[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014; CONCERNING THE SUSPENSION OF EXIT PERMIT
ISSUANCE BY THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO FOR ADOPTED CONGOLESE
CHILDREN; AND THE NEED TO BRING THE SOUTH SUDAN CONFLICT TO A
SUSTAINABLE AND LASTING END
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HEALTH,
GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS, AND
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ON
H.R. 4653, H. Res. 588 and H. Res. 503
__________
JUNE 18, 2014
__________
Serial No. 113-181
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
or
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
88-388PDF WASHINGTON : 2014
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800
DC area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC,
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
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia GRACE MENG, New York
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
TED S. YOHO, Florida TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
SEAN DUFFY, Wisconsin JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
Amy Porter, Chief of Staff Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director
Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and
International Organizations
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania KAREN BASS, California
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
MARKUP OF
H.R. 4653, To reauthorize the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom, and for other purposes........ 3
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4653 offered by
the Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in
Congress from the State of New Jersey, and chairman,
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights,
and International Organizations.............................. 7
H. Res. 588, Concerning the suspension of exit permit issuance by
the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted
Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their
adoptive parents............................................... 11
Amendment to H. Res. 588 offered by the Honorable Christopher
H.
Smith........................................................ 15
H. Res. 503, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
regarding the need to bring the South Sudan conflict to a
sustainable and lasting end and to promote reconciliation of
longstanding and recent grievances to allow for a peaceful
society with good governance................................... 17
Amendment to H. Res. 503 offered by the Honorable Christopher
H.
Smith........................................................ 24
LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 32
Markup minutes................................................... 33
Markup summary................................................... 34
UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014; CONCERNING THE SUSPENSION OF EXIT PERMIT
ISSUANCE BY THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO FOR ADOPTED CONGOLESE
CHILDREN; AND THE NEED TO BRING THE SOUTH SUDAN CONFLICT TO A
SUSTAINABLE AND LASTING END
----------
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health,
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:30 p.m., in
room 2200 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Christopher H.
Smith (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Smith. Good afternoon, and I want to thank our
colleagues for being here for this markup. Pursuant to notice
we are here this afternoon to mark up three bills: H.R. 4653,
United States Commission on the International Religious Freedom
Reauthorization Act of 2014; H. Res. 588, Concerning the
suspension of exit permit issuance by the Government of the
Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted Congolese children
seeking to depart the country with their adoptive parents
coming to the U.S.; and H. Res. 503, Expressing the sense of
the House of Representatives regarding the need to bring the
South Sudan conflict to a sustainable and lasting end and to
promote reconciliation of longstanding and recent grievances to
allow for a peaceful society with good governance.
All three measures enjoy strong bipartisan support that is
typical of the cooperation that characterizes both the
subcommittee and our full committee. Congressman Wolf's bill
which reauthorizes the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom has a nearly equal number of
Democrats and Republican co-sponsors.
The resolution on DR Congo adoptions is a Democratic
measure authored by Congressman Collin Peterson of Minnesota,
and again has strong bipartisan support and I am happy to say
that the lead co-sponsor of our bipartisan resolution on the
crisis in South Sudan is my dear friend and colleague, Ranking
Member Karen Bass, who shares an abiding concern and deep
concern for the Nation of South Sudan. I want to thank members
of the subcommittee for their support for these resolutions as
well, and I do think it will receive full floor consideration.
The fact that this subcommittee will reconvene following
this markup for a briefing and hearing as well as scheduling of
other events including a competing hearing and votes scheduled
by leadership, it is the intent of the Chair to consider these
measures en bloc along with substitute amendments sent to you
yesterday.
All members do have copies of the documents before them,
and then after we have concluded our expedited consideration I
would be glad to recognize any member including myself and the
ranking member and any of our other members for any statements
they would like to make.
All members are given leave to insert written remarks into
the record should they choose to do so. Seeing that we have a
reporting quorum, without objection, the following are
considered as read and will be considered en bloc.
H.R. 4653, the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2014, with the Smith
Amendment to H.R. 4653, again sent to your offices Tuesday; H.
Res. 588, Concerning the suspension of exit permit issuance by
the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo for adopted
Congolese children seeking to depart the country with their
adoptive parents, and a substitute amendment offered by myself
to H. Res. 588; and then H. Res 503, Expressing the sense in
the House regarding the need to bring the South Sudan conflict
to a sustainable and lasting end and promote reconciliation of
longstanding and recent grievances to allow for a peaceful
society with good governance, and another Smith amendment sent
to your offices yesterday.
[The information referred to follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Smith. The Chair moves that the en bloc amendments be
adopted, and all those in favor say aye.
All those opposed, no.
The ayes have it in the opinion of the Chair, and the items
that are considered en bloc are adopted. Without objection, the
measures as amended are reported favorably to the full
committee and the staff is directed to make any technical and
conforming changes.
I would like to note that we have completed our formal
consideration of these measures and I recognize members for
remarks. And I would like to first recognize myself on behalf
of the first bill that just passed on to the full committee
reauthorizing the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom.
In 1998, Congress had the foresight to make the protection
and promotion of religious liberty a priority in U.S. foreign
policy by creating an Ambassador-at-Large for International
Religious Freedom, the Office of International Religious
Freedom at the Department of State, which authors the
International Religious Freedom Report on every country in the
world, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious
Freedom and their watchdog report which they send to Congress.
Back in 1997 and 1998 I chaired all of the hearings in the
House that led to the markup of the legislation authored by
Chairman Frank Wolf of Virginia. It was at the time a very
tough sell. There were people against it both in the
administration as well as in Congress. But at the end of the
day there was a great coming together and a consensus behind it
that it was an idea whose time has come, to paraphrase Victor
Hugo, and it has made a difference over the years in promoting
religious freedom all over the world.
Importantly, this landmark legislation, the International
Religious Freedom Act, created a system for naming and taking
action against Countries of Particular Concern or CPCs. History
has shown that when the U.S. makes religious freedom a priority
and that priority is conveyed to Countries of Particular
Concern, especially, we have seen conditions change with
minimal harm to security or economic cooperation.
As a matter of fact, countless numbers of religious freedom
advocates who have been persecuted have benefited from this
legislation and have found freedom or at least a lessening of
jail sentences and a mitigation of the abuse that they suffer.
Two and a half years ago after passing with strong
bipartisan support in the House, a reauthorization bill, it got
bogged down in the Senate, though eventually the Commission was
reauthorized, when the legislation was then signed into law by
the President. This time we hope there will be no such bogging
down. And obstacles in the Senate, we all know how so many
bills that are sent there don't get acted on. We think this
will and believe it will. We have worked with Mr. Wolf's
office, members of USCIRF, and colleagues from both parties to
accommodate concerns.
This subcommittee held a hearing on May 22, where the
USCIRF commissioner, Dr. Robert George, testified and members
from religious minority communities, including Muslim, Baha'i,
and Christian, spoke about the importance of the work of the
Commission. We understand that this subcommittee's markup
having been completed, the full committee will mark it up next
week.
This subcommittee has also held many-hearings on the
Republic of South Sudan as part of our overall U.S.
Government's effort to see this new Nation succeed. From our
initial hearings and legislation to end the Sudanese practice
of supporting the enslavement of southerners to the successful
effort--and I held a hearing on slavery in the Sudan back in
1996. Chattel slavery, not unlike what we had sadly and
regrettably in the United States, was still going on in Sudan.
While we now know that the country emerged, it became
independent, there now are some very serious problems that
could derail its march toward democracy.
Last December, staff director Greg Simpkins and I were
actually preparing, in wake of the firing of government
officials, a conflict with the Republic of Sudan over oil
revenue, and a series of internal problems that threatened the
security of this Nation, to travel there. Just days before we
left, as a matter of fact, 2 days before we left, word came of
the new conflict and that the airport was closed and the
Embassy said don't come.
What began as a political dispute among political rivals
has blossomed into a poisonous clash that has taken on ominous
ethnic tones that threaten this Nation's future stability.
Consequently, I introduced H. Res. 503, with my friend and
colleague, Ms. Bass, to recommend a more comprehensive approach
to peacemaking in South Sudan. A mere peace treaty cannot
overcome the problems that have led to this tragic situation.
The resolution does call for sustainable cessation of
hostilities and adds our congressional voice to those calls in
Africa as well as within the country of South Sudan. But it
goes well beyond the preliminary step to urge a process that
includes greater transparency; inclusiveness for civil society
in ensuring good governance; a clear and achievable road map to
a free and fair election; the disarmament of militias and armed
groups along with security sector reform; international and
domestic procedure to ensure that those guilty of human rights
violations are brought to justice; and continued U.S.
humanitarian aid and support for capacity building and
resilience programs to help South Sudan recover from the
crisis.
The United States has a significant stake in the long-term
success of South Sudan, and we must think beyond the end of
this conflict to creating an environment where peace and
prosperity can flourish and be sustained.
Finally, I wish to note the importance of making a strong
statement in support of the children of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo. And I know, I have been there and I have seen
again and again, and Greg and I have been to places like Goma
and know how many children have been orphaned as a result of
the horrible conflict that has occurred there and continues.
This legislation deals with trying to find parents for
children who may be adopted, and there are hundreds of kids who
are in the pipeline that are no longer now adoptable because of
a government change of policy that goes back to last September.
And I am talking about the DR Congo. Kinshasa did a change of
the view on this, and this encourages them to rethink that and
to hopefully allow these children to be adopted here in the
United States.
I would like to now yield to Ms. Bass.
Ms. Bass. Thank you very much, Chairman Smith, always, for
your leadership. Your hard work on this important bill, H.R.
4653, I am going to speak just briefly about each of the bills.
In a time when sectarian violence rages within and between
various world religions and the repression of religious
minorities persists, it is important to be supportive of
national institutions such as the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom. Whether it is the desecration
of mosques, churches, or synagogues, or the defamation or
persecution of adherence to particular religious groups, it is
critical to have oversight and forward-thinking policy in these
matters to expand religious freedom.
In terms of H. Res. 503, I also want to add my voice and
support regarding the need to bring the South Sudan conflict to
a sustainable end and to promote the reconciliation of
longstanding and recent grievances allowing for a peaceful
society with good governance. It is my hope that this
legislation will help lay the groundwork to not only bring
about a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the conflict,
but also to establish a stable and economically viable South
Sudan.
In terms of H. Res. 588, this is another important piece of
legislation. I am proud to join Representative Peterson as a
co-sponsor of this resolution, and I have worked with my
colleagues here in the House and the Senate, in particular my
colleague, Senator Mary Landreau. In April, the co-chairs of
the Congressional Coalition on Adoption of which I am one,
organized nearly 200 Members of Congress to bring concerns
about the interruption of the adoption process directly to the
Government of the DRC.
As we all work to resolve this issue, Congress and
advocates must continue to engage and communicate with the
Congolese Government to ensure that all adoptive children are
united with safe, loving and permanent families. I look forward
to continuing to work with the Congolese Government to continue
to improve the intercountry adoption process and the welfare
and safety of all children globally.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much.
Mr. Cicilline?
Mr. Cicilline. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you and the
ranking member for bringing these three pieces of legislation
before this subcommittee for markup.
Mr. Smith. Dr. Bera?
Mr. Bera. The same thing.
Mr. Smith. Thank you. Thank you for joining today and for
supporting these bills and resolutions.
I would just note, more than parenthetically, we have with
us today Andrew Natsios who was our Special Envoy to Sudan. Did
a magnificent job in that position, and from 2001 to 2006 was
the Administrator for USAID and was absolutely devoted to
meeting crises worldwide, but had such a special heart and mind
for the people of Sudan.
And we in this Congress benefited greatly from his
leadership and, of course, above all, the people of Sudan. So I
do thank you. Mr. Natsios is speaking on behalf of the human
rights in the next venue, but I do want to acknowledge his
presence during this markup and thank him for his extraordinary
service.
This markup is concluded and we will now go to our briefing
and then hearing, and I thank my colleagues again for their
support in these bills.
[Whereupon, at 1:51 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Material Submitted for the Record
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]