[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 516 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 516

  Expressing the sense of Congress that United States diplomatic and 
 consular missions should provide the full and complete protection of 
   the United States to certain citizens of the United States living 
                                abroad.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 13, 2002

 Mr. Burton of Indiana (for himself, Mrs. Maloney of New York, and Mr. 
Ose) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
              to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that United States diplomatic and 
 consular missions should provide the full and complete protection of 
   the United States to certain citizens of the United States living 
                                abroad.

Whereas there are numerous cases in which citizens of the United States are 
        prevented from leaving Saudi Arabia against their will or in violation 
        of United States law;
Whereas Amjad Radwan and Rasheed Radwan, 2 United States citizens, were 
        prevented from leaving Saudi Arabia by their Saudi-national father in 
        1985;
Whereas Monica Stowers, the mother of Amjad Radwan and Rasheed Radwan and a 
        United States citizen, traveled to Saudi Arabia in November 1990 and 
        heard directly from her children of the physical and sexual abuse they 
        had endured there;
Whereas upon learning of the abuse, Ms. Stowers brought her children to the 
        United States Embassy in Riyadh, displayed their United States 
        passports, and sought the protection of the Embassy and assistance in 
        returning home to the United States;
Whereas personnel from the Department of State told Ms. Stowers and her children 
        that the Embassy was ``not a hotel'' and urged them to leave;
Whereas personnel from the Department of State informed Ms. Stowers' ex-husband, 
        without her permission and in total disregard for her safety, that she 
        and her children were in the Embassy;
Whereas personnel from the Department of State ordered United States Marines to 
        physically eject Ms. Stowers and her children from the Embassy;
Whereas following her ejection, Ms. Stowers was arrested for refusing to leave 
        Saudi Arabia without her children and sent to a women's prison;
Whereas the current Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Robert W. Jordan, has pledged 
        that no United States citizen will be similarly removed from the Embassy 
        while he is ambassador;
Whereas American women in Saudi Arabia have directly informed Members of 
        Congress of the physical abuse inflicted upon them by their Saudi 
        husbands, the lack of support or protection for battered women in Saudi 
        society, and the inability to leave Saudi Arabia with their children 
        unless their husbands give permission;
Whereas these women and personnel from the Department of State estimate that 
        there are hundreds of abused American women in Saudi Arabia who do not 
        report their cases due to fear and hopelessness;
Whereas many of these abused American women do not attempt to escape for fear 
        that failure would result in death or serious bodily injury to them and 
        their children;
Whereas abused American women in Saudi Arabia are discouraged from seeking 
        assistance from the United States Embassy or consulate in escaping with 
        their children and are told that nothing can be done for them;
Whereas many of these women and their children are denied religious freedoms and 
        other basic human rights while detained in Saudi Arabia;
Whereas a primary purpose of United States diplomatic missions is to protect the 
        interests of United States citizens;
Whereas international law recognizes certain privileges and immunities for 
        United States embassies, ambassadors' residences, and consulates; and
Whereas such privileges and immunities enable United States diplomatic personnel 
        to provide sanctuary to United States citizens abroad: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that United States diplomatic and 
consular missions should provide the full and complete protection of 
the United States to citizens of the United States who--
            (1) are living or traveling abroad;
            (2) are victims of international child abduction, domestic 
        violence, or sexual abuse; and
            (3) seek sanctuary in a United States diplomatic or 
        consular mission.
                                 <all>