[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2013; CONCERNING THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE
THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOMINATE A QUALIFIED AND INDEPENDENT
INDIVIDUAL FOR THE POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
STATE AND BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS; AND RECOGNIZING THE LONG-
TERM PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE
HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H.R. 1897, H. Res. 131, H. Res. 273 and
H. Res. 222
__________
JUNE 27, 2013
__________
Serial No. 113-47
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
or
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
----------
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Washington, DC 20402-0001
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio BRAD SHERMAN, California
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
TED POE, Texas GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
MATT SALMON, Arizona THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina KAREN BASS, California
ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
MO BROOKS, Alabama DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
PAUL COOK, California JUAN VARGAS, California
GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania Massachusetts
STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California
RON DeSANTIS, Florida ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California
TREY RADEL, Florida GRACE MENG, New York
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
TED S. YOHO, Florida JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
LUKE MESSER, Indiana
Amy Porter, Chief of Staff Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director
Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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Page
MARKUP OF
H.R. 1897, Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013...................... 2
H. Res. 131, Concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and the need for international efforts
toward long-term peace, stability, and observance of human
rights......................................................... 22
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 131 offered
by the Honorable Karen Bass, a Representative in Congress
from the State of California................................. 29
H. Res. 273, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
that the President should nominate a qualified and independent
individual for the position of Inspector General of the
Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors to be
confirmed by the Senate without delay.......................... 36
H. Res. 222, Recognizing the long-term partnership and friendship
between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
working together towards peace and security in the Middle East. 39
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 222 offered
by the Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, a Representative in
Congress from the State of New York.......................... 43
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 60
Markup minutes................................................... 61
Markup summary................................................... 63
The Honorable Steve Stockman, a Representative in Congress from
the State of Texas: Prepared statement......................... 64
VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2013; CONCERNING THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE
THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOMINATE A QUALIFIED AND INDEPENDENT
INDIVIDUAL FOR THE POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
STATE AND BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS; AND RECOGNIZING THE LONG-
TERM PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE
HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
----------
THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:10 a.m., in
room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edward Royce
(chairman of the committee) presiding.
Chairman Royce. The committee will come to order.
Pursuant to notice, we meet to mark up four bipartisan
measures. As all members were notified earlier this week, to
expedite our consideration of these non-controversial items, we
will take up en bloc the text previously provided to your
offices which all members have before them.
And so without objection, the following items are
considered as read and will be considered en bloc: H.R. 1897,
the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013; House Resolution 131,
concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of
Congo; the bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute
to House Resolution 131 offered by Congresswoman Bass; House
Resolution 273, expressing the sense of the House that the
President should nominate an Inspector General of the
Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors; House
Resolution 222, recognizing the long-term partnership and
friendship between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan; and the bipartisan amendment in the nature of a
substitute to House Resolution 222 offered by Mr. Meeks.
[The information referred to follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Royce. All members may have 5 days to submit
statements for the record on any of today's measures.
And after recognizing myself and the ranking member for
brief opening remarks, I will be glad to recognize any
committee members seeking recognition to speak on any of these
measures.
I am a strong supporter of H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human
Rights Act of 2013. Subcommittee Chairman Smith has worked hard
on this bill. And over the years, this committee has held many
hearings on Vietnam. If these hearings have had one consistent
theme, it is the deterioration of human rights there in
Vietnam. Government thugs brutalize peaceful dissidents. Anyone
who dares to blog or publish material on democracy or anything
critical of the Communist Party, faces years in jail and faces
physical abuse. We need to send a message to the government, a
message with teeth, and this bill does just that. And I
strongly urge its passage.
With regard to House Resolution 131, Congresswoman Bass has
been dogged in bringing attention to the conflict in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. And just last week, the State
Department announced former Senator Russ Feingold as Special
Envoy for the Great Lakes, in part, at her urging. Too many
people have died. Too many people continue to suffer. The
conflict in the DRC has lasted decades. Patience with this
peacekeeping operation is wearing thin. We expect all regional
leaders to respect and abide by the negotiated frameworks.
House Resolution 273 expresses the sense of the House that
the President should nominate a State Department Inspector
General without delay. For months, on a bipartisan basis, the
ranking member and I have called on the administration to fill
the vacant Inspector General position for the Department of
State and Broadcasting Board of Governors. We have written to
the President. We have written to Secretary Kerry, stressing
the importance of appointing a permanent Inspector General. I
raised it at our hearing with the Secretary. It has been 2,000
days since a permanent IG was last in place. It is time for
this vacancy to be filled.
IG's are the government's internal watchdogs. They police
agencies for waste, for fraud, and for abuse. The resolution is
non-partisan for the simple reason that the concept of a
Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed, permanent IG is
fundamental to the very notion of good government.
Lastly, House Resolution 222 recognizes the long-term
partnership and friendship between the United States and the
Kingdom of Jordan. The committee recently hosted the King of
Jordan who continues to be a critical voice of moderation in
the region. It is a key partner for peace. Today, Jordan has
worked to address the needs of 550,000 Syrian refugees which
have poured across its borders in the last 2 years. This has
resulted, by the way, in a 10-percent population increase for
Jordan. This is seriously straining Jordan. And Mr. Meeks'
resolution notes the mutual benefits of a strong U.S.-Jordan
relationship.
I hope the committee will support of all of these measures.
And I now recognize my good friend, the ranking member, for his
remarks.
Mr. Engel. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
calling today's markup on these four bipartisan measures. This
goes in line with the way you and I have both tried to run this
committee in the most bipartisan way possible.
I will just make some brief comments about each one of
these. H.R. 1897, introduced by our colleague, Chris Smith,
addresses the troubling human rights situation in Vietnam.
Despite the country's increased economic freedom, religious and
political freedoms for Vietnamese citizens remain severely
limited. The bilateral relationship between Washington and
Hanoi has improved since diplomatic relations were established
over 15 years ago, but the lack of greater progress in
protecting basic rights and civil liberties in Vietnam remains
a barrier to closer cooperation in the future.
H. Res. 131, introduced by Karen Bass, draws critical
attention to the ongoing situation in Eastern Democratic
Republic of the Congo. And I might say to the ranking member on
the Africa Subcommittee, I appreciate her earnest involvement
in all these very, very important issues. Violence continues to
plague this region with thousands of people displaced, dying of
disease, suffering from rampant sexual abuse, and living with
constant uncertainty about their futures. This resolution calls
for a comprehensive approach to the crisis that addresses the
root causes of the conflict and it includes the active
participation of all stakeholders, including the governments of
countries in the Great Lakes region, the U.N. and the U.S.
Both the U.N. and the State Department have appointed
Special Envoys for the region and the U.N. recently deployed
additional peacekeepers with a mandate to be more aggressive in
responding to armed rebel movements. I hope that some of these
actions will change the dynamic in Eastern Congo and allow the
people of the region to finally live in peace.
Mr. Chairman, I would especially like to thank you for your
leadership in introducing H. Res. 273 which calls for the
nomination of a permanent Inspector General of the State
Department. I have been happy to work with you on this issue
over the last several months and to be an original co-sponsor
of this resolution. I know we share the view that having a
permanent IG in place will help ensure independent and robust
oversight at the State Department and the Broadcasting Board of
Governors.
I have now been informed that Secretary Kerry and President
Obama identified a candidate for the State IG position back in
April. The vetting process for that candidate is nearly
complete and the Secretary expects the nomination to be
finalized and made public in the very near future. I know we
all look forward to that announcement and I am proud of the
role that this committee has played in helping that get closer
and closer.
Finally, H. Res. 222 introduced by my friend from New York,
Mr. Meeks, highlights the long-term strategic relationship
between the United States and Jordan which has been one of the
few pillars of stability and peace in the Middle East. We all
had the pleasure of meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan. This
committee did, just several weeks ago, and I know that we
listened to him intently. He is always such a breath of fresh
air, but a breath of realistic air and tells us what we should
be doing. And as far as I am concerned he is right on the
money. Regional events such as transition in Egypt and war in
Syria have put unprecedented stress on the Jordanian economy
and society. Jordan is currently overflowing with refugees and
its already limited resources are strained.
At this moment in time, Jordan needs support from the
United States more than ever. This important resolution
commends the people and Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan for their continued friendship with the United States
and commitment to peace, security, and stability. It also
praises the Government of Jordan for its response to the Syrian
humanitarian crisis by hosting and caring for refugees fleeing
violence instigated by the Assad regime in Syria.
And finally, the resolution expresses a firm commitment to
support the Government of Jordan as it faces regional
challenges and works toward a more peaceful and stable Middle
East.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you again for holding
this markup. I look forward to supporting this package of
measures. I yield back.
Chairman Royce. Well, thank you. I want to thank Mr. Engel
for his remarks and also his contributions to these measures
here today. Do any members seek recognition to speak on the en
block?
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do.
Chairman Royce. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you so much, and Mr. Chairman,
first of all, thank you for your great leadership on this
committee and thank you to Mr. Engel for forging this warm
working relationship.
I am pleased to support these four bipartisan bills that
are being marked up and considered en bloc by the committee
today. I commend my good friend, Mr. Smith, for his unending
support for human rights across the globe. I fully support his
bill, H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act, a bill that
promotes freedom and democracy in Vietnam. The United States is
the world's leading expert when it comes to living up to these
two ideals, yet, too often we find ourselves sending money to
governments that deny their citizens even the most basic human
rights without leveraging that assistance to push for change to
the status quo.
One of the most important provisions of his bill would
condition aid to Vietnam unless it meets certain specific
requirements to improve its respect for human rights. This is
an important way by which the United States can push for real
reforms within countries like Vietnam. And I fully support this
measure.
We also have before us another important resolution on
human rights, the Humanitarian and Military Crisis in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. It has been ongoing for far too
long and has claimed the lives of over 5 million people while
millions more have been displaced. The human rights violations
that have occurred are unspeakable. I commend Ms. Bass and Mr.
Smith for their Resolution 131 which is a step in the right
direction of helping the people of the DRC by addressing
several of the issues that must be resolved in order to help
end this crisis. And I fully support this measure.
And we also have a resolution before us, Mr. Chairman,
which you have authored with our friend, Ranking Member Engel,
which urges the President to nominate a qualified and
independent individual to fill the Inspector General slot at
the State Department. I pressed this issue when I was chair,
held a hearing focused directly on the need for the State
Department to have an Inspector General that challenges the
management of the State Department to function with
transparency and accountability. I have been concerned as many
of us here have been that this important watchdog position has
been vacant for 5 years now and it is imperative that the
President fill this slot post haste.
And finally, we have a resolution recognizing the
partnership and friendship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Jordan is a great friend and an important ally to the United
States. Our bilateral relationship is stronger now than it has
ever been, but with the ongoing crisis in Syria and Jordan
having to bear such a heavy burden as it takes hundreds of
thousands of those who have fled Syria to seek refuse in a
safer place, it is vital that we reaffirm our support for
Jordan and we must do what we can do to help Jordan as it copes
with the struggles that it is facing today. This resolution is
an important way to announce to Jordan and to the world that we
stand firmly and resolutely with our ally, the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan. I fully support this and all of the measures
before us today.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, again for your leadership.
Chairman Royce. Thank you. Congresswoman Bass is
recognized.
Ms. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to thank you, one,
for all of the work that has happened on the committee so far
and I wanted to speak in support of all four resolutions, but
specifically H.R. 131. I wanted to thank the ranking member,
and also Chairman Smith, for his long-standing leadership on
this issue.
All of us know that the crisis in the Congo has gone
unresolved for so many years. We have seen numerous
declarations and agreements for peace, yet too little has been
done to prevent the death of millions and the displacement of
those forced to flee their homes and livelihood. I am pleased
that this bipartisan bill has many, many co-sponsors who also
registered their strong support to end the status quo. Over the
last several months, I am pleased to report that we have seen
the United Nations appoint a Special Envoy to the DRC, former
Irish President Mary Robinson. And last week, Secretary Kerry
appointed former Senator Russ Feingold as the U.N. Special
Envoy to the DRC. And that is one of the things that the
resolution was calling for was the appointment of that Special
Envoy.
I had the opportunity to speak to Senator Feingold
yesterday, and I am sure that the chair and ranking member have
also, and I think it might be a great idea down the line after
he has had a chance to settle in, if we would ask him to come
and give us a report to the committee.
In February, the Congolese, joined by other Great Lakes
nations, as well as the U.N. and African Union, committed to an
agreement that with the strong support from the international
community, hopefully will finally lead to peace and stability.
This committee has the opportunity and responsibility to send a
clear message that the ongoing crisis in the DRC has not been
forgotten in this chamber or in the U.S. Congress. It is time
for the crisis in the DRC to come to an end and I really
appreciate my colleagues' support in our efforts to end this
tragedy. I yield back my time.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Congresswoman Bass, and thank
you for your efforts on this issue. And I do think you are
right. I think we need to hear from Special Envoy Feingold. So
we will ask him to meet with the committee and have a joint
meeting with him. Thank you.
Mr. Meeks is recognized.
Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I, too, want to
speak out for all four of the bills that are en bloc. I want to
thank, of course, Chairman Smith, for his hard work and
continuing to fight every day to try to make sure that human
rights are seen all over the world. I think that really stands
out very clearly that we are all related. We are all human. And
you want to make sure that we all receive the same. And I want
to thank you for your hard work on this.
And of course, my colleague, Karen Bass, for all that she
is doing. Just whispering here with Mr. Connolly who is saying
how very seriously that Ms. Bass has taken the responsibility
as the ranking member on the Africa Subcommittee and making a
real difference in doing it. So thank you, on your bill.
And of course, Mr. Chairman, what you and Ranking Member
Engel are doing, not only in this bill, but the way that you
have been conducting this committee in a bipartisan way and
everyone having an opportunity to make real contributions and
to feel that you really belong in being a part of this in a
bipartisan way, you are really setting an example. And the way
that you two work with one another is tremendously important.
So I want to thank you in that regard.
And I want to just make my references specifically to H.
Res. 222 and thank the committee and I appreciate the support
of over 35 colleagues as co-signers of this resolution and of
course, including you, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member Engel,
and 16 members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This
resolution recognizes the long-term partnership and friendship
between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
working together toward peace and security in the Middle East.
This bipartisan resolution comes at a crucial time and a
critical time of unrest and conflict in the region. This
resolution is particularly timely today as Secretary of State
John Kerry arrives in Oman to begin a new round of peace talks.
Jordan plays a critical role as a mediator of peace between
the Israelis and the Palestinians. Jordan's normalized
relations and historic 1994 peace treaty with Israel greatly
contributes to stability in the region. And Jordan is an
advocate for progress in the Middle East peace process and
often offers to host peace negotiations as a mediator. The
United States has a close relationship with Jordan spanning
over 60 years and we work side by side with Jordanians in
multiple areas, from security cooperation and counterterrorism
to economic development and humanitarian assistance. This
resolution is not simply recognition of that friendship, it is
a reaffirmation of the importance of the United States and
Jordan's partnership as a key element of U.S. strategic
interests in the Middle East.
The horrific violence in neighboring Syria is threatening
to destabilize an entire region. Jordan has worked closely with
the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees to host an
increasing number of refugees. According to the UNHCR, Jordan
is currently hosting approximately 500,000 refugees and the
number increases with each passing day. The number of refugees
in Jordan accounts for almost 8 percent of the Jordanian
population. This is a heavy burden for Jordan that cannot be
underestimated. And I am pleased to recognize the friendship
between the American people and the people of Jordan working
toward peace and security in the Middle East.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Mr. Connolly. Would my colleague yield?
Mr. Meeks. I yield.
Mr. Connolly. I thank my colleague for yielding. I just
want to add my voice to his and my other colleagues in
supporting the legislation before us today. I am particularly
proud of being an original co-sponsor of the Vietnam Human
Rights Act where human rights violations continue. And I am
pleased to support the legislation in front of us. And I want
to thank the chairman and ranking member and echo your
sentiments about the bipartisan manner in which they have
conducted the business of this committee. And with that, I
yield back to my colleague.
Mr. Meeks. I yield back my time.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Connolly, and Mr. Meeks. We
go to Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I, too, want
to thank you and the ranking member, Eliot Engel, for the way
you have conducted this committee and working in a very robust,
bipartisan manner. And I support all four of the pieces of
legislation that are under consideration. I want to thank you
especially for bringing the Vietnam Human Rights Act before the
committee. Previously we brought this to the floor of the House
and it passed overwhelmingly. There were people who said things
were improving in Vietnam, but of course, the record, as
discussed at a hearing on June 4, clearly shows that there has
been significant deterioration. Human Rights Watch testified on
June 4th that in the first few months of 2013, more people have
been convicted in political trials as in the whole of last
year, in all of 2012. They pointed out how the trendlines have
been worsening and that the governance by Vietnam is
characterized by brutality and systematic suppression of
freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. We
heard at our hearing from a Vietnamese woman who was forced to
work in a brothel in Russia with 14 other Vietnamese women.
Last year, we heard at another hearing about a group of
Vietnamese workers who were trafficked to Jordan. In each of
these cases, and they are only the tip of the iceberg,
officials from the Vietnamese Government not only failed to
assist the victims, but instead were directly complicit in this
egregious exploitation of women.
We also heard from a number of people, Christians and Khmer
Krom Buddhist monks who testified before the committee and told
how each of their belief groups were being systematically
harassed, imprisoned, and even forced to renounce their faith,
particularly the Montagnards.
It is imperative that the United States Government send an
unequivocal message to the Vietnamese regime that it must end
its escalating human rights abuses of its own citizens. This
legislation seeks to do that by setting out very clear and very
attainable benchmarks and calls for substantial progress in
respecting freedom of religion, releasing all religious
prisoners, respecting the rights of freedom of expression,
assembly, and association, and releasing all political
prisoners, independent journalists, and labor activists,
repealing and revising laws that criminalize peaceful dissent,
independent media, unsanctioned religious activity, so-called
unsanctioned, and nonviolent demonstrations in accordance with
human rights standards, and of course, respecting the human
rights of all ethnic groups and taking all appropriate steps
including prosecution of government officials and government
complicity in human trafficking.
I would note parenthetically the first case that was
brought against Vietnamese officials pursuant to legislation
that I authored in 2000 known as the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act was against Daewoosa which had a sweatshop in
American Samoa and the Vietnamese Government to this day has
not honored the findings of that court which held very high
officials to account. As a matter of fact, they were promoted
in Vietnam to higher positions. It is serious human rights
situation and in a bipartisan way, we are trying to address it.
I also want to thank you for bringing to the committee
Ranking Member Karen Bass' resolution, H. Res. 131, as amended
by the amendment in the nature of a substitute. We have had
several hearings on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I,
like other members, have been there. I have been to Goma and
seen how horrific the abuse there is and this calls upon not
only the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but other border
states to do far more than they have done to end the atrocities
and the violence there. It also points out that the Atrocities
Prevention Board, created in 2011, to coordinate U.S. policy to
prevent mass atrocities and serious human rights violations
should work with regional and international partners to help
bring the tragedy in Eastern Congo to a definitive end. The
Atrocities Prevention Board is directed to address, prevent,
and ensure accountability for serious violations of
humanitarian law and we are calling on them to do far more than
we think that they have done so far. So very fine resolution
and again, in a bipartisan way, I am glad to join Karen Bass as
a co-sponsor of her bill.
Chairman Royce. Mr. Schneider is recognized.
Mr. Schneider. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and let me also say
thank you to the chairman and the ranking member for the
leadership on this committee and the bipartisan way we approach
all of the issues we face. I am proud to fully support all four
resolutions and I am grateful as well for the leadership of
many on this committee in speaking out and acting on human
rights on oversight and let me focus, in particular, on Jordan.
H. Res. 222, recognizing Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for
its long partnership with the United States, its commitment to
peace and security in the region, its leadership and promotion
of peace with its neighbor, Israeli deg., and in
particular at this moment, its contribution toward dealing with
both political and humanitarian crisis in Syria is crucial.
Jordan has been a U.S. ally for over six decades. Nearly two
decades ago, Jordan signed the historic peace treaty with
Israel and in a sense under the leadership of King Abdullah II,
actively and constructively sought progress toward peace,
between Israelis and Palestinians. Jordan has been a reliable
partner with U.S. providing intelligence and resources in the
global war on terror, as well as security and humanitarian
support of the United States' efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of particular note, Jordan has been a refuge for people
seeking security and sanctuary from sectarian violence in Iraq,
Libya, and now most urgently, Syria. Already over 500,000
people have sought refuge in Jordan from the atrocities of the
Al-Assad regime and some estimate that number may double before
the end of the year.
Jordan presently faces significant challenges in dealing
with this massive refugee crisis and its associated economic
burden. The U.S. can and must do more to assist the people in
the Government of Jordan as the conflict in Syria continues to
threaten the stability of the entire region.
We must work in partnership with our allies in the region,
including Jordan, to ensure the crisis in Syria does not break
out into a broader regional disaster. The resolution we are
considering today accurately identifies the tremendous
assistance Jordan provides throughout the region and recognizes
our partnership in promoting both security and peace. I yield
back.
Chairman Royce. Mr. Bera, do you seek recognition? Before
we go to you, I think Mr. Rohrabacher just indicated he would
like to seek recognition.
Mr. Rohrabacher. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I
would like to congratulate you on doing the drudge work in
making sure that legislation gets put together and brought
before us and the compromises and the wordings and all of the
things that go into your job, you are doing a good job for us
and especially on important issues like we are discussing today
and they are important. We are talking about human rights in
Vietnam and in Africa and acknowledging Jordan as a very
important player in the Middle East and an important friend of
the United States.
I would like to call attention specifically to the
legislation and add my name to it, if we could, that references
human rights in Vietnam. The people of Vietnam deserve special
attention. They deserve the special attention that this
legislation gives them. We encouraged the Vietnamese people
during the height of the Cold War to resist the expansion of
communism. They did so. They did so bravely, courageously, and
unfortunately, their efforts were futile. We also, of course,
lost 50,000 American lives and hundreds of thousands of wounded
during that conflict in the 1960s. Let us remember, however,
that the Vietnamese paid a much heavier price for that conflict
which was indeed one of the epic conflicts of the Cold War. And
we, of course, left the Vietnamese to fight on by themselves.
And a few years after we left, not long after we left, they
were, of course, overrun when this Congress decided to cut all
funds off to the Vietnamese Government that we left behind. We
cut off all funds for any military support for a conflict that
we had convinced them to get into in the first place.
With this history, Mr. Chairman, I think it behooves us to
try our best to at least be on the record and to pressure the
Government of Vietnam today to respect the human rights of its
people to the degree that a government such as that government
exists. It is hard to tell whether we can call them a Communist
government as it is hard to tell whether or not the government
in China is a Communist government, but we do know that the
Government of China is the world's worst human rights abuser.
And we do know that there are major human rights abuses going
on in Vietnam.
With this special relationship that we paid for and they
paid for in blood, we do need to go on record strongly when
their rights are being violated. One of the groups of people
here being mentioned are the Montagnards. And I will have to
note that back in 1967 I spent some time in the Central
Highlands with the Montagnard villagers and found them to be
courageous and I will never forget. They give these little
bracelets out that go around your arm that means you are a
member of the tribe or their clan, I guess, and I remember when
they gave me one and years later I determined that the war in
Vietnam was not in our interest to stay and lose so many of our
young lives. It was so divisive for our people.
And I remember the day I decided that I was in the shower
actually taking a shower and that bracelet broke at exactly
that moment. And I looked down and that bracelet was in the
drain. I looked down and I said, ``I wonder what happened to
those Montagnard people who trusted me and gave me that
bracelet. Maybe they are going down the drain, too.'' Well,
today, and for the last few years, those of us who have tried
to remain true to the principals of human rights that I think
our country stands for, know that we need to pay, we have a
debt to pay to those people to pay special attention to those
human rights that were violated and are being violated today by
that vicious government that still controls and holds power,
although how they can claim they gave so many lives to create
this Marxist dream and there is no way they can claim that
their economic system as in China has anything to do with Karl
Marx because it is now an ultra-profiteering capitalist system.
But it is more like a fascist system we should say.
So thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for again all of the
legislation that you have worked through, especially this
legislation that gives a very special attention to the
Vietnamese people to whom we owe a great debt. Thank you.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Rohrabacher. We will go now
to Dr. Bera, but before I do, I will remind the members we have
competing markups and members may submit statements for the
record and after we recognize our next few speakers, we are
going to go to a voice vote as soon as all members seeking
recognition, we have complied with that request. Dr. Bera, go
ahead.
Mr. Bera. And I will keep my comments brief. First off, I
will speak in favor of all four of the resolutions. I also want
to commend the chairman and ranking member for the nature of
this committee. Things in this town don't always work very
well, but this committee can be an example of what does work
well by working together.
I want to speak specifically to H. Res. 273, particularly
in the timeliness of yesterday's hearing and the importance of
getting the Broadcasting Board of Governors working. Anything
we can do to move this process forward, it was disconcerting
yesterday to hear how dysfunctional the Board is and that is an
important piece of our strategic dialogue. It is an important
piece of our diplomacy and again, I speak in support of helping
us move this process forward. So with that, I will yield back.
Thank you.
Chairman Royce. Dr. Bera, thank you. We look forward to
working with you on that question of reconstituting the
Broadcasting Board of Governors so that it operates in an
effective way.
I think Mr. Lowenthal was seeking recognition. Mr.
Lowenthal.
Mr. Lowenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I support all four
measures before us today, but I am proud to be an original co-
sponsor of H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013, an
act to promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam. First, I would
like to thank Congressman Smith for introducing this important
legislation and for you, Mr. Chair, for bringing it to the full
committee and I would also like to thank you, Mr. Chair, for
conducting this committee in a bipartisan manner.
Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act could
not have come at a more critical time for the United States-
Vietnam relations. As we all know, the Government of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam has benefitted substantially
since the time that it normalized relations with the United
States. Through its partnership with the United States, the
Government of Vietnam has gained access to the WTO, has
received permanent normal trade status with our country and has
expanded into American markets which is now worth approximately
$25 billion a year.
Now the Government of Vietnam wants to be part of the
Trans-Pacific Partnership without any commitment to respecting
human rights, religious freedom, and political rights of its
people. Despite the fact that Congress has passed numerous
resolutions in the past calling on the United States Government
to pressure Vietnam into improving its human rights record, we
seem to be getting nowhere with progress on the ground. On the
contrary, the Government of Vietnam has stepped its crackdown
on activists, dissidents, and opposition voices in an
unprecedented scale. This is due to the fact that increasingly
intellectuals, former officials, and those who have worked for
the ruling authorities are speaking out against the
authoritarian regime and voicing their opinions for justice and
for human rights.
As reported by the Human Rights Watch on June 19th, blogger
Truong Duy Nhat, blogger Pham Viet Dao, who is a former
government official, and internet activist Nguyen Chi Duc, a
former member of the Communist Party, they have been recently
arrested by the Ministry of Public Security just for exercising
their rights. Moreover, bloggers such as Truong Duy Nhat, Pham
Viet Dao have both been critical of the Vietnamese Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Vietnamese Communist Party
Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, blaming them for
mishandling the economy and calling for their resignation. It
just goes on and on, Mr. Chair. Human rights abuses and
crackdown on political dissents are on the rise in Vietnam.
While these activists represent the latest wave of
crackdown on dissidents by the government, we should not also
forget that many prisoners of conscience are still serving
their long and unjust sentences from years ago and they remain
today in jail. It is with this heavy background of human rights
abuses that I implore this Congress to pass the Vietnam Human
Rights Act of 2013 to send a strong signal to the Government of
Vietnam to stand up for justice and human dignity.
Just recently on June 1st, I, along with Chairman Royce and
Congresswomen Loretta Sanchez and others, hosted a community
town hall for the United States Ambassador to Vietnam, David
Shear, in my district which is the heart of Little Saigon in
Orange County which is one of the largest concentration of
Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. The overwhelming number of
Vietnamese Americans and local, elected officials who attended
the event called on Congress to pass the Vietnam Human Rights
Act. Today, I am asking for the same.
Freedom, democracy, and human rights must be a part of any
future partnership with Vietnam. Let us support the people of
Vietnam by voting yes on H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights
Act of 2013. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back my time.
Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Lowenthal. Do any other
members seek recognition before we vote?
Hearing no further requests for recognition, the question
occurs on agreeing to the items being considered en bloc.
All those in favor say aye.
All opposed, no.
In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the items
considered en bloc are agreed to. Without objection, the
measures agreed to en bloc: H.R. 1897; House Resolution 131, as
amended; House Resolution 273; and House Resolution 222, as
amended, are ordered favorably reported to the House and staff
are directed to make technical and conforming changes. And I
want to thank Ranking Member Engel and all of our colleagues
for their contributions and assistance with today's markup. The
committee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10:49 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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