technology, trade, and education. All of this draws us together in countless ways.

Recently, I joined Her Excellency, Meera Shankar, the Ambassador of India, for the unveiling of a statue of Gandhi at the King County Public Library. And last weekend in Seattle, we celebrated the festival of Diwali.

In the 21st century, the Internet has removed the borders that separated nations, but it will take people to unite us into one world. That is what makes a State visit like this so important. Leaders working in good faith on behalf of the people can bridge any divide no matter how wide and deep. As Nelson Mandela in South Africa once said, ``It always seems impossible until it's done.''

This resolution is a down payment on the future, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 890, a measure welcoming the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this timely resolution which recognizes the forthcoming visit by India's distinguished and universally accepted and respected Prime Minister to the United States.

This will be the first official visit by a foreign head of government during this administration. And, Mr. Speaker, that makes it wholly appropriate that Prime Minister Singh and India be accorded this wonderful honor.

Without doubt, the high status accorded to his visit reflects India's growing global role and its increasingly comprehensive relationship with our country, the United States. Implicitly, however, the pomp and the circumstance associated with his visit also reflect the extraordinary contribution of Indian Americans to solidify our people- to-people relationship and all of the dynamism that they have brought to our diverse and vibrant society.

In any regard, the Congress fully shares with the executive branch a deep commitment to strengthening our partnership with India and to expand our cooperation on a wide range of bilateral and global issues. These opportunities for mutual cooperation range from global security to economic growth, trade promotion, human development, and the expansion of our two-knowledge societies, and also nuclear nonproliferation, and protection of the environment.

Mr. Speaker, it is altogether fitting that we should honor the Indian-American relations as strong as they are and ever closer every day and the visit of Prime Minister Singh by adopting this thoughtful resolution.

I urge its support, and I reserve the balance of our time.

I would like to reserve, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the sponsor of this measure, Mr. McDermott, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for providing us with an opportunity to recognize this ever- growing tie in the relationship between our democratic nations and to welcome, in an official way, Prime Minister Singh.

I urge unanimous support for this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I want to thank Mr. McDermott, my cochairman of the India Caucus.

Indian Prime Minister Singh's visit to Washington for an official visit is an important signal of deepening relations between the United States and India. His visit sends a signal to the Indian people that their country is a valued partner. This resolution recognizes this relationship--its past successes, and hopes for its future.

Significantly, Prime Minister Singh's visit will come almost to the day of the horrific terrorist attacks on Mumbai carried out by Islamist militants. On that day 163 people were cut down in a bloody rampage. Our thoughts will be with Indian people on that anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, over the past decade, relations between the U.S. and India have undergone a renaissance. Prime Minister Singh has done much to bring the United States and India together, but perhaps nothing more consequential than signing the landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries.

Indian officials have told me about their ambitious plans to expand nuclear power. India needs additional electricity to fuel its growing economy and nuclear energy is a clean source. With this deal, the Indian nuclear industry is overcoming the international restrictions that have curtailed it since 1974, to reach its full potential. India will still rely on other energy sources, but it is smart policy for any country to diversify. We in the U.S. should learn that lesson. We are expecting U.S. companies to be part of the Indian nuclear industry. We should give them more opportunities at home too.

Official visits should lead to concrete policy improvements. If this relationship is to move ahead, progress must be made on trade. Right now, the signs aren't good. Both countries need to get serious on advancing trade, or we'll both lose.

The U.S.-India relationship has made great strides, but progress can't be taken for granted. We have many common interests: economics, counter-terrorism, energy. While President Obama was in China this week, India is another very important country. The India Caucus will be watching next week's visit in hopes that specific advances will be made.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 890, which welcomes the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States, and commends the maturation of the U.S.-India relationship.

That relationship has made remarkable strides in the past 2 decades. And one of the critical elements helping launch our improved ties was the series of economic reforms India initiated in 1991, reforms developed and implemented under the leadership of then Finance Minister, Dr. Singh.

With his rise to Prime Minister in 2004, Dr. Singh provided the leadership required for his country to strike the landmark U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative with us, a deal that facilitates nuclear cooperation and offers the bilateral relationship a major strategic opportunity.

After his party's victory in this year's general elections, Dr. Singh became the first full-term Indian Prime Minister to be returned to power since 1962. The particularly strong electoral mandate he received in the recent election is testament to his accomplishment. It also offers our two countries a chance to move our partnership to an even higher level, better positioning us to advance solutions to the key regional and global challenges we confront, from pandemic disease, to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, climate change, and poverty.

Reflecting India's emergence as a major international player and the importance of the U.S.-India relationship, the Prime Minister's visit here next week will be the first official state visit by any foreign dignitary to the Obama White House.

The Prime Minister should know that the United States Congress values his leadership and our bilateral partnership just as much as the new Administration, and so I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 890.