[House Hearing, 116 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
MARKUP OF H.R. 3190, BURMA Act of 2019; H.R. 2327, Burma Political
Prisoners Assistance Act; H.R. 1632, Southeast Asia Strategy Act; H.R.
3252, Global Respect Act; H.Res. 259, H.Res. 432, H.Res. 441, H.Res.
444, H.R. 2229, First Responders Passport Act of 2019
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MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
June 20, 2019
__________
Serial No. 116-49
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://
docs.house.gov,
or http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
36-770PDF WASHINGTON : 2019
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York, Chairman
BRAD SHERMAN, California MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Ranking
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York Member
ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida JOE WILSON, South Carolina
KAREN BASS, California SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts TED S. YOHO, Florida
DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
AMI BERA, California LEE ZELDIN, New York
JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas JIM SENSENBRENNER, Wisconsin
DINA TITUS, Nevada ANN WAGNER, Missouri
ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York BRIAN MAST, Florida
TED LIEU, California FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida
SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
DEAN PHILLPS, Minnesota JOHN CURTIS, Utah
ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota KEN BUCK, Colorado
COLIN ALLRED, Texas RON WRIGHT, Texas
ANDY LEVIN, Michigan GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania GREG PENCE, Indiana
TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey STEVE WATKINS, Kansas
DAVID TRONE, Maryland MIKE GUEST, Mississippi
JIM COSTA, California
JUAN VARGAS, California
VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas
Jason Steinbaum, Democrat Staff Director
Brendan Shields, Republican Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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Page
BILLS OFFERED EN BLOC
H.R. 3190........................................................ 2
H.R. 2327........................................................ 56
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2327 offered by
Mr. Levin...................................................... 64
H.R. 1632........................................................ 71
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 1632 offered by
Mrs. Wagner.................................................... 78
H.R. 3252........................................................ 85
H.Res. 259....................................................... 100
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.Res. 259 offerd by
Mr. Engel...................................................... 104
H.Res. 432....................................................... 108
Amendment to H.Res. 432 offered by Mr. McCaul.................... 115
H.Res. 441....................................................... 119
H.Res. 444....................................................... 124
Amendment to H.Res. 444 offered by Mr. Lieu...................... 129
H.R. 2229........................................................ 131
Amendment to H.R. 2229 offered by Mr. Chabot..................... 133
INFORMATION SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Russian LGBTI Network Report submitted for the record from
Representative Cicilline....................................... 148
Article: Azerbaijan named most anti-LGBT+ country in Europe
submitted for the record from Representative Cicilline......... 179
Article: Lesbian conference in Ukraine targeted by anti-LGBT
protesters submitted for the record from Representative
Cicilline...................................................... 181
Article: Stabroek News submitted for the record from
Representative Cicilline....................................... 185
Article: GAYSTARNEWS Alegerian man's throat cut, then killers
write 'gay' on the wall with his blood submitted for the record
from Representative Cicilline.................................. 187
APPENDIX
Hearing Nnotice.................................................. 196
Hearing Minutes.................................................. 197
Hearing Attendance............................................... 198
Hearing Markup Summary........................................... 199
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Statement submitted for the record from Representative Wright.... 200
MARKUP OF H.R. 3190, BURMA Act of 2019; H.R. 2327, Burma Political
Prisoners Assistance Act; H.R. 1632, Southeast Asia Strategy Act; H.R.
3252, Global Respect Act; H.Res. 259, H.Res. 432, H.Res. 441, H.Res.
444, H.R. 2229, First Responders Passport Act of 2019
Thursday, June 20, 2019
House of Representatives
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Washington, DC
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:07 a.m., in
room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Eliot Engel
(chairman of the committee) presiding.
Chairman Engel. The committee will come to order.
Pursuant to notice, we meet today to markup nine bipartisan
measures. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare
a recess of the committee at any point.
Pursuant to Committee Rule 4, the chair announces that the
chair may postpone further proceedings on approving any measure
or matter or adopting an amendment.
Without objection, all members may have 5 days to submit
statements or extraneous materials on today's business.
As members were notified yesterday, we intend to consider
today's en bloc.
The measures are H.R. 3190, the BURMA Act of 2019; H.R.
2327, Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act, with the Levin
amendment in the nature of a substitute; H.R. 1632, Southeast
Asia Strategy Act, with the Wagner amendment in the nature of a
substitute; H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act; H. Res. 259,
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support
the repatriation of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq to
their ancestral homelands, with the Engel amendment in the
nature of a substitute; H. Res. 432, condemning the attacks on
peaceful protestors and supporting the immediate peaceful
transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan,
with the McCaul amendment; H. Res. 441, condemning the attack
on the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
in July 1994, and expressing the concern of the United States
regarding the continuing 25-year-long delay in the resolution
of this case and encouraging accountability for the attack; H.
Res. 444, reaffirming the importance of the United States to
promote the safety, health, and wellbeing of refugees and
displaced persons, with the Lieu amendment; and H.R. 2229,
First Responders Passport Act of 2019, with the Chabot
amendment.
[The Bills offered en bloc follow:]
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Chairman Engel. At this time, I recognize myself to speak
on today's business. We have nine good bipartisan measures
before us today. I am pleased to support them all.
First, I want to discuss some of the bills and resolutions
that deal with human rights. I will start with the bill
introduced with Mr. Chabot, the BURMA Act.
The world watched with horror as reports came out about the
Burmese military and security forces' atrocities against the
Rohingya people.
Now, over 1 million Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh,
unable to return home safely, and the Burmese military is using
the same violent tactics against other ethnic minorities in
Burma.
The BURMA Act will hold the perpetrators of these horrific
crimes accountable and pursue justice for the victims. It also
works to reform Burma's gemstone sector that is currently
dominated by the military.
This lucrative industry should benefit the Burmese people.
It should pay for the infrastructure and economic development
so desperately needed there instead of funding the conflicts
plaguing that country.
We passed the BURMA Act with broad bipartisan support in
the last Congress and I hope this year we get it across the
line to the president's desk and help bring a measure of
justice to the Rohingya people.
While the BURMA Act focused on accountability for the
military and security forces, we also need to hold the civilian
government in Burma accountable for their crackdown on dissent.
Aung San Suu Kyi's government is repressing civil society
and silencing journalists--I never thought I would ever say
this--including two Reuter's journalists who were imprisoned
for 500 days for reporting on the Rohingya crisis.
That brings me to Mr. Levin's Burma Political Prisoners
Assistance Act. This bill calls on Aung San Suu Kyi's
government to reform these repressive laws, and adds on the
State Department's work to support civil society and free
political prisoners.
It is a good bill and I urge all members on both sides of
the aisle to join me in supporting it.
Next, I will turn to Mr. Fortenberry and Ms. Eshoo's
measure that supports justice for persecuted minorities in
Iraq.
I have discussed this with Mr. Fortenberry for many, many,
many months. He has worked very hard on this. This resolution
condemns the tragic and horrific brutality that ISIS has
wrought on religious and ethnic minorities in that country.
It also calls on the United States along with the Iraqi and
Kurdish regional governments to support the safe return and
integration of these groups into Iraqi society. That includes
Christians. It is a good resolution, and I am pleased to
support it.
Today marks World Refugee Day so it is fitting that we are
considering Mr. Lieu's measure reaffirming the importance for
the United States to promote health and wellbeing of refugees
and displaced persons.
This measure is a critical and timely call for all of us.
We must continue to support refugee protection and humanitarian
response to leadership investment of resources and partnership.
Countless brave children, women, and men have been forced
out of their homes by violence, conflict, persecution, natural
disaster, or war. Across most of our history there would be no
question that the United States would stand ready to provide a
measure of relief for those desperate people.
Today, sadly, I am sure that commitment is in doubt in many
places around the world. So I thank Mr. Lieu for bringing
forward this resolution that reaffirms what our country stands
for, and I support moving it forward today.
Next, another piece of important human rights legislation,
the Global Respect Act. Throughout the world everyday people
face violence, discrimination, cruel inhumane degrading
treatment simply because of whom they love. This is about
people's safety and security.
We need to condemn persecution and violence against LGBT
communities wherever and whenever it happens and those
responsible for this sort of bigotry need to face justice.
The Global Respect Act puts visa sanctions on those
responsible for human rights abuses against the LGBT community
and requires the State Department to report on these issues in
their human rights.
Mr. Cicilline, thank you for introducing this measure and
for your remarkable leadership on this issue. I am a proud co-
sponsor and I strongly support its passage.
Now I will turn to Mr. Kildee's resolution dealing with the
ongoing crisis in Sudan, which I was pleased to join in as an
original co-sponsor.
The situation in Sudan is dire and it is important that
Congress send a strong message. Peaceful pro-democracy
protestors are under attack by the country's security forces,
especially General Hemedti's Rapid Support Forces.
H. Res. 432 condemns these human rights abuses and pushes
the Administration to work with international partners to
resolve the current crisis in Sudan.
This resolution is an important measure to show that
Congress stands with the people of Sudan in their fight for a
democratic civilian--led government. I am proud to support it
and I urge all members to do the same.
Now I will turn to Mr. Deutch's resolution that strongly
condemns the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center that
took place 25 years ago in Buenos Aires.
This one hits close to the heart. I visited AMIA twice to
meet with the community there and pay my respects to the
victims. It is an absolute tragedy and, frankly, it is an
outrage that after all these years there still has not been
justice for those 85 victims and their families.
This resolution condemns the attack and calls for swift
action to bring the perpetrators to justice. I am pleased to
support it. I followed this case. It is a disgrace. Every time
we think we are right there something happens to push it away.
Next, the First Responders Passport Act from Mr. Chabot.
This is a good bill that passed the House in the 114th
Congress, and I am glad we are considering it again now.
USAID-supported search and rescue teams have played an
essential role in the aftermath of many overseas natural
disasters, including earthquakes in Nepal, Haiti, Japan, and
New Zealand.
These first responders provide specialized capabilities and
demonstrate our commitment to international partners during
times of need. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State
to waive passport fees for the brave Americans who mobilize
quickly as part of the U.S. government-supported team to help
other countries when a natural disaster hits abroad.
This is a common sense fix for Americans who risk life and
limb to help other countries during times of despair and I am
please to move it forward.
Finally, we have the Southeast Asia Strategy Act from Mrs.
Wagner. Southeast Asian States have been central to United
States policy in Asia for decades and they are key partners in
advancing our interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
But at this point, the United States still has not put
together a comprehensive strategy on how to strengthen our
engagement with these countries.
The Southeast Asia Strategy Act calls on the Secretary of
State to develop this policy so we can fully engage with our
partners on some of the most critical issues facing our world
today.
From climate change and human rights to security
cooperation, energy, and a growing global economy, it is a good
bill to strengthen our position in this critical region.
I am pleased to support all these measures and I would like
to thank our members for their hard work.
And now I will recognize our ranking member, Mr. McCaul of
Texas, for his remarks.
Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Today, our committee will mark up five bills and four
resolutions. This builds on the 26 bills and seven resolutions
the committee has already approved, many in a bipartisan
manner.
In particular, I would like to thank the vice ranking
member, Mrs. Wagner, for her bill, the Southeast Asia Strategy
Act. This bill will promote U.S. cooperation with the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations and establish a
comprehensive interagency strategy for engagement in Southeast
Asia with ASEAN.
ASEAN is at the center of Asia's strategic and economic
future and critical to the Administration's Indo-Pacific
strategy. This legislation is especially important now to help
us better counter China in their Belt and Road Initiative.
I would like to thank also Mr. Chabot for his bill to give
the Secretary of State discretion to waive passport fees for
certain American first responders making trips abroad for
natural disaster response efforts as natural disasters can
strike anywhere at any time.
I saw firsthand when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, first
responders and volunteers were absolutely critical in helping
victims, cleaning up debris and restoring necessities such as
electricity and clean water.
I appreciate Chabot's bill that would help these responders
travel to aid a foreign country suffering from such disasters.
Last, I am proud to support, once again, Chairman Engel's
BURMA Act of 2019. The Foreign Affairs Committee has a decades-
long history of holding the Burmese military accountable for
their atrocities.
It is more important than ever after their genocide against
their own people in August 2017. The BURMA Act will selectively
revive the sanctions regime that was recklessly scrapped during
the last administration, which is long overdue.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to considering
these bills and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. McCaul.
Does anyone seek recognize for the purpose of speaking on
the en bloc passage?
Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Sherman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to commend you and
the ranking member once again for an outstanding package of
bills brought forward in a collegial and bipartisan manner.
With regard to Asia, I particularly want to focus on the
ethnic cleansing, if not the genocide, of the Rohingya and I am
glad that we are dealing with two bills today that deal with
that.
It is so important that the people of the--moving on to H.
Res. 259, it is so important that the Assyrians and other
ethnic minorities and religious minorities of Iraq be allowed
to return in safety to their ancestral homelands.
And we are, of course, remembering what happened to the
Jewish community of Buenos Aires and taking a strong stand to
support the LGBTI community.
So it is an excellent package of bills. Pleased to co-
sponsor them all, and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Chairman Engel, and Ranking Leader--Republican
Leader Mike McCaul for bringing these important bills to markup
today.
These bills address some of the most pressing issues facing
the world today and they are a testament to the bipartisan
spirit of this committee.
I would like to start by expressing my strong support for
House Resolution 441 condemning the attack on the Mutual
Israelite Association of Argentina--AMIA--Jewish Community
Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994 introduced by
my friend and chairman of the Middle East, North Africa, and
International Terrorism Subcommittee, Ted Deutch.
This dastardly attack carried out by Iran's primary global
proxy, Hezbollah, tragically killed 85 innocent people and
injured 300 others.
But for 25 years, those responsible for this tragic attack
have not faced justice. In 2006, Argentine Special Prosecutor
Alberto Nisman formerly accused the Iranian government of
directing the attack and confirmed that Hezbollah carried it
out.
But, unfortunately, the highest levels of the Argentinian
government were also involved in the cover-up to seal Iran's
role in the bombing.
Nisman was found shot in the head 1 day before he was
scheduled to present his findings on the case to the
Argentinian Congress.
And here we are, nearly 25 years to the day of the AMIA
bombing and not a single Iranian suspect has faced prosecution.
Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the victims
of this horrible attack.
Justice must be served. I am grateful to support this
measure as original co-sponsor and appreciate that Chairman
Deutch has highlighted this case and advocated for justice for
these families.
I would also like to express my support for Mr. Chabot's
support measures H.R. 2229 that would waive passport fees for
selfless American first responders traveling abroad to aid a
foreign country suffering from a natural disaster.
The generosity and charitable spirit of the American people
are boundless. When disaster strikes, brave American men and
women risk their lives to shuttle off to places many of us have
never heard of to help local communities deal with some of the
most devastating conditions on Earth.
They not only help those communities but, in the long run,
they spread good will about America. They ultimately serve as
Ambassadors of our country and represent the best of the United
States.
The very least we in Congress can do to support these
courageous individuals is waive their passport fees and send
them on their way. Again, thanks to Mr. Chabot for his great
work on this bill.
Last, I would like to express my strong support for
Chairman Engel and Mr. Chabot's BURMA Act of 2019. The ongoing
situation in Burma is beyond belief. The massive human rights
abuses and unthinkable violence against ethnic Rohingya
civilians in Burma are reprehensible.
We have seen the tragic reports. Seven hundred and fifty
thousand have already fled, 80 percent of whom are women and
children.
But even when they finally get out of Burma these hapless
refugees are packed in harsh conditions and sometimes even
targets of continued violence.
Just last month, 65 Rohingya refugees were found
shipwrecked and stranded in southern Thailand, suspected of
being victims of human trafficking.
This is, unfortunately, an ongoing situation and the
Burmese military leaders with blood on their hands have yet to
be held accountable for their crimes against humanity.
That is why the BURMA Act is so critical. It would ensure
sanctions, accountability, and justice related to the ethnic
cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma.
It is our moral imperative to stand with the systematic
human rights abuses of the--against the abuses of the Burmese
military and seek accountability and justice for the victims of
this heinous campaign.
With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Deutch.
Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you and the
ranking member for bringing this slate of bipartisan measures
before us today. I am proud to support all of them.
I thank my colleagues for continuing to highlight the gross
injustices taking place against the Rohingya in Burma. I thank
Mr. Cicilline for his tireless work to fight for equality and I
stand with him in making clear that attacks on the LGBTI
community are attacks on fundamental human rights.
I support Mr. Lieu's effort to remind the world that we
have a responsibility to those who are fleeing violence and
displacement in seeking a better life.
I am also proud to stand with my colleagues in support of
those peaceful protestors in Sudan who seek a democratic
transition and have been met with violence. These deadly
attacks must end and a civilian transition must begin.
It is with a heavy heart that I, along with the ranking
member of the Middle East, North African, and International
Terrorism Subcommittee, Mr. Wilson, and the chairman and
ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Mr.
Sires and Mr. Rooney, introduced a resolution marking the 25th
anniversary of the AMIA terror attack and urging justice and
accountability for those responsible for this attack.
On July 18th, 1994, a terrorist detonated a car bomb in the
AMIA building, a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.
Eighty-five innocent people were killed. Hundreds more were
injured, and to date this remains the deadliest terror attack
in Argentina.
Unfortunately, the investigations into the AMIA attack have
been marked by long delays and judicial misconduct, failing
thus far to bring justice for the victims, for the families,
and for the community.
Considerable evidence has linked this heinous attack to the
terrorist group Hezbollah and to its sponsor, the government of
the Islamic Republic of Iran, and despite warrants issued by
the Argentinian justice system for Iranian and Lebanese
nationals thought to be involved in the attacks and their
addition on Interpol's most wanted lists, Iranian and Hezbollah
operatives have yet to face accountability for their actions.
After the previous president of Argentina worked to prevent
Iran from being held accountable, prosecutor Alberto Nisman
heroically proceeded investigating this bombing, shedding light
on the alarming and growing partnership between leaders in Iran
and Argentina.
Just 1 day before he was scheduled to present his latest
findings, Alberto Nisman was found dead in his home with a
fatal gunshot to the head.
We are grateful that President Macri's government has
continued to push for Iranian accountability and we hope that
responsible nations will comply and not afford those involved
in this terror attack the opportunity to escape justice.
Twenty-five years later, Iranian-backed Hezbollah continues
to carry out terror operations. Twenty-five years later, anti-
Semitism continues to threaten the lives of Jewish communities
throughout Latin America and around the world.
The rise in anti-Semitic attacks including the brutal
attack on a rabbi in Argentina earlier this year should put us
all on notice that we as a global community must do more to
combat hate.
And with this vote, the committee honors the memory of the
victims of this horrific attack, recalls the brave work by
Alberto Nisman, who lost his life pursuing justice, and calls
for full accountability for all of those who are responsible.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and the
other good measures before us today, and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Deutch.
Mrs. Wagner.
Mrs. Wagner. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you very
much and the ranking member for including H.R. 1632, the
Southeast Asia Strategy Act, in today's markup.
I would also like to thank Congressman Castro, with whom I
founded and co-chair the ASEAN Caucus for working with me on
this legislation and for his great support of U.S.-ASEAN
relations.
This bill will deepen U.S. engagement without Southeast
Asian partners by requiring the Secretary of State, in
consultation with other agencies as appropriate, to develop and
communicate a communicate regional strategy that addresses all
aspects of the relationship, from trade and humanitarian goals
to diplomatic and security arrangements.
ASEAN member States are vital to the prosperity of the
United States economy, generating hundreds of thousands of
American jobs and investing more in our economy than China and
India combined.
In 2015, the United States and ASEAN elevated the
relationship into a strategic partnership to enhance
cooperation across the economic, political security, and
people-to-people pillars of this relationship.
Southeast Asian countries seek assurance that the United
States is a reliable partner as they try to maintain economic
independence from China and defend their territorial claims in
the South China Sea.
While ASEAN countries have expressed support for the Trump
Administration's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy, which
promotes cooperation with India, Japan, and Australia to
contain China, some worry that the focus on the peripheral
waters of Asia will leave Southeast Asian States to fend off
China without substantial support.
The U.S. withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership
further stoked concerns that the United States is no longer as
committed to enhancing our trade relations.
I have had many opportunities to meet with ASEAN officials
and foreign ministers. One message that I hear repeatedly is
that the United States must demonstrate strength and leadership
in the region.
Congress should listen closely to our partners, who are
demanding stronger leadership and not just because China would
be sure to fill any vacuum in power.
ASEAN is, clearly, a powerhouse and a critical region to
engage in in and of itself. The U.S. should be proactively
crafting and implementing its Southeast Asia strategy.
This bill would require the Administration to do just that.
I thank the chairman for his attention to U.S. engagement in
the region and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1632, the
Southeast Asia Strategy Act.
I thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mrs. Wagner.
Mr. Keating.
Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to thank you and your ranking member, Mr.
McCaul, for your leadership and the slate of bills we have in
front of us--very important bills all advancing important
causes, all of which I support.
I would like to also in particular thank Congressman
Cicilline for his leadership for the Global Respect Act. I am
pleased to be a original co-sponsor of the Global Respect Act.
For too long we have seen prejudice and violence against
the LGBTI persons globally and here in the United States. This
bill is a strong response to international human rights abuse
based on sexual orientation, gender identification, or sex
characteristics, and it is worth noting the timing of advancing
this bill since next week we mark an important half century
milestone. Here in the United States we have come a long way in
50 years since the Stonewall raid and riots.
But there is still more work that has to be done to ensure
the LGBTI individuals have the rights and respect that they
truly deserve.
With the passage of the Global Respect Act, the United
States will lead by example in sending a strong message to our
counterparts around the world.
With that, I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Keating.
Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I am bouncing back
and forth between this hearing and Judiciary--this markup and
Judiciary and Small Business as well, so I will be brief. I
would just like to comment on two of the bills we have before
us today.
The first is H.R. 2229, the First Responders Passport Act,
which is legislation I introduced to allow the Secretary of
States to waive passport fees for first responders who are
contracted to deploy to disaster zones around the world.
For instance, every 5 years USAID awards contracts to a
couple fire department search and rescue teams to be able to
mobilize immediately after disaster strikes abroad.
Since teams have to be ready to leave the country the day a
disaster strikes, these first responders must maintain active
passports.
However, since they are not government personnel they have
to do so at their own expense. Furthermore, the teams do not
deploy all that often. So foreign travel is not really an
essential part of their jobs normally.
Brave first responders represent our Nation to people who
have lost everything across the globe. They should not be
personally required to incur this expense to do their job.
Instead, our country should provide them the necessary
documents so that they can bring the compassion and generosity
of the American people to those who need it most.
I also briefly want to mention my amendment to this
legislation, which brings its text into better alignment with
its intent.
It limits the exemption to individuals who are truly first
responders; that is, those who are under contract to deploy
within a week and so must have an active passport at all times.
The second piece of legislation I would like to comment on
is the BURMA Act, of which I am the lead Republican and I want
to thank Chairman Engel for sponsoring this legislation and
working with me to hold the Burmese military accountable for
its barbaric attacks on the Rohingya in the fall of 2017.
Since then, I and many on this committee have condemned
these atrocities. The facts bear repeating. In September 2017,
the Burmese military began a campaign to permanently drive the
Rohingya out of Burma that resulted in over 700,000 Rohingya
refugees fleeing from Rakhine State, Burma, into neighboring
Bangladesh. They remain there today without any meaningful hope
of returning home.
This campaign consisted of widespread, systematic, and
premeditated human rights abuses including barbaric killings,
gang rapes, and the burning of around 400 Rohingya villages.
According to a partial State Department report on these
atrocities, about half of the Rohingya surveyed said that they
had personally witnessed a rape while about 80 percent
witnessed killings and the destruction of villages.
Since the Burma Act passed the House as part of the NDAA
last year, there have been substantial developments in our
understanding of the true horror of these atrocities as various
investigations have been completed.
The evidence is so bad that virtually everyone who has
looked at it says these crimes were genocide and crimes against
humanity. Based on this evidence last December, the House voted
overwhelmingly to adopt this resolution determining that the
atrocities were indeed a genocide and calling for
accountability.
It is very disappointing that after almost 2 years, the
Burmese military has not been held accountable for these
atrocities.
The BURMA Act would utilize sanctions and other tools to
bring about some measure of justice for the Rohingya and move
Burma toward a better future.
Time alone will not absolve these crimes and it is long
overdue that this legislation became law, and I want to thank
you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership on this and thank all
the other members of the committee that have been involved.
And I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Chabot.
Mr. Sires.
Mr. Sires. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am grateful you have called this markup that we are able
to advance these bipartisan measures today.
I want to thank my good friend from Florida, Chairman Ted
Deutch, for introducing an important bill to condemn the attack
on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
in 1994.
As we approach the 25th anniversary of that horrible day, I
am proud to cosponsor this bill and join Mr. Deutch, Ranking
Member Rooney, Ranking Member Wilson, and our other colleagues
in repeating our calls for accountability.
The AMIA bombing killed 85 people, injured 300, and shook
the entire Jewish community in Argentina. It was the deadliest
terrorist attack in Argentina's history. Evidence suggests that
the terrorist group Hezbollah carried out this vicious and
cowardly attack with the support of Iran.
Yet, 25 years later, the perpetrators have not been brought
to justice. The family of the victims deserve better.
We in Congress must continue to call for the investigation
to be completed. We should also continue to condemn those
powerful interests that have sought to keep the truth from
coming to light.
I was honored to visit the AMIA Center in 2016 and meet
with representatives of the Jewish community in Argentina who
are still fighting for justice and accountability.
I plan to lead a bipartisan delegation to Argentina next
month to once again stand in solidarity with the Jewish
community in Argentina and throughout the world.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution which sends
a strong message that we will never forget what happened 25
years ago and we will not give up until the perpetrators have
been brought to justice.
I thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their
efforts to have this markup and I thank all the members and
their staff for their hard work.
Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sires.
Mr. Burchett.
Mr. Burchett. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member.
I would like to express my strong support for House
Resolution 441 and thank Mr. Deutch for introducing it.
It is pretty clear to me and I guess the members that this
committee that 25 years ago Hezbollah committed this heinous
bombing on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association--the AMIA--
and killed 85 civilians.
This resolution is a stark reminder of the evil that
Hezbollah has espoused since their founding in the early
1980's. Additionally, we must never forget about Hezbollah's
patron, Iran, who is equally culpable in this massacre and is
leading the State sponsor in the world.
It is safe to say that with Iranian help, Hezbollah has
been able to launch many transnational terror attacks which,
besides the AMIA, include the Israeli embassy bombing in Buenos
Aires, the attack on U.S. embassy in Beirut, the Marine
barracks bombing in Beirut, and not to mention the continued
threat Hezbollah poses on Israel's northern borders.
Mr. Chairman, the 25th anniversary of the AMIA bombing is a
stark reminder that we must never forget the cowardly acts of
Hezbollah and Iran, the ones that they have perpetrated over
the years.
And I yield back the rest of my time. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Burchett.
Ms. Bass.
Ms. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to speak in support of House Resolution 432,
condemning the attacks on peaceful protestors and supporting an
immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic
government in the Sudan.
Protests have taken place all across Sudan since December
2018, both in response to Bashir's authoritarian regime and the
country's declining economy.
Bashir was removed in April after being in power for 30
years, soon after a transitional military council assumed
control of the country, promising to negotiate a civilian-led
transition to power.
In June, the Rapid Support Forces, a militia linked to
atrocities against civilians in Darfur, slaughter peaceful
protestors in the streets.
There have been numerous atrocities committed including
bodies being found in the Nile River, the killing of a 26-year-
old engineer named Mohamed Mattar, and other reported cases of
rape in the country while peaceful protests have tried to press
for a swift return to civilian rule.
All the while Sudanese security forces have continuously
cracked down violently on protestors, used excessive lethal
force, and reportedly detained hundreds.
The current political crisis has the potential to
destabilize the country. This resolution is important because
it signals to the Sudanese population that we stand with their
call for civilian rule, that we hear them, and that their lives
are important.
In the past hearings I have stated my disappointment with
the Sudanese Security Forces firing live ammunition, causing
multiple fatalities in order to disband sit-ins and peaceful
protests in Sudan.
I am also alarmed that the military has shut down media
networks in Sudan, the social media. The internet has been shut
down for more than 17 days.
I call on the Sudanese Transitional Military Council to
immediately open up the internet. And it is also critical that
journalists continue covering this situation in Sudan.
This not only gives the international community insight
about what is happening on the ground but also boosts morale
for protestors.
I encourage everyone to support House Res. 432 condemning
the attacks on citizens and supporting an immediate peaceful
transition to civilian rule.
Next Tuesday, the Africa Subcommittee is having a hearing
on the political crisis in Sudan with government witnesses and
I encourage you all to come and give voice to this alarming
crisis.
I have to say that I am deeply disappointed, having
traveled to Sudan last year and was hopeful that we were moving
in a positive direction in terms of our two countries. But,
obviously, this has been a tremendous backslide.
We also had planned to travel to Sudan next week. But
because of the crisis, the instability, we are not going to be
allowed to go into the country.
So with that, I yield back my time. Thank you.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Bass.
Mr. Rooney.
Mr. Rooney. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to add my voice and support to my colleague Ted
Deutch's resolution, H. Res. 441 condemning the attack on the
AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires back in July 1994,
which expresses concern over the 25-year-long delay in
resolving the case and encourages that those people responsible
for this heinous act be held accountable.
It is critically important that this committee condemn this
terrorist attack, one of the worst in the history of Latin
America, and it is equally important that we recognize that
those victims of the attack and their families deserve justice.
For 25 years now, Hezbollah, generally backed by Iran, has
been able to avoid accountability for the murders of these 85
men, women, and children.
This resolution serves as a potent reminder that the United
States will continue to recognize and hold responsible those
who perpetrate acts of terror anywhere in the world.
I want to further commend the Macri government of Argentina
for its effort to find the truth behind the death of prosecutor
Alberto Nisman, who was responsible for investigating this
terrorist attack but was found dead with a single bullet to his
head in his apartment in a crime that we do not necessarily
think was an accident, and I have the fervent belief that the
government of Iran was behind it.
Last, although this terrorist attack was perpetrated 25
years ago, it should serve as a strong reminder that foreign
terrorist groups do not just operate across oceans but in our
own hemisphere as well.
We all know the things that are taking place on the
Uruguay-Argentina-Brazil border. We must work with our strong
ally, Argentina, and all of our partners in the region to
combat the malign influence of foreign actors and hold those
responsible who perpetrate crimes and terror against innocent
people.
I want to thank my colleague from Florida, Mr. Deutch,
again for introducing this important resolution. I thank the
other people who have spoken on its behalf and thank, last,
Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for bringing it before
the committee for swift passage.
I urge all my colleagues to support the resolution, and
yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Rooney.
Mr. Cicilline.
Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to
you, Chairman Engel, and Ranking Member McCaul for bringing up
these important bills in a bipartisan fashion and I, of course,
urge my colleagues to support all of them.
I would like to spend a moment on H.R. 3252, the Global
Respect Act. It speaks volumes to the LGBTI community around
the world that the U.S. House stands united in support of the
fundamental rights the LGBTI community to live with dignity,
free from violence, unlawful detention, torture, and other
indignities.
H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act, will build on existing
human rights-related sanctions authorities to ensure that human
rights abusers are held accountable. This legislation will
require the State Department to compile a list of foreign
individuals who commit violations against members of the LGBTI
community and to deny or rescind travel visas for individuals
who have committed such violations.
It would also codify reporting requirements on these issues
in the State Department's annual Human Rights Report.
As you may be aware, about 80 countries specifically outlaw
same sex relations with the threat of imprisonment, fines, and,
in several countries, even death.
In the past few years, disturbing efforts to target
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and their
families have passed and been signed into law in several
countries around the world.
Violence against LGBTI communities is pervasive and
sometimes sanctioned or directed by government officials. The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights States that, and I quote,
``All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights.''
As with any form of social or legal marginalization whether
based on sex, race, religion, ethnicity, or other status, the
denial of human rights of LGBTI people is not only wrong, but
it also negatively affects health outcomes, social stability,
rule of law, and economic potential.
The United States must stand up against egregious human
rights abuses. The Global Respect Act will ensure that
foreigners who are culpable in violations against the LGBTI
community face consequences for their actions.
This bill will send a signal to not just the abusers but to
the victims that the United States stands with them. Victims
like Joel Simpson, an LGBTI activist in Guyana who was targeted
and beaten outside of a nightclub in June.
Or Assil Belalta, a 21-year-old medical student who was
attacked in his own home by two assailants who slit his throat
and wrote, ``He is gay'' on the wall with his blood.
Or I.J., a victim of Ramzan Kadyrov's systematic rounding
up and torture of men and women perceived to be gay in
Chechnya. I.J. described his experience of being detained and
arrested by Chechnyan security forces in a report written by
the journalist Elena Malishina, whose dogged reporting at the
expense of her own safety brought these atrocities to light in
2017.
I.J. said of his attack, and I quote, ``They threw me to
the floor and beat me. They beat my chest and my face with
their feet and they hit my head against the floor. One of them
said, 'Do not beat him until the shock stage. At that point, he
will stop feeling the pain. We do not need that,' end quote.
They addressed me with female pronouns and demanded that I tell
them the names of other gay people I knew. They threatened to
kill me if I didn't,'' end quote.
Or the LGBTI men and women in Brunei where a new law
imposes State-sponsored torture and the death penalty for LGBTQ
people with punishments including floggings and prisons for
those convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex relations
and the possibility of death by stoning.
I could go on and on. This bill is simple and
straightforward and will give the executive branch greater
tools to punish those who target the LGBTI community abroad
whether they are part of a government apparatus or not.
I thank all of my colleagues on the committee for the
support of these measures and urge you to support final
passage.
And with this, Mr. Chairman, I would ask unanimous consent
to put into the record a report prepared by the Russian LGBTI
Network, which details some of these incidents as well as four
news articles which recount some of the worst atrocities
against LGBTI individuals around the world.
Chairman Engel. Without objection, so ordered.
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Mr. Cicilline. And with that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Cicilline.
Is there anyone on the Republican side that wishes to be
recognized?
OK. Mr. Castro.
Mr. Castro. Thank you, Chairman, and I am proud to support
all nine bills today.
I just want to speak quickly about one of them, which is
H.R. 1632, the Southeast Asia Strategy Act, which I introduced
with my fellow ASEAN co-chair, Representative Wagner.
Together we have introduced the Southeast Asia Strategy Act
to enhance American engagement with this vibrant organization
and important region in the world.
For decades, the United States and its allies have
established the infrastructure of security and prosperity in
the Indo-Pacific, generating progress for peoples throughout
Asia.
Our unshakeable bond and commitments to regional allies
bind U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific. Together, we work to
reinforce the rules-based multilateral institutions and the
international order that is proven to be indispensable, an
effort in which ASEAN is integral.
Even as the region transforms, the United States and its
allies remain stalwarts of sustainable inclusive development,
freedom of exchange and navigation, and democratic norms.
At the nexus of the region's transformation and central to
its bright future is Southeast Asia. To place proper emphasis
on this significant region and invigorate our partnership for
the years ahead, the United States must articulate a
comprehensive strategy.
This bill would direct the Secretary of State to do just
that. On our shared interests and economic growth, enduring
peace, reliable energy, and many others, this legislation
catalyzes positive cooperation and contributes to sustaining a
free and open Indo-Pacific and I was glad to work with
Representatives Wagner and Yoho to help bolster a robust U.S.-
ASEAN relationship.
I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Castro.
I understand that Mr. Sires has something to add.
Mr. Sires. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to add for the record that--to the Cicilline
resolution that in Cuba the LGBT community had a parade and the
government broke up the parade by beating them and breaking up
the parade.
So I would like to know if I can add that to the record on
that resolution. They broke it up, beating them and jailing
people.
Chairman Engel. Without objection, so ordered.
Mr. Sires. Thank you.
Chairman Engel. OK. Thank you.
Ms. Titus.
Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I support all the measures before us today and I am a co-
sponsor of several of them. But I would like to speak
particularly about the Global Respect Act and I want to commend
Mr. Cicilline on his leadership on this issue.
I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation to ensure a
strong and unwavering U.S. response to severe human rights
abuses against LGBTI people.
As we celebrate Pride Month, we should be reminded of the
serious threats people from the LGBTI community continue to
face around the world.
As you have heard, in at least 68 countries same-sex and
relationships are criminalized. The State Department's Human
Rights Reports have shown a clear pattern of human rights
violations including murder, rape, torture, death threats,
extortion, and imprisonment in every region of the world based
on sexual orientation and gender identity.
No one should face such treatment for whom they love. The
sanctions in this legislation are an important tool to push for
accountability for violations of human rights of LGBTI people.
I am also glad that this legislation will be included and I
thank Mr. Cicilline for working with me on the Globe Act, which
is a comprehensive vision of what the U.S. leadership should be
doing to advance LGBTI human rights around the world.
Unfortunately, this administration--under this
administration the U.S. is ceding its role as a leader in
advancing human rights and we in Congress cannot stand idly by
as they try to stop the U.S. embassies from flying Pride flags,
appoint anti-LGBTI State Department officials, and cozy up to
authoritarian regimes that are responsible for these grave
abuses.
I also want to take a moment to recognize World Refugee
Day. I am a co-sponsor of House Resolution 444, which
underscores the important role the U.S. must play in refugee
resettlement and global responses to the refugee crisis.
We have a proud tradition of welcoming the world's most
vulnerable. But, unfortunately, that also is being undermined.
The Administration continues to shut out those fleeing
violence, proposed drastic cuts to assistance to address some
of the root causes of these crises, and cut the refugee
admission target from a dismal 45,000 in 2018 to only 30,000 in
2019. These are the lowest targets in modern history.
The president must not abdicate the moral leadership and if
he does, the Congress has to step in. We have got to continue
to welcome those who are seeking a better life and promote the
safety, health, and welfare of refugees.
The symbol of the U.S. should remain the Statue of Liberty
and not become a border wall.
With that, I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Titus.
Mr. Lieu.
Mr. Lieu. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Today is World Refugee Day. I am pleased on this day the
committee is considering H. Res. 444, a bipartisan resolution
that I introduced with Representatives Diaz-Balart, Neguse, and
Lofgren to reaffirm U.S. leadership in responding to the
displacement crises around the world.
We are currently facing the worst refugee crisis in
history. According to the United Nations High Commission of
Refugees in 2018, there are more than 70.8 million displaced
persons worldwide. This included nearly 26 million refugees,
over 41 million internally displaced persons, and 3.5 million
people seeking asylum.
Put another way, in 2018, 37,000 people being displaced
from their homes every single day and about half of these
refugees were children.
Here at home in the United States, we have seen a drastic
reduction in refugee admissions. In 2018, the U.S. resettled
only 22,000 refugees compared to the 85,000 resettled in Fiscal
Year 2016.
Refugees are fleeing home because of a well-founded fear of
being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership, and a particular social group or political opinion.
The U.S. resettlement program is critical to global
humanitarian efforts. H. Res. 444 reaffirms the U.S. commitment
to promote the safety, health, and wellbeing of the millions of
displaced persons.
In addition, it recognizes the people in organizations who
have risked their lives to provide assistance to displaced
communities.
And finally, the resolution calls on the Secretary of State
and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to continue
supporting robust funding for refugee protection, to set robust
refugee admission goals, and to work in partnership with the
international community and find solutions to existing
conflicts and to promote peace and reconciliation.
This resolution is supported by more than 60 organizations
including Church World Service, International Rescue Committee,
Oxfam America, and Refugees International, and has been co-
sponsored by 62 of our colleagues in the House.
Thank you, Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, for
bringing up this resolution and I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Lieu.
Ms. Wild.
Ms. Wild. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I am pleased to support all of these bills today. But I
want to speak in support of H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act,
and I too commend Mr. Cicilline for his efforts on this,
because acts of violence and hatred targeting members of
communities for who they are or what they believe are a threat
to the moral fabric of our country and our world.
We cannot let these violations of fundamental human rights
and dignity go unanswered. Across the world, people are
harassed, tortured, arrested, detained, and sometimes killed
because of who they are, who they love, or the gender with
which they identify.
Nine countries, including Saudi Arabia, have laws on the
books making homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
Recently, Brunei codified the punishment of homosexuality by
capital punishment, ultimately announcing that it would not
proceed with executions for the time being in light of the
international outcry that followed, but still leaving the law
on the books.
In the Russian region of Chechnya, a coordinated strategy
of purges, detentions, and executions has terrorized the LGBT
community. Despite being part of the Russian Federation, the
local authorities in Chechnya have been left free to operate
with impunity.
The Global Respect Act would take a crucial step in saying
unequivocally that LGBTQ people must be free from being
targeted, attacked, or imprisoned on the basis of sexual
orientation or gender.
By requiring the State Department to track individuals
responsible for violations against members of the LGBTQ
community around the world and denying or revoking visas for
individuals who have committed such violations, we will send a
clear message to allies and adversaries alike.
The LGBTQ rights are human rights. By passing this
legislation, we have the opportunity to place our country
firmly on the right side of history, affirming that we call for
respecting the rights and dignity of all people everywhere.
I encourage my colleagues on this committee on both sides
of the aisle to pass the Global Respect Act.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Wild.
Mr. Levin.
Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to commend
you and Mr. McCaul, the ranking member, for your leadership and
your work on this. I feel, as a new member of the Congress,
that the work of this committee is a real model for the House
and for the whole Congress in terms of how we work together in
a bipartisan way.
And I want to speak specifically to urge my colleagues to
support the Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act, H.R.
2327.
In the past couple years, there has rightly been a lot of
attention on the horrific crimes against the Rohingya people.
It is a genocide and we have an obligation to act both as
policymakers and as human beings.
But far less has been said about those who are fighting to
shed light on that crisis and share the stories that are,
sadly, so dangerous yet so important to tell about the Rohingya
situation and other human rights violations in Burma.
I am talking about people like Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo,
Reuters journalists who were arrested while investigating a
massacre of Rohingya men and boys and spent more than 500 days
in prison before being released last month.
Even now they have not been officially exonerated of the
false charges against them. Their stories are indicative of a
much, much bigger problem when it comes to free expression in
Burma.
There have been crackdowns on peaceful protestors. There
was the arrest of Aung Ko Htwe, a former child soldier, who
gave an interview talking about his experience being abducted
and forcibly recruited by the Burmese military at the age of
13. For that, he faces up to 2+ years in jail.
While our State Department and USAID are working to aid
political prisoners, more needs to be done. That is where this
bill comes in. We need to support efforts to change or repeal
the very laws that are being used to stifle free expression and
honest reporting and that were used to imprison people like Wa
Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.
Many of these laws date back to the colonial era. We should
support the creation of an independent prisoner review
mechanism to examine cases like these and offer recommendations
as to how the law might better protect free expression and we
need to make clear that this Congress is united, Democrats and
Republicans, in our support for a free press, freedom of
expression, and the fundamental rights of the Burmese people.
Thank you, again, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this bill up
today and to your staff for their hard work, and I want to
thank in particular Congresswoman Wagner for partnering with me
to introduce this legislation.
I urge my colleagues to support it and the entire package,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Thank you.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Levin.
Ms. Spanberger.
Ms. Spanberger. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to speak today in support of House Resolution
432, condemning the attacks on peaceful protestors and
supporting an immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led
democratic government in Sudan.
I am incredibly supportive of this effort because it is so
vitally important for us, as members of the U.S. Congress, to
stand up for civilians and those who are using their voices,
those who are trying to impact change in their own communities
through peaceful transitional efforts.
I also speak in support of this resolution because I have a
substantial Sudanese-American community who have family members
and friends impacted who are fearful in the streets of their
home country as they try to lift up their voices, as they try
to peacefully protest and impact change within their country.
And it is today in support of them and in support of the
peaceful protestors who are seeking a transition to a civilian-
led government that I ask all of my colleagues to support House
Resolution 432.
Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Spanberger.
Mr. Costa.
Mr. Costa. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, to you and to
the ranking member.
Today is a very good day for the House Foreign Affairs
Committee because all of these pieces of legislation really
speak to the moral high ground that I think reflects American
values--American values of human rights, American values of
freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to gather.
Let me just point out a couple of the pieces of legislation
that I think, for me, are personal. The impacts of U.S.
leadership in responding to displacement of refugees around the
world is something that as always in the past stood out for
America as a beacon of light around the world, and the refugee
crisis that we have on our own borders is one that reminds us
of the fact that we have a role to play.
Anti-Semitism, sadly, continues to still exist around the
world and it is fitting and appropriate that we recognize the
attack that took place in July 1994 in Buenos Aires, reminding
all of us that in fact anti-Semitism still, sadly, today occurs
around the world and we must call it out for where and when we
see it.
Having been to Sudan, I can tell you that the resolution
H.R. 432 is fitting and appropriate. The horrific violation of
human rights in Sudan has been well known and demonstrated, and
clearly, even with the change of the horrific regime that
perpetuated the violation of human rights we still see people
suffering in Sudan. We must call it out for what it is.
And, clearly, America, as a beacon of religious freedom
throughout our history, it is appropriate that the ethnic and
religious minorities in Iraq, a part of the world that many of
us have been to and which we have expended a great deal of
American resources, we must remind those in Iraq that they have
a responsibility in this area.
Finally, as was noted before by my colleagues, it is Gay
Pride Month, and the LGBTI community has had a long and
difficult journey, not only in our country but around the
world.
Countries in which these abilities of people to enjoy their
own basic rights, to love the persons that they choose in
consensual relations, in some parts of the world we know is
punishable by death and that is simply, simply unacceptable.
And so these pieces of legislation, separately and taken
together, I think make a incredibly strong statement today for
the Foreign Affairs Committee and attribute to the leadership
on a bipartisan basis that America is still a beacon of light
and that we still, as a country, can come together and maintain
the moral high ground, and I think this package of bills
reflects that sentiment and it is something that we should all
be proud of today.
I will yield back the balance of my time, but I want to
commend my colleagues and the authors of these five pieces of
legislation, and look forward to supporting the entire package.
I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you.
Chairman Engel. The gentleman yields back. Thank you, Mr.
Costa.
Are there any other members seeking recognition? Hearing no
further requests for recognition, then without objection the
committee will proceed to consider the noticed items en bloc.
A reporting quorum is present and without objection each
measure is considered as read and the amendments to each are
considered as read and are agreed to.
The question occurs on the measures en bloc as amended if
amended.
All those in favor say aye.
All those opposed, no.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The measures
considered en bloc are agreed to.
And without objection, each measure is ordered favorably
reported as amended if amended, and each amendment to each bill
shall be reported as a single amendment in the nature of a
substitute.
Without objection, staff is authorized to make any
technical and conforming changes, and this concludes our
business today.
I thank all the members of the committee, especially
Ranking Member McCaul, for their contributions and assistance
with today's markup.
The committee stands adjourned. Let me just say for those
who want to take a photo to show your blue for Sudan, we will
be doing it quickly right after we end, which is now.
Thank you very much. The committee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:09 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
APPENDIX
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