To award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2939, a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres who is the 9th and current President of Israel.

I have had the honor of meeting with President Peres on many occasions, most recently in February of this year. He is indeed a person very deserving of the honor of receiving a Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to our nation's security interest in the region and his efforts to advance peace.

A milestone in world history was reached on November 29, 1947, when the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition the British Mandate of Palestine, to create the State of Israel.

The people of the United States began a long history with the modern State of Israel on May 14, 1948, when the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel.

The United States Government established full diplomatic relations with Israel and this relationship has been fostered by the work of diplomacy and astute people who worked for the best interest of both our nations.

I along with millions of friends of Israel will mark the 66th year of Israel's independence in May 2014.

President Peres played a pivotal role in assuring the security and resilience of Israel during his years of service to that nation.

In 1949, when Shimon Peres was 26, he was appointed head of the naval service, and after the War of Independence he was appointed head of the Ministry of Defense delegation to the United States.

The time he spent in the United States during the formative period for the new government of Israel helped to develop strong ties within our government with the new nation.

President Peres recognized the importance of an alliance between the United States and Israel. His presence in the United States helped to develop and solidify that relationship that has grown stronger over the last 6 decades.

President Peres returned to Israel in 1952, at age 29, and David Ben Gurion, the Prime

Minister of Israel, appointed Shimon Peres to serve as Director General of the Ministry of Defense.

He worked to re-organizing the Ministry of Defense, and developing the ability of Israel to defend itself.

Israel remains America's staunchest friend in the region--a friendship that has grown stronger over 6 decades. Israel and the United States join to celebrate the accomplishments of President Peres in contributing to peace and security for the region.

Israel shares the United States appreciation for democratic values, common strategic interest, and moral bonds of friendship and mutual respect.

The establishment of a modern State of Israel as a homeland for the Jews followed the murder of more than 6 million European Jews during the Holocaust. This tragic chapter in world history will never be forgotten and the establishment of a modern State of Israel in no way relieves those responsible for that terrible crime.

The people of Israel have established a vibrant and functioning pluralistic democratic political system including freedom of speech, a free press, free and open elections, the rule of law, and other important democratic principles and practices.

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues recognizing the work of President Peres and look forward to his continued work to advance message of peace and security he has championed through his efforts as a statesman, scholar and leader of a great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2939) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R. 2939, as amended, the bill currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise today in support of H.R. 2939, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, introduced by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). This bill authorizes the minting and award of a single gold medal in honor of this brave man.

Shimon Peres was born on August 2, 1923, in Wiszniew, Poland. The Peres family immigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934. All of the family's relatives who remained in Poland were murdered during the Holocaust during World War II.

Before Israel gained independence, Shimon Peres earned the respect of senior leaders in the independence movement in Israel, most notably David Ben-Gurion. In 1952, he was appointed deputy director general of the Ministry of Defense, and the following year, he became director general. At age 29, he was the youngest person to hold this position.

He was involved in arms purchases and established strategic alliances that were important for the State of Israel. He has served in numerous high-level cabinet positions and ministerial posts in Israel, including head of the Israeli navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and President, among others.

Mr. Peres has honorably served Israel for more than 70 years, during which he has helped harmonize the foreign policy interests of Israel and the United States. He played a pivotal role in forging the strong and unbreakable bond between our two countries.

Mr. Speaker, the founding generation of Israel was central to the development of that country, and Shimon

Peres was the only surviving member of that founding generation.

By presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres, the first to be awarded to a sitting President of Israel, Congress proclaims its unbreakable bond with and its continual support for Israel as we commemorate the 65th anniversary of its independence and the 90th birthday of Mr. Peres.

Maintaining the strong mutual relations between the United States and Israel has been a priority of Shimon Peres since he began working with the United States in the days of John F. Kennedy.

Mr. Speaker, this honor is richly deserved. The bill has 294 cosponsors in the House, and a version introduced by Senator Ayotte had 81 cosponsors when it passed the Chamber on March 13. I ask for immediate approval of this important legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks), the lead Republican cosponsor on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Huizenga for yielding, and I also gratefully express my appreciation to Mr. Kennedy for his work on this. It is always wonderful when Republicans and Democrats can actually get together.

Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to rise today in favor of H.R. 2939 to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Israel's President, Shimon Peres. This award to Shimon Peres is our highest expression of national appreciation.

Indeed, President Peres' lifetime of dedicated service to the State of Israel is unparalleled. No countryman has ever served Israel for so many years, in so many different capacities, as both a key figure in its foundation and its continued survival and rise in the world.

In his 70 years of state service, Mr. Peres has served in high-level cabinet positions, including head of the navy, Minister of Defense, Foreign Minister, Prime Minister, and most recently as President of Israel.

Throughout his political tenure, he has worked diligently to promote diplomacy, democracy, and freedom in Israel, across the Middle East, and across the world in so very many different ways.

Mr. Peres has also been a powerful and dedicated friend to the United States of America, and he has been instrumental in forming this unbreakable bond that we have spoken of so often here that exists between our two nations.

So, Mr. Speaker, not only does this award acknowledge the merit and noble endurance of President Shimon Peres, it is also an expression of the American people's continued commitment to the nation of Israel and its place as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East.

This award reaffirms the important of Israel as the Holy Land, close to the hearts of millions of committed Jews and Christians in America and around the world. Moreover, it is an expression of America's unwavering resolve to our greatest ally in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleagues on both sides of the aisle for cosponsoring this worthy piece of legislation, and may I also gratefully acknowledge the Shimon Peres Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration Committee for their gallant dedication to the ideals that gave rise to this heartfelt award to Israeli President Shimon Peres.

God bless him, and God bless the friendship between Israel and the United States of America forever.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for yielding me this time. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks), who is here as well, for his diligent and important work on this bill.

It has been a pleasure to work with him and see him gather his fellow colleagues to support an extremely important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan bill would award the Congressional Gold Medal to Israel's President, Shimon Peres, in honor of his pivotal role in forging the strong and unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel.

The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors. It is not lightly conferred or frequently granted. President Peres is most deserving of this extraordinary recognition.

During my last trip to Israel, I had the distinct honor to spend some time with President Peres. What impressed me most about the President was, even at 90 years of age, he is as committed to peace in his beloved Israel as never before.

During the time that I and my colleagues spent with President Peres, particularly as someone who was, at that point, not even a year and in his first term in Congress, the opportunity to listen to Mr. Peres' words of wisdom and counsel over his decades of service was a true gift.

Over his tenure in public life, it is Israel's future that has always lit his way. Throughout our travels in the country, we met with politicians young and old. We visited sites from Jerusalem to Ramallah to the Dead Sea; and in each historic site, every meeting, every church or shrine was a poignant reminder that, without the courage and strength of leaders like President Peres, Israel's story would be very different than it is today.

A few days ago, we celebrated Israel's 66th independence day, and we are also in the midst of Jewish American Heritage Month. Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres is a timely and fitting acknowledgement of a man whose influence has touched so many lives in Israel, across the Middle East, and around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that my colleagues support this bill. I would also like to thank, for the Record, Stanley Treitel, Lee Samson, Rabbi David Baron, Robert Rechnitz, Joe Stamm, and Hassan Ali Bin Ali, who have been instrumental in this bill.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 9, 2014, I was at home in Wisconsin taking care

of my amazing wife and our new baby daughter. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following ways:

(1) H.R. 1726--To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers--``yea.''

(2) H.R. 2203--To provide for the award of a gold medal on behalf of Congress to Jack Nicklaus, in recognition of his service to the Nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and philanthropy--``yea.''

(3) H.R. 2939--A bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shimon Peres--``yea.''

(4) H.R. 3658--Monuments Men Recognition Act of 2013--``yea.''

(5) H.R. 1209--To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the ``Doolittle Tokyo Raiders'', for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo--``yea.''

(6) S. 309--A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol--``yea.''

(7) H.R. 685--American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act-- ``yea.''

(8) H.R. 4628--To amend title 23, the United States Code, with respect to United States Route 78 in Mississippi, and for other purposes--``yea.''