[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 673 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 673

     Expressing concern over attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 21, 2017

Mr. Hill (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Trott, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. 
    Sherman, and Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing concern over attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Whereas St. Mark brought Christianity to Egypt, where the Coptic Christians have 
        been one of the indigenous people of Egypt for over 2,000 years;
Whereas there are over 10,000,000 Copts in Egypt, making Copts the largest 
        Christian and largest non-Muslim community in the Middle East;
Whereas Copts and other Christians have been targets of societal aggression 
        resulting in loss of life, property, and destruction of churches;
Whereas approximately 15 percent of Copts have emigrated from Egypt over the 
        past few decades to escape discrimination;
Whereas in January 2015, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was the first Egyptian 
        President to make an appearance at a Coptic Christian Christmas liturgy;
Whereas in August 2016, Egypt passed a new law with respect to church 
        construction that has not lifted significant burdens on the ability to 
        build a church;
Whereas Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) released a video calling Copts 
        their ``favorite prey'' and warning of increased attacks;
Whereas violence against Coptic Christians, particularly in local villages is 
        rarely punished, making Copts more susceptible to attacks;
Whereas Coptic Christians face severe discrimination in both public and private 
        employment, including senior levels in the intelligence, defense, 
        foreign affairs, and security departments;
Whereas systemic bigotry and longstanding sectarian divisions have reinforced 
        the Coptic Christians' status as second class citizens;
Whereas discriminatory social constructs have fostered an environment in which 
        Coptic Christians are particularly vulnerable;
Whereas Egyptian Government officials frequently participate in informal 
        reconciliation sessions to address incidents of sectarian violence or 
        tension, saying that such sessions prevented further violence;
Whereas according to human rights groups, however, the sessions have regularly 
        led to outcomes unfavorable to religious minorities and precluded 
        recourse to the judicial system by such minorities;
Whereas in the summer of 2017, Egypt's security apparatus warned churches 
        against attacks and urged them to cancel their summer activities for 
        fear of attacks by Islamists;
Whereas civil society institutions, women rights organizations, and national and 
        foreign NGOs have been shut down or their activities severely curtailed, 
        and journalists, thinkers, and dissenters have been silenced or 
        imprisoned;
Whereas United States diplomatic leadership contributes meaningfully and 
        materially to the international protection of religious minorities and 
        their faith-based practices and places of worship;
Whereas the United States has a strong interest in combating the threat of 
        Islamic terrorism and ensuring the stability of the region; and
Whereas religious freedom and human rights are an essential cornerstone of 
        democracy that promotes respect for individual liberty and contributes 
        to greater stability, and is a priority value for the United States to 
        promote in its engagement with other countries: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) acknowledges the central and historic importance of the 
        United States-Egypt partnership in advancing the common 
        interests of both countries;
            (2) appreciates Egypt's regional role as a partner in the 
        fight against terrorism and violent extremism;
            (3) recognizes the necessity for Egypt's leaders to take 
        steps toward education reform that prioritizes impartial 
        instruction of all religions, and political reform that 
        prioritizes human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of 
        law;
            (4) urges the Government of Egypt to enact serious and 
        legitimate reforms to ensure Coptic Christians are given the 
        same rights and opportunities as all other Egyptian citizens; 
        and
            (5) urges the Government of Egypt to take additional steps 
        to end the culture of impunity for attacks on Christians and to 
        continue to undertake the arrest, prosecution, and conviction 
        of individuals who carry out attacks on Copts and other 
        Christians in Egypt.
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