[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1048 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1048

  Condemning the detention of Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, a citizen of the 
 United States, by the Government of Vietnam, and expressing the sense 
 of the House of Representatives that the United States should remove 
permanent normal trade relations status with Vietnam unless Dr. Nguyen 
                              is released.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 13, 2008

 Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California (for herself, Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of 
 California, and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 detention of Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan, a citizen of the 
 United States, by the Government of Vietnam, and expressing the sense 
 of the House of Representatives that the United States should remove 
permanent normal trade relations status with Vietnam unless Dr. Nguyen 
                              is released.

Whereas Vietnam has a long history of human rights and freedom of speech 
        violations;
Whereas, despite ongoing human rights violations, on November 13, 2006, Vietnam 
        was removed as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), as a precondition 
        to the extension of permanent normal trade relations to Vietnam, but 
        against the recommendation of the United States Commission on 
        International Religious Freedom;
Whereas the extension of permanent normal trade relations to Vietnam was also a 
        precondition for its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO);
Whereas human rights conditions have deteriorated in Vietnam since its accession 
        to the WTO;
Whereas, on November 17, 2007, pro-democracy advocate Nguyen Quoc Quan was 
        arrested by the Government of Vietnam for exercising his free speech 
        rights, as guaranteed by Article 69 of the Constitution of Vietnam;
Whereas, during 2007, Father Nguyen Van Ly, Nguyen Dao, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Le 
        Nguyen Sang, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, and Tran Quoc Hien were 
        each sentenced to several years in prison for exercising their free 
        speech rights, as guaranteed by Article 69 of the Constitution of 
        Vietnam;
Whereas Nguyen Quoc Quan continues to be detained by the Government of Vietnam;
Whereas Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Quang Do is in his twenty-sixth year of 
        detention;
Whereas neither Nguyen Quoc Quan, nor any of the aforementioned individuals, 
        advocated or engaged in violence in their opposition to the Vietnamese 
        Government or its policies;
Whereas these convictions are in contravention of Article 69 of the Vietnamese 
        Constitution, which states that ``The citizen shall enjoy freedom of 
        opinion and speech, freedom of the press, the right to be informed and 
        the right to assemble, form associations and hold demonstrations in 
        accordance with the provisions of the law'';
Whereas these convictions are in contravention of the rights contained in the 
        International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which 
        Vietnam is a State Party, specifically Article 19 (freedom of 
        expression) and Article 22 (freedom of association);
Whereas the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2007 
        Annual Report states, ``[S]ince [Vietnam] joined the World Trade 
        Organization (WTO), the government of Vietnam has initiated a crackdown 
        on human rights defenders and advocates for the freedoms of speech, 
        association, and assembly, including many religious leaders who 
        previously were the leading advocates for religious freedom in 
        Vietnam''; and
Whereas, in May 2007, the United States Commission on International Religious 
        Freedom recommended Vietnam be re-designated as a Country of Particular 
        Concern: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) calls for the release of Dr. Nguyen Quoc Quan 
                and other political detainees; and
                    (B) strongly condemns the ongoing human rights 
                abuses in Vietnam; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        the United States should--
                    (A) re-designate Vietnam as a Country of Particular 
                Concern, pursuant to the International Religious 
                Freedom Act of 1998, and the 2007 recommendation of the 
                U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom;
                    (B) demand that the Government of Vietnam comply 
                with internationally recognized standards for basic 
                freedoms and human rights; and
                    (C) remove permanent normal trade relations status 
                with Vietnam unless all political and religious 
                prisoners are released and significant and immediate 
                human rights reforms are made by the Government of 
                Vietnam.
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