[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 332 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 332

   Condemning the communist regime in Laos for its many human rights 
 abuses, including its role in the abduction of United States citizens 
                       Houa Ly and Michael Vang.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 14, 1999

 Mr. Green of Wisconsin (for himself, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Gilman, Mr. 
Vento, Mr. Kind, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. Hunter, 
   and Mr. Cunningham) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition 
  to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the communist regime in Laos for its many human rights 
 abuses, including its role in the abduction of United States citizens 
                       Houa Ly and Michael Vang.

Whereas under the current regime, Laos is a one-party communist state which 
        maintains a monopoly on power as well as close relations with the 
        world's other remaining communist nations;
Whereas the current communist regime in Laos continues to deploy its security 
        forces against many of its own citizens and to deny them simple human 
        liberties and rights, including freedom of speech, assembly, religion, 
        and other basic rights, as documented by the United States Government, 
        Amnesty International, and other organizations;
Whereas Lao and Hmong Christians, as well as American missionaries, have been 
        repeatedly arrested and imprisoned by government authorities in Laos for 
        practicing their faith;
Whereas the current regime in Laos continues to deny Amnesty International and 
        all other independent human rights organizations access to Laos;
Whereas the King and Queen of Laos, as well as many other members of the Lao 
        Royal Family, disappeared while in the custody of the current regime in 
        Laos;
Whereas despite repeated pleas for the return of the King and Queen of Laos, as 
        well as other members of the Lao Royal Family, the regime remains 
        unwilling to release them or their remains;
Whereas Vue Mai, a Hmong refugee leader with Hmong-American family in Fresno, 
        California, disappeared in Laos in September 1993 after being 
        repatriated from Thailand;
Whereas two United States citizens, Mr. Houa Ly, a resident of Appleton, 
        Wisconsin, and Mr. Michael Vang, a resident of Fresno, California, were 
        traveling along the border between Laos and Thailand on April 19, 1999;
Whereas according to American eyewitnesses, United States congressional research 
        missions, non-governmental organizations and other sources, Messrs. Ly 
        and Vang were seized by Lao Government authorities;
Whereas the Lao Government continues to deny knowledge of the whereabouts of 
        Messrs. Ly and Vang or the role of government security forces in 
        abducting them;
Whereas the regime has recently denounced the Voice of America (VOA) for VOA 
        reporting about the disappearances of Messrs. Ly and Vang;
Whereas the Department of State has been asked repeatedly by members of Congress 
        to vigorously investigate and resolve this case since it was first 
        reported in early May 1999;
Whereas congressional missions, including one conducted by the Chairman of the 
        Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives, 
        traveled to Southeast Asia during July and August to further investigate 
        this incident and raise the issue at the highest levels of government in 
        the region;
Whereas the chief response to this incident by the Department of State and 
        United States Ambassador to Laos Wendy Chamberlain has been to undertake 
        an investigation in cooperation with the regime in Laos--a regime 
        involved with the disappearance of Messrs. Ly and Vang;
Whereas the families of Messrs. Ly and Vang have been able to learn very little 
        from the United States Government regarding the whereabouts or current 
        circumstances of their loved ones; and
Whereas the Congress will not tolerate any unjustified arrest, abduction, 
        imprisonment, disappearance, or other act of aggression against United 
        States citizens by a foreign government: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) decries the abduction of Houa Ly and Michael Vang, 
        recognizing it as an incident worthy of congressional 
        attention;
            (2) condemns the current regime in Laos for its role in the 
        disappearance of Messrs. Ly and Vang;
            (3) emphasizes to the Department of State congressional 
        dissatisfaction with the flawed investigation of this case 
        undertaken by Ambassador Wendy Chamberlain and the United 
        States Embassy in Laos;
            (4) stresses to the Department of State the urgent need to 
        initiate a new independent investigation free from coordination 
        with the government of Laos;
            (5) calls upon the regime in Laos and the Department of 
        State to expeditiously release any and all information 
        regarding the whereabouts or current circumstances of Messrs. 
        Ly and Vang to their families and to Congress;
            (6) urges the Lao Government to return Messrs. Ly and Vang, 
        or their remains, to United States authorities and their 
        families in America at once;
            (7) warns the Lao Government of the serious consequences, 
        including sanctions, of any unjustified arrest, abduction, 
        imprisonment, disappearance, or other act of aggression against 
        United States citizens; and
            (8) urges the Subcommittee on Trade of the Committee on 
        Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, as well as its 
        counterpart in the Senate, to suspend any further review, 
        consideration, or action regarding normal trade relations 
        status for Laos until Messrs. Ly and Vang are fully accounted 
        for and this case is satisfactorily resolved.
                                 <all>