,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ajgg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(    
,,repres5tatives  ,july #ca1 #bjbj,mr4  
,la,hood 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,%alala1 ,mr4 
,/iv]s1 & ,mr4 ,graves ( ,l\isiana7     
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se
 ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives on !       
cont9u$ importance ( ! ,unit$           
,/ates-,lebanon relation%ip4  ,:]eas !  
security1 sov]eignty1 indep5d5ce1 &     
t]ritorial integrity ( ,lebanon1 a      
plurali/ic democracy 9 ! ,middle ,ea/1  
is 9 ! int]e/ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & its   
allies 9 ! region2 ,:]eas1 = m ?an a    
decade1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has provid$     
robu/ assi/ance to ,lebanon1 includ+    
tra9+ & equipm5t = ! ,lebanese ,arm$    
,=ces 7,,laf71 developm5t assi/ance     
?r\gh ! ,economic ,support ,fund        
7,,esf71 fund+ = s*ools & hospitals 9   
,lebanon ?r\gh ! ,am]ican ,s*ools &     
,hospitals ,abroad 7,,a%a7 ,program1 &  
fund+ = ! ,u4,s4-,middle ,ea/ ,p>tn]%ip 

,initiative 7,,mepi72 ,:]eas ! integrity
 & indep5d5ce ( ! ,,laf s]ves a ,unit$  
,/ates national security int]e/2 ,:]eas 
! ,,laf has be5 a critical /abiliz+ =ce 
9 ,lebanon ) a long/&+ p>tn]%ip ) !     
,unit$ ,/ates milit>y2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$  
,/ates has provid$ ov] #a1jjj1jjj1jjj 9 
=eign milit>y & security assi/ance to ! 
,,laf2 ,:]eas ! ,,laf1 z ! prim>y       
in/itution entru/$ ) ,lebanon's def5se1 
security1 & sov]eignty1 is an important 
=ce to support ! safety & security (    
,lebanon2 ,:]eas int]national support = 
! ,unit$ ,nations ,int]im ,=ce 9        
,lebanon 7,,unifil7 rema9s necess>y to  
c\nt]act de/abiliz+ =ces 9 ,lebanon &   
help l[] t5sions at ! ,lebanon-,israel  
bord]2 ,:]eas ,,unifil has be5 effective
 9 facilitat+ trip>tite dialogues betwe5
 ! ,lebanese & ,israeli milit>y (ficials
 & 9 conduct+ num]\s bord] patrols 9    
p>tn]%ip ) ! ,,laf1 to deescalate !     
possibilities ( un9t5d$ consequ5ces     
lead+ to viol5t conflict2 ,:]eas ,unit$ 
,/ates support = ,am]ican in/itutions 9 

,lebanon ?r\gh programs su* z ,,a%a1    
,,mepi1 & ,,esf assi/ance are vital =   
fo/]+ democratic ideals & pr9ciples     
?r\gh\t ,lebanon2 ,:]eas ,lebanon ho/s  
an e/imat$ #a1ejj1jjj refugees1 a       
population equal to almo/ "o-?ird ( its 
native population & ! highe/            
refugee-p]-capita ratio 9 ! _w1 despite 
*all5ges )9 its own social & economic   
sectors2 ,:]eas ,hezbollah alongside    
corrupt elites h tak5 advantage ( !     
,lebanese economy1 gov]nm5t1 & its      
citiz5s2 ,:]eas ,iran seeks to elim9ate 
,lebanon's sov]eignty & its hi/ory z a  
/rong ,unit$ ,/ates ally & democratic   
actor 9 ! ,middle ,ea/2 ,:]eas          
,hezbollah cont9ues to h>m ! ,lebanese p
 by violat+ ,unit$ ,nations ,security   
,c\ncil ,resolution #agja 7#bjjf71      
p]petuat+ undue =eign influ5ce f ,iran1 
h>m+ ! di/9ct demographic & social      
equilibrium ( ,lebanon1 /ok+ sect>ian   
viol5ce1 weak5+ ! ,lebanese economy1 &  
support+ corruption & viol5ce )9        
,lebanon2 ,:]eas corruption 9 !         

,lebanese public sector rema9s un*eck$1 
despite calls = ef=ts to combat         
corruption 9 all gov]nm5t & social      
society sectors2 ,:]eas ! h>mful        
politicization ( ! indep5d5t judici>y 9 
,lebanon is unt5able & is be+ met )     
/rong disagreem5t by ! ,lebanese p &    
int]national actors2 & ,:]eas respect = 
! rule ( law & democratic pr9ciples ( an
 indep5d5t & free press1 long support$ 9
 ,lebanon1 mu/ p]si/ at ! highe/ levels3
 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 notes t ! ,unit$ 
,/ates provides assi/ance to ! p (      
,lebanon 9 ord] to support s]vices &    
security = ,lebanese citiz5s1 p>ticul>ly
 to c\nt] ! gr[+ influ5ce & negative    
impact ( ,hezbollah & o!r de/abiliz+    
actors2  7#b7 enc\rages ! ,gov]nm5t (   
,lebanon to "w actively to combat       
corruption 9 gov]nm5t1 execute /ructural
 re=ms & anticorruption measures1 & "w )
 int]national f9ancial in/itutions l !  
,int]national ,monet>y ,fund & ,_w ,bank
 to und]take necess>y re=ms 9 ord] to   

/abilize ! economy2  7#c7 calls on !    
,lebanese ,gov]nm5t to secure ! safety1 
fre$om ( movem5t1 & access = ,unit$     
,nations ,int]im ,=ce 9 ,lebanon troops 
& mitigate any de/abiliz+ effects on    
,lebanon & :ile support+ robu/ en=cem5t 
( ,unit$ ,nations ,security ,c\ncil     
,resolution #agja2  7#d7 supports ! "r (
 ! p ( ,lebanon to engage 9 peaceful    
demon/ration & assembly to a*ieve       
acc\ntability 9 gov]nm5t1 democratic    
political repres5tation1 increas$ civil 
rights1 & anticorruption re=ms2  7#e7   
recognizes ! ,lebanese ,arm$ ,=ces      
7,,laf7 z ! sole in/itution entru/$ ) ! 
def5se ( ! sov]eignty ( ,lebanon &      
supports /r5g!n+ ,unit$ ,/ates p>tn]%ips
 ) ! ,,laf to prev5t t]rori/ gr\ps su* z
 ,hezbollah1 ,,isis1 & ,al ,qa$a f ga9+ 
influ5ce 9 ,lebanon2 &  7#f7 recognizes 
! role ( ,lebanon & its in/itutions1 su*
 z an indep5d5t judici>y1 free press1 & 
multid5om9ational1 repres5tative        
gov]nm5t z hi/oric examples ( democratic
 values 9 ! ,middle ,ea/ & expresses    

support = ! cont9uation ( democracy &   
democratic ideals 9 ,lebanon4