[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 325 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 325

    Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to government 
  discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief, particularly 
                    against United States citizens.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 1998

 Mr. Salmon (for himself, Mr. Payne, Mr. Ney, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Rogan, 
 Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Fox of Pennsylvania, Mr. Gejdenson, Ms. Jackson-Lee 
   of Texas, Mr. Pastor, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Towns, Mr. Scarborough, Mr. 
Thompson, Mr. Foley, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Weller, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Rahall, 
 Mr. Becerra, Mrs. Chenoweth, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Maloney of 
  Connecticut, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Ford, Mr. Davis of Virginia, Mr. 
Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, 
 Mr. Engel, Mr. Owens, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mrs. Meek 
of Florida, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Fattah, Ms. Brown of 
 Florida, Mr. Wynn, Ms. Lee, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mrs. 
      Clayton, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Johnson of 
Connecticut, Mr. Sessions, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Stokes, 
  Mr. Gutknecht, and Mr. Rothman) submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to government 
  discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief, particularly 
                    against United States citizens.

Whereas government discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief 
        violates Germany's obligation as a signatory to the Helsinki Accords 
        which provides that Germany respect ``human rights and fundamental 
        freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or 
        belief'', and violates Germany's obligation as a signatory to the 
        Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on 
        Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee that ``everyone shall have 
        the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion'';
Whereas the 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 State Department Country Reports on 
        Human Rights Practices identified in Germany acts of federal, state, or 
        local government discrimination against minority religions, including 
        acts against American citizens;
Whereas the 1997 Report to the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations by 
        the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Religious Intolerance 
        concluded that the Government of Germany ``must implement a strategy to 
        prevent intolerance in the field of religion and belief'', and that 
        ``sustained efforts are required to promote and develop a culture of 
        tolerance and human rights'';
Whereas the January 1998 interim report of the State Department's Advisory 
        Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad warned that unless the German 
        Government's Parliamentary Enquete (Inquiry) Commission on ``so-called 
        sects and psycho groups'', which has sought information on religious 
        groups such as the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Charismatic Christians, 
        and others, ``focuses [its] work on investigating illegal acts, [it] 
        runs the risk of denying individuals the right to freedom of religion or 
        belief'';
Whereas the January 1998 interim report of the State Department's Advisory 
        Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad specifically stated that, ``[i]n 
        Germany, members of the Church of Scientology and of a Christian 
        charismatic church have been subject to intense scrutiny by the Enquete 
        Commission there, and several members have suffered harassment, 
        discrimination, and threats of violence'';
Whereas in February 1997, a United States Federal Immigration Judge granted a 
        German woman asylum in the United States finding that she had a well-
        founded fear of persecution based on her religious beliefs if she 
        returned to Germany;
Whereas the 1997 and 1996 State Department Country Reports stated that ``major 
        political parties exclude Scientologists from membership'', and that 
        ``the State of Bavaria screens applicants for state civil service 
        positions for Scientology membership'';
Whereas the 1996 State Department Country Report stated that ``Business firms 
        whose owners or executives are Scientologists may face boycotts and 
        discrimination, sometimes with government approval,'' and, the 1997 
        Country Report stated that ``so-called `sect-filters', statements by 
        individuals that they are not affiliated with Scientology, are used by 
        some business and other organizations to discriminate against 
        Scientologists in business and social dealings'';
Whereas the 1996, 1995, and 1994 State Department Country Reports stated that 
        ``artists have been prevented from performing or displaying their 
        works'' because of their religious beliefs, including artists who are 
        United States citizens;
Whereas the 1997 State Department Country Report stated that the Charismatic 
        Christian Church of Cologne, led by an American pastor, had reported 
        that it had been ``subjected over several years to vandalism, threats of 
        violence and public harassment or scrutiny by sect commissioners'', and 
        that authorities in Cologne ruled that the Church ``did not contribute 
        to the cultural, religious or spiritual values of German society'';
Whereas the 1997 State Department Country Report noted a Berlin state government 
        ruling that held the Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrine of political 
        neutrality to be anti-Democratic; and
Whereas in 1997, the President of the Muslim's Women's League testified before 
        the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki 
        Commission) that the main problem facing Muslims in Europe, particularly 
        a problem in Germany, is police brutality, which includes assault, 
        harassment, and intimidation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) urges the Government of Germany to take necessary 
        action to protect the right of freedom of religion or belief 
        guaranteed to everyone in Germany by international human rights 
        covenants to which Germany is a signatory;
            (2) continues to hold the Government of Germany responsible 
        for protecting the right of freedom of religion or belief of 
        United States citizens, and for not barring such citizens from 
        living, performing, doing business, or traveling in Germany 
        because of their religious beliefs; and
            (3) calls upon the President of the United States to assert 
        the concern of the United States Government to the Government 
        of Germany regarding government discrimination in Germany based 
        on religion or belief.
                                 <all>