[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 619 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 619

Honoring the 65th anniversary of the uprising of the people of Tibet in 
                          defense of freedom.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2024

Mr. Cruz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Honoring the 65th anniversary of the uprising of the people of Tibet in 
                          defense of freedom.

Whereas, on October 7, 1950, forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) 
        entered Tibet with the goal of imposing Chinese Communist rule on the 
        people of Tibet and subjugating it to the rule of the People's Republic 
        of China;
Whereas the Tibetan people resisted peacefully in defense of their freedom, 
        faith, and culture and have sought to protect their national identity 
        from the progressive encroachment by the Chinese Communist Party, and 
        continue to do so;
Whereas, on March 10, 1959, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans gathered in Lhasa 
        to prevent a reported PLA plot to abduct the Dalai Lama;
Whereas, on March 12, 1959, approximately 5,000 women joined in those 
        demonstrations for their national identity and freedom;
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party subsequently executed many of those women 
        for their participation;
Whereas, on the evening of March 17, 1959, artillery shells landed near the 
        residence of the Dalai Lama;
Whereas the Dalai Lama decided to leave Lhasa for India, where he arrived on 
        March 30, 1959;
Whereas protests continued after the Dalai Lama's departure and spread across 
        the city and region;
Whereas PLA soldiers in central Tibet eventually killed an estimated 86,000 
        Tibetans;
Whereas, as a result of the widespread slaughter of Tibetans in and after the 
        Lhasa Uprising, a 1959 finding by the International Commission of 
        Jurists found that the People's Republic of China's treatment of 
        Tibetans constituted genocide;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has deepened its repression of the people 
        of Tibet, exploits Tibet's natural resources to advance the interests of 
        the Chinese Communist Party, and seeks to undermine freedom of religion 
        and conscience in Tibet by determining the spiritual succession of the 
        Dalai Lama;
Whereas for 65 years, the Dalai Lama continues to defend the cause of Tibetan 
        freedom and national identity on the global stage; and
Whereas the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) provided for a 
        Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues in the Department of State, 
        tasked to ``coordinate United States Government policies, programs, and 
        projects'', but the Secretary of State has not designated a non-
        concurrent appointment to that position: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) stands with the people of Tibet and the Dalai Lama in 
        their continuing defense of their freedom and national 
        identity;
            (2) condemns the Chinese Communist Party for its repression 
        of the people of Tibet, its exploitation of Tibet's natural 
        resources, and its efforts to undermine freedom of religion and 
        conscience in Tibet, including through efforts to determine the 
        spiritual succession of the Dalai Lama;
            (3) recommits to the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 as the 
        basis of United States engagement with Tibet and its people;
            (4) calls upon the President to--
                    (A) ensure that the voice, vote, and diplomatic 
                capital of the United States are utilized to address 
                and counter China's repression of the people of Tibet; 
                and
                    (B) include mention of the legitimate aspirations 
                of the people of Tibet to freedom and national identity 
                in all engagements with the People's Republic of China 
                and particularly in engagements that include the human 
                rights situation in that country; and
            (5) calls upon the Secretary of State to ensure independent 
        focus on Tibet by designating a non-concurrent appointment to 
        the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.
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