    [House Hearing, 113 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

     VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2013; CONCERNING THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN
    THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE
        THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOMINATE A QUALIFIED AND INDEPENDENT
     INDIVIDUAL FOR THE POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
      STATE AND BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS; AND RECOGNIZING THE LONG-
       TERM PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE
                          HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN

    =======================================================================

                                     MARKUP

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                        ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                       ON

                    H.R. 1897, H. Res. 131, H. Res. 273 and
                                  H. Res. 222

                                   __________

                                 JUNE 27, 2013

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 113-47

                                   __________

            Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
                                      or
                           http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

                                   ----------

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                          Washington, DC 20402-0001

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                     EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
    CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
    ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
    DANA ROHRABACHER, California             Samoa
    STEVE CHABOT, Ohio                   BRAD SHERMAN, California
    JOE WILSON, South Carolina           GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
    MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas             ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
    TED POE, Texas                       GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
    MATT SALMON, Arizona                 THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
    TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania             BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
    JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina          KAREN BASS, California
    ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois             WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
    MO BROOKS, Alabama                   DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
    TOM COTTON, Arkansas                 ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
    PAUL COOK, California                JUAN VARGAS, California
    GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina       BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
    RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas            JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
    SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania                Massachusetts
    STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas                AMI BERA, California
    RON DeSANTIS, Florida                ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California
    TREY RADEL, Florida                  GRACE MENG, New York
    DOUG COLLINS, Georgia                LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
    MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina         TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
    TED S. YOHO, Florida                 JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
    LUKE MESSER, Indiana

         Amy Porter, Chief of Staff      Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director

                   Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                                   MARKUP OF

    H.R. 1897, Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013......................     2
    H. Res. 131, Concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic
      Republic of the Congo and the need for international efforts
      toward long-term peace, stability, and observance of human
      rights.........................................................    22
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 131 offered
        by the Honorable Karen Bass, a Representative in Congress
        from the State of California.................................    29
    H. Res. 273, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
      that the President should nominate a qualified and independent
      individual for the position of Inspector General of the
      Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors to be
      confirmed by the Senate without delay..........................    36
    H. Res. 222, Recognizing the long-term partnership and friendship
      between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
      working together towards peace and security in the Middle East.    39
      Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 222 offered
        by the Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, a Representative in
        Congress from the State of New York..........................    43

                                    APPENDIX

    Markup notice....................................................    60
    Markup minutes...................................................    61
    Markup summary...................................................    63
    The Honorable Steve Stockman, a Representative in Congress from
      the State of Texas: Prepared statement.........................    64
     VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2013; CONCERNING THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN
    THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO; EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE
        THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD NOMINATE A QUALIFIED AND INDEPENDENT
     INDIVIDUAL FOR THE POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
      STATE AND BROADCASTING BOARD OF GOVERNORS; AND RECOGNIZING THE LONG-
       TERM PARTNERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE
                          HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN

                                  ----------

                            THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013

                           House of Representatives,

                         Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                Washington, DC.

        The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:10 a.m., in
    room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Edward Royce
    (chairman of the committee) presiding.
        Chairman Royce. The committee will come to order.
        Pursuant to notice, we meet to mark up four bipartisan
    measures. As all members were notified earlier this week, to
    expedite our consideration of these non-controversial items, we
    will take up en bloc the text previously provided to your
    offices which all members have before them.
        And so without objection, the following items are
    considered as read and will be considered en bloc: H.R. 1897,
    the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013; House Resolution 131,
    concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of
    Congo; the bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute
    to House Resolution 131 offered by Congresswoman Bass; House
    Resolution 273, expressing the sense of the House that the
    President should nominate an Inspector General of the
    Department of State and Broadcasting Board of Governors; House
    Resolution 222, recognizing the long-term partnership and
    friendship between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom
    of Jordan; and the bipartisan amendment in the nature of a
    substitute to House Resolution 222 offered by Mr. Meeks.
        [The information referred to follows:]

        [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairman Royce. All members may have 5 days to submit
    statements for the record on any of today's measures.
        And after recognizing myself and the ranking member for
    brief opening remarks, I will be glad to recognize any
    committee members seeking recognition to speak on any of these
    measures.
        I am a strong supporter of H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human
    Rights Act of 2013. Subcommittee Chairman Smith has worked hard
    on this bill. And over the years, this committee has held many
    hearings on Vietnam. If these hearings have had one consistent
    theme, it is the deterioration of human rights there in
    Vietnam. Government thugs brutalize peaceful dissidents. Anyone
    who dares to blog or publish material on democracy or anything
    critical of the Communist Party, faces years in jail and faces
    physical abuse. We need to send a message to the government, a
    message with teeth, and this bill does just that. And I
    strongly urge its passage.
        With regard to House Resolution 131, Congresswoman Bass has
    been dogged in bringing attention to the conflict in the
    Democratic Republic of Congo. And just last week, the State
    Department announced former Senator Russ Feingold as Special
    Envoy for the Great Lakes, in part, at her urging. Too many
    people have died. Too many people continue to suffer. The
    conflict in the DRC has lasted decades. Patience with this
    peacekeeping operation is wearing thin. We expect all regional
    leaders to respect and abide by the negotiated frameworks.
        House Resolution 273 expresses the sense of the House that
    the President should nominate a State Department Inspector
    General without delay. For months, on a bipartisan basis, the
    ranking member and I have called on the administration to fill
    the vacant Inspector General position for the Department of
    State and Broadcasting Board of Governors. We have written to
    the President. We have written to Secretary Kerry, stressing
    the importance of appointing a permanent Inspector General. I
    raised it at our hearing with the Secretary. It has been 2,000
    days since a permanent IG was last in place. It is time for
    this vacancy to be filled.
        IG's are the government's internal watchdogs. They police
    agencies for waste, for fraud, and for abuse. The resolution is
    non-partisan for the simple reason that the concept of a
    Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed, permanent IG is
    fundamental to the very notion of good government.
        Lastly, House Resolution 222 recognizes the long-term
    partnership and friendship between the United States and the
    Kingdom of Jordan. The committee recently hosted the King of
    Jordan who continues to be a critical voice of moderation in
    the region. It is a key partner for peace. Today, Jordan has
    worked to address the needs of 550,000 Syrian refugees which
    have poured across its borders in the last 2 years. This has
    resulted, by the way, in a 10-percent population increase for
    Jordan. This is seriously straining Jordan. And Mr. Meeks'
    resolution notes the mutual benefits of a strong U.S.-Jordan
    relationship.
        I hope the committee will support of all of these measures.
    And I now recognize my good friend, the ranking member, for his
    remarks.
        Mr. Engel. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
    calling today's markup on these four bipartisan measures. This
    goes in line with the way you and I have both tried to run this
    committee in the most bipartisan way possible.
        I will just make some brief comments about each one of
    these. H.R. 1897, introduced by our colleague, Chris Smith,
    addresses the troubling human rights situation in Vietnam.
    Despite the country's increased economic freedom, religious and
    political freedoms for Vietnamese citizens remain severely
    limited. The bilateral relationship between Washington and
    Hanoi has improved since diplomatic relations were established
    over 15 years ago, but the lack of greater progress in
    protecting basic rights and civil liberties in Vietnam remains
    a barrier to closer cooperation in the future.
        H. Res. 131, introduced by Karen Bass, draws critical
    attention to the ongoing situation in Eastern Democratic
    Republic of the Congo. And I might say to the ranking member on
    the Africa Subcommittee, I appreciate her earnest involvement
    in all these very, very important issues. Violence continues to
    plague this region with thousands of people displaced, dying of
    disease, suffering from rampant sexual abuse, and living with
    constant uncertainty about their futures. This resolution calls
    for a comprehensive approach to the crisis that addresses the
    root causes of the conflict and it includes the active
    participation of all stakeholders, including the governments of
    countries in the Great Lakes region, the U.N. and the U.S.
        Both the U.N. and the State Department have appointed
    Special Envoys for the region and the U.N. recently deployed
    additional peacekeepers with a mandate to be more aggressive in
    responding to armed rebel movements. I hope that some of these
    actions will change the dynamic in Eastern Congo and allow the
    people of the region to finally live in peace.
        Mr. Chairman, I would especially like to thank you for your
    leadership in introducing H. Res. 273 which calls for the
    nomination of a permanent Inspector General of the State
    Department. I have been happy to work with you on this issue
    over the last several months and to be an original co-sponsor
    of this resolution. I know we share the view that having a
    permanent IG in place will help ensure independent and robust
    oversight at the State Department and the Broadcasting Board of
    Governors.
        I have now been informed that Secretary Kerry and President
    Obama identified a candidate for the State IG position back in
    April. The vetting process for that candidate is nearly
    complete and the Secretary expects the nomination to be
    finalized and made public in the very near future. I know we
    all look forward to that announcement and I am proud of the
    role that this committee has played in helping that get closer
    and closer.
        Finally, H. Res. 222 introduced by my friend from New York,
    Mr. Meeks, highlights the long-term strategic relationship
    between the United States and Jordan which has been one of the
    few pillars of stability and peace in the Middle East. We all
    had the pleasure of meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan. This
    committee did, just several weeks ago, and I know that we
    listened to him intently. He is always such a breath of fresh
    air, but a breath of realistic air and tells us what we should
    be doing. And as far as I am concerned he is right on the
    money. Regional events such as transition in Egypt and war in
    Syria have put unprecedented stress on the Jordanian economy
    and society. Jordan is currently overflowing with refugees and
    its already limited resources are strained.
        At this moment in time, Jordan needs support from the
    United States more than ever. This important resolution
    commends the people and Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of
    Jordan for their continued friendship with the United States
    and commitment to peace, security, and stability. It also
    praises the Government of Jordan for its response to the Syrian
    humanitarian crisis by hosting and caring for refugees fleeing
    violence instigated by the Assad regime in Syria.
        And finally, the resolution expresses a firm commitment to
    support the Government of Jordan as it faces regional
    challenges and works toward a more peaceful and stable Middle
    East.
        Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you again for holding
    this markup. I look forward to supporting this package of
    measures. I yield back.
        Chairman Royce. Well, thank you. I want to thank Mr. Engel
    for his remarks and also his contributions to these measures
    here today. Do any members seek recognition to speak on the en
    block?
        Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I do.
        Chairman Royce. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.
        Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you so much, and Mr. Chairman,
    first of all, thank you for your great leadership on this
    committee and thank you to Mr. Engel for forging this warm
    working relationship.
        I am pleased to support these four bipartisan bills that
    are being marked up and considered en bloc by the committee
    today. I commend my good friend, Mr. Smith, for his unending
    support for human rights across the globe. I fully support his
    bill, H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act, a bill that
    promotes freedom and democracy in Vietnam. The United States is
    the world's leading expert when it comes to living up to these
    two ideals, yet, too often we find ourselves sending money to
    governments that deny their citizens even the most basic human
    rights without leveraging that assistance to push for change to
    the status quo.
        One of the most important provisions of his bill would
    condition aid to Vietnam unless it meets certain specific
    requirements to improve its respect for human rights. This is
    an important way by which the United States can push for real
    reforms within countries like Vietnam. And I fully support this
    measure.
        We also have before us another important resolution on
    human rights, the Humanitarian and Military Crisis in the
    Democratic Republic of Congo. It has been ongoing for far too
    long and has claimed the lives of over 5 million people while
    millions more have been displaced. The human rights violations
    that have occurred are unspeakable. I commend Ms. Bass and Mr.
    Smith for their Resolution 131 which is a step in the right
    direction of helping the people of the DRC by addressing
    several of the issues that must be resolved in order to help
    end this crisis. And I fully support this measure.
        And we also have a resolution before us, Mr. Chairman,
    which you have authored with our friend, Ranking Member Engel,
    which urges the President to nominate a qualified and
    independent individual to fill the Inspector General slot at
    the State Department. I pressed this issue when I was chair,
    held a hearing focused directly on the need for the State
    Department to have an Inspector General that challenges the
    management of the State Department to function with
    transparency and accountability. I have been concerned as many
    of us here have been that this important watchdog position has
    been vacant for 5 years now and it is imperative that the
    President fill this slot post haste.
        And finally, we have a resolution recognizing the
    partnership and friendship of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
    Jordan is a great friend and an important ally to the United
    States. Our bilateral relationship is stronger now than it has
    ever been, but with the ongoing crisis in Syria and Jordan
    having to bear such a heavy burden as it takes hundreds of
    thousands of those who have fled Syria to seek refuse in a
    safer place, it is vital that we reaffirm our support for
    Jordan and we must do what we can do to help Jordan as it copes
    with the struggles that it is facing today. This resolution is
    an important way to announce to Jordan and to the world that we
    stand firmly and resolutely with our ally, the Hashemite
    Kingdom of Jordan. I fully support this and all of the measures
    before us today.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman, again for your leadership.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you. Congresswoman Bass is
    recognized.
        Ms. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to thank you, one,
    for all of the work that has happened on the committee so far
    and I wanted to speak in support of all four resolutions, but
    specifically H.R. 131. I wanted to thank the ranking member,
    and also Chairman Smith, for his long-standing leadership on
    this issue.
        All of us know that the crisis in the Congo has gone
    unresolved for so many years. We have seen numerous
    declarations and agreements for peace, yet too little has been
    done to prevent the death of millions and the displacement of
    those forced to flee their homes and livelihood. I am pleased
    that this bipartisan bill has many, many co-sponsors who also
    registered their strong support to end the status quo. Over the
    last several months, I am pleased to report that we have seen
    the United Nations appoint a Special Envoy to the DRC, former
    Irish President Mary Robinson. And last week, Secretary Kerry
    appointed former Senator Russ Feingold as the U.N. Special
    Envoy to the DRC. And that is one of the things that the
    resolution was calling for was the appointment of that Special
    Envoy.
        I had the opportunity to speak to Senator Feingold
    yesterday, and I am sure that the chair and ranking member have
    also, and I think it might be a great idea down the line after
    he has had a chance to settle in, if we would ask him to come
    and give us a report to the committee.
        In February, the Congolese, joined by other Great Lakes
    nations, as well as the U.N. and African Union, committed to an
    agreement that with the strong support from the international
    community, hopefully will finally lead to peace and stability.
    This committee has the opportunity and responsibility to send a
    clear message that the ongoing crisis in the DRC has not been
    forgotten in this chamber or in the U.S. Congress. It is time
    for the crisis in the DRC to come to an end and I really
    appreciate my colleagues' support in our efforts to end this
    tragedy. I yield back my time.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Congresswoman Bass, and thank
    you for your efforts on this issue. And I do think you are
    right. I think we need to hear from Special Envoy Feingold. So
    we will ask him to meet with the committee and have a joint
    meeting with him. Thank you.
        Mr. Meeks is recognized.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I, too, want to
    speak out for all four of the bills that are en bloc. I want to
    thank, of course, Chairman Smith, for his hard work and
    continuing to fight every day to try to make sure that human
    rights are seen all over the world. I think that really stands
    out very clearly that we are all related. We are all human. And
    you want to make sure that we all receive the same. And I want
    to thank you for your hard work on this.
        And of course, my colleague, Karen Bass, for all that she
    is doing. Just whispering here with Mr. Connolly who is saying
    how very seriously that Ms. Bass has taken the responsibility
    as the ranking member on the Africa Subcommittee and making a
    real difference in doing it. So thank you, on your bill.
        And of course, Mr. Chairman, what you and Ranking Member
    Engel are doing, not only in this bill, but the way that you
    have been conducting this committee in a bipartisan way and
    everyone having an opportunity to make real contributions and
    to feel that you really belong in being a part of this in a
    bipartisan way, you are really setting an example. And the way
    that you two work with one another is tremendously important.
    So I want to thank you in that regard.
        And I want to just make my references specifically to H.
    Res. 222 and thank the committee and I appreciate the support
    of over 35 colleagues as co-signers of this resolution and of
    course, including you, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member Engel,
    and 16 members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This
    resolution recognizes the long-term partnership and friendship
    between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
    working together toward peace and security in the Middle East.
    This bipartisan resolution comes at a crucial time and a
    critical time of unrest and conflict in the region. This
    resolution is particularly timely today as Secretary of State
    John Kerry arrives in Oman to begin a new round of peace talks.
        Jordan plays a critical role as a mediator of peace between
    the Israelis and the Palestinians. Jordan's normalized
    relations and historic 1994 peace treaty with Israel greatly
    contributes to stability in the region. And Jordan is an
    advocate for progress in the Middle East peace process and
    often offers to host peace negotiations as a mediator. The
    United States has a close relationship with Jordan spanning
    over 60 years and we work side by side with Jordanians in
    multiple areas, from security cooperation and counterterrorism
    to economic development and humanitarian assistance. This
    resolution is not simply recognition of that friendship, it is
    a reaffirmation of the importance of the United States and
    Jordan's partnership as a key element of U.S. strategic
    interests in the Middle East.
        The horrific violence in neighboring Syria is threatening
    to destabilize an entire region. Jordan has worked closely with
    the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees to host an
    increasing number of refugees. According to the UNHCR, Jordan
    is currently hosting approximately 500,000 refugees and the
    number increases with each passing day. The number of refugees
    in Jordan accounts for almost 8 percent of the Jordanian
    population. This is a heavy burden for Jordan that cannot be
    underestimated. And I am pleased to recognize the friendship
    between the American people and the people of Jordan working
    toward peace and security in the Middle East.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
        Mr. Connolly. Would my colleague yield?
        Mr. Meeks. I yield.
        Mr. Connolly. I thank my colleague for yielding. I just
    want to add my voice to his and my other colleagues in
    supporting the legislation before us today. I am particularly
    proud of being an original co-sponsor of the Vietnam Human
    Rights Act where human rights violations continue. And I am
    pleased to support the legislation in front of us. And I want
    to thank the chairman and ranking member and echo your
    sentiments about the bipartisan manner in which they have
    conducted the business of this committee. And with that, I
    yield back to my colleague.
        Mr. Meeks. I yield back my time.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Connolly, and Mr. Meeks. We
    go to Mr. Smith.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I, too, want
    to thank you and the ranking member, Eliot Engel, for the way
    you have conducted this committee and working in a very robust,
    bipartisan manner. And I support all four of the pieces of
    legislation that are under consideration. I want to thank you
    especially for bringing the Vietnam Human Rights Act before the
    committee. Previously we brought this to the floor of the House
    and it passed overwhelmingly. There were people who said things
    were improving in Vietnam, but of course, the record, as
    discussed at a hearing on June 4, clearly shows that there has
    been significant deterioration. Human Rights Watch testified on
    June 4th that in the first few months of 2013, more people have
    been convicted in political trials as in the whole of last
    year, in all of 2012. They pointed out how the trendlines have
    been worsening and that the governance by Vietnam is
    characterized by brutality and systematic suppression of
    freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. We
    heard at our hearing from a Vietnamese woman who was forced to
    work in a brothel in Russia with 14 other Vietnamese women.
    Last year, we heard at another hearing about a group of
    Vietnamese workers who were trafficked to Jordan. In each of
    these cases, and they are only the tip of the iceberg,
    officials from the Vietnamese Government not only failed to
    assist the victims, but instead were directly complicit in this
    egregious exploitation of women.
        We also heard from a number of people, Christians and Khmer
    Krom Buddhist monks who testified before the committee and told
    how each of their belief groups were being systematically
    harassed, imprisoned, and even forced to renounce their faith,
    particularly the Montagnards.
        It is imperative that the United States Government send an
    unequivocal message to the Vietnamese regime that it must end
    its escalating human rights abuses of its own citizens. This
    legislation seeks to do that by setting out very clear and very
    attainable benchmarks and calls for substantial progress in
    respecting freedom of religion, releasing all religious
    prisoners, respecting the rights of freedom of expression,
    assembly, and association, and releasing all political
    prisoners, independent journalists, and labor activists,
    repealing and revising laws that criminalize peaceful dissent,
    independent media, unsanctioned religious activity, so-called
    unsanctioned, and nonviolent demonstrations in accordance with
    human rights standards, and of course, respecting the human
    rights of all ethnic groups and taking all appropriate steps
    including prosecution of government officials and government
    complicity in human trafficking.
        I would note parenthetically the first case that was
    brought against Vietnamese officials pursuant to legislation
    that I authored in 2000 known as the Trafficking Victims
    Protection Act was against Daewoosa which had a sweatshop in
    American Samoa and the Vietnamese Government to this day has
    not honored the findings of that court which held very high
    officials to account. As a matter of fact, they were promoted
    in Vietnam to higher positions. It is serious human rights
    situation and in a bipartisan way, we are trying to address it.
        I also want to thank you for bringing to the committee
    Ranking Member Karen Bass' resolution, H. Res. 131, as amended
    by the amendment in the nature of a substitute. We have had
    several hearings on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I,
    like other members, have been there. I have been to Goma and
    seen how horrific the abuse there is and this calls upon not
    only the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but other border
    states to do far more than they have done to end the atrocities
    and the violence there. It also points out that the Atrocities
    Prevention Board, created in 2011, to coordinate U.S. policy to
    prevent mass atrocities and serious human rights violations
    should work with regional and international partners to help
    bring the tragedy in Eastern Congo to a definitive end. The
    Atrocities Prevention Board is directed to address, prevent,
    and ensure accountability for serious violations of
    humanitarian law and we are calling on them to do far more than
    we think that they have done so far. So very fine resolution
    and again, in a bipartisan way, I am glad to join Karen Bass as
    a co-sponsor of her bill.
        Chairman Royce. Mr. Schneider is recognized.
        Mr. Schneider. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and let me also say
    thank you to the chairman and the ranking member for the
    leadership on this committee and the bipartisan way we approach
    all of the issues we face. I am proud to fully support all four
    resolutions and I am grateful as well for the leadership of
    many on this committee in speaking out and acting on human
    rights on oversight and let me focus, in particular, on Jordan.
        H. Res. 222, recognizing Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for
    its long partnership with the United States, its commitment to
    peace and security in the region, its leadership and promotion
    of peace with its neighbor, Israeli deg., and in
    particular at this moment, its contribution toward dealing with
    both political and humanitarian crisis in Syria is crucial.
    Jordan has been a U.S. ally for over six decades. Nearly two
    decades ago, Jordan signed the historic peace treaty with
    Israel and in a sense under the leadership of King Abdullah II,
    actively and constructively sought progress toward peace,
    between Israelis and Palestinians. Jordan has been a reliable
    partner with U.S. providing intelligence and resources in the
    global war on terror, as well as security and humanitarian
    support of the United States' efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
        Of particular note, Jordan has been a refuge for people
    seeking security and sanctuary from sectarian violence in Iraq,
    Libya, and now most urgently, Syria. Already over 500,000
    people have sought refuge in Jordan from the atrocities of the
    Al-Assad regime and some estimate that number may double before
    the end of the year.
        Jordan presently faces significant challenges in dealing
    with this massive refugee crisis and its associated economic
    burden. The U.S. can and must do more to assist the people in
    the Government of Jordan as the conflict in Syria continues to
    threaten the stability of the entire region.
        We must work in partnership with our allies in the region,
    including Jordan, to ensure the crisis in Syria does not break
    out into a broader regional disaster. The resolution we are
    considering today accurately identifies the tremendous
    assistance Jordan provides throughout the region and recognizes
    our partnership in promoting both security and peace. I yield
    back.
        Chairman Royce. Mr. Bera, do you seek recognition? Before
    we go to you, I think Mr. Rohrabacher just indicated he would
    like to seek recognition.
        Mr. Rohrabacher. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I
    would like to congratulate you on doing the drudge work in
    making sure that legislation gets put together and brought
    before us and the compromises and the wordings and all of the
    things that go into your job, you are doing a good job for us
    and especially on important issues like we are discussing today
    and they are important. We are talking about human rights in
    Vietnam and in Africa and acknowledging Jordan as a very
    important player in the Middle East and an important friend of
    the United States.
        I would like to call attention specifically to the
    legislation and add my name to it, if we could, that references
    human rights in Vietnam. The people of Vietnam deserve special
    attention. They deserve the special attention that this
    legislation gives them. We encouraged the Vietnamese people
    during the height of the Cold War to resist the expansion of
    communism. They did so. They did so bravely, courageously, and
    unfortunately, their efforts were futile. We also, of course,
    lost 50,000 American lives and hundreds of thousands of wounded
    during that conflict in the 1960s. Let us remember, however,
    that the Vietnamese paid a much heavier price for that conflict
    which was indeed one of the epic conflicts of the Cold War. And
    we, of course, left the Vietnamese to fight on by themselves.
    And a few years after we left, not long after we left, they
    were, of course, overrun when this Congress decided to cut all
    funds off to the Vietnamese Government that we left behind. We
    cut off all funds for any military support for a conflict that
    we had convinced them to get into in the first place.
        With this history, Mr. Chairman, I think it behooves us to
    try our best to at least be on the record and to pressure the
    Government of Vietnam today to respect the human rights of its
    people to the degree that a government such as that government
    exists. It is hard to tell whether we can call them a Communist
    government as it is hard to tell whether or not the government
    in China is a Communist government, but we do know that the
    Government of China is the world's worst human rights abuser.
    And we do know that there are major human rights abuses going
    on in Vietnam.
        With this special relationship that we paid for and they
    paid for in blood, we do need to go on record strongly when
    their rights are being violated. One of the groups of people
    here being mentioned are the Montagnards. And I will have to
    note that back in 1967 I spent some time in the Central
    Highlands with the Montagnard villagers and found them to be
    courageous and I will never forget. They give these little
    bracelets out that go around your arm that means you are a
    member of the tribe or their clan, I guess, and I remember when
    they gave me one and years later I determined that the war in
    Vietnam was not in our interest to stay and lose so many of our
    young lives. It was so divisive for our people.
        And I remember the day I decided that I was in the shower
    actually taking a shower and that bracelet broke at exactly
    that moment. And I looked down and that bracelet was in the
    drain. I looked down and I said, ``I wonder what happened to
    those Montagnard people who trusted me and gave me that
    bracelet. Maybe they are going down the drain, too.'' Well,
    today, and for the last few years, those of us who have tried
    to remain true to the principals of human rights that I think
    our country stands for, know that we need to pay, we have a
    debt to pay to those people to pay special attention to those
    human rights that were violated and are being violated today by
    that vicious government that still controls and holds power,
    although how they can claim they gave so many lives to create
    this Marxist dream and there is no way they can claim that
    their economic system as in China has anything to do with Karl
    Marx because it is now an ultra-profiteering capitalist system.
    But it is more like a fascist system we should say.
        So thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for again all of the
    legislation that you have worked through, especially this
    legislation that gives a very special attention to the
    Vietnamese people to whom we owe a great debt. Thank you.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Rohrabacher. We will go now
    to Dr. Bera, but before I do, I will remind the members we have
    competing markups and members may submit statements for the
    record and after we recognize our next few speakers, we are
    going to go to a voice vote as soon as all members seeking
    recognition, we have complied with that request. Dr. Bera, go
    ahead.
        Mr. Bera. And I will keep my comments brief. First off, I
    will speak in favor of all four of the resolutions. I also want
    to commend the chairman and ranking member for the nature of
    this committee. Things in this town don't always work very
    well, but this committee can be an example of what does work
    well by working together.
        I want to speak specifically to H. Res. 273, particularly
    in the timeliness of yesterday's hearing and the importance of
    getting the Broadcasting Board of Governors working. Anything
    we can do to move this process forward, it was disconcerting
    yesterday to hear how dysfunctional the Board is and that is an
    important piece of our strategic dialogue. It is an important
    piece of our diplomacy and again, I speak in support of helping
    us move this process forward. So with that, I will yield back.
    Thank you.
        Chairman Royce. Dr. Bera, thank you. We look forward to
    working with you on that question of reconstituting the
    Broadcasting Board of Governors so that it operates in an
    effective way.
        I think Mr. Lowenthal was seeking recognition. Mr.
    Lowenthal.
        Mr. Lowenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I support all four
    measures before us today, but I am proud to be an original co-
    sponsor of H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013, an
    act to promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam. First, I would
    like to thank Congressman Smith for introducing this important
    legislation and for you, Mr. Chair, for bringing it to the full
    committee and I would also like to thank you, Mr. Chair, for
    conducting this committee in a bipartisan manner.
        Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights Act could
    not have come at a more critical time for the United States-
    Vietnam relations. As we all know, the Government of the
    Socialist Republic of Vietnam has benefitted substantially
    since the time that it normalized relations with the United
    States. Through its partnership with the United States, the
    Government of Vietnam has gained access to the WTO, has
    received permanent normal trade status with our country and has
    expanded into American markets which is now worth approximately
    $25 billion a year.
        Now the Government of Vietnam wants to be part of the
    Trans-Pacific Partnership without any commitment to respecting
    human rights, religious freedom, and political rights of its
    people. Despite the fact that Congress has passed numerous
    resolutions in the past calling on the United States Government
    to pressure Vietnam into improving its human rights record, we
    seem to be getting nowhere with progress on the ground. On the
    contrary, the Government of Vietnam has stepped its crackdown
    on activists, dissidents, and opposition voices in an
    unprecedented scale. This is due to the fact that increasingly
    intellectuals, former officials, and those who have worked for
    the ruling authorities are speaking out against the
    authoritarian regime and voicing their opinions for justice and
    for human rights.
        As reported by the Human Rights Watch on June 19th, blogger
    Truong Duy Nhat, blogger Pham Viet Dao, who is a former
    government official, and internet activist Nguyen Chi Duc, a
    former member of the Communist Party, they have been recently
    arrested by the Ministry of Public Security just for exercising
    their rights. Moreover, bloggers such as Truong Duy Nhat, Pham
    Viet Dao have both been critical of the Vietnamese Prime
    Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Vietnamese Communist Party
    Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, blaming them for
    mishandling the economy and calling for their resignation. It
    just goes on and on, Mr. Chair. Human rights abuses and
    crackdown on political dissents are on the rise in Vietnam.
        While these activists represent the latest wave of
    crackdown on dissidents by the government, we should not also
    forget that many prisoners of conscience are still serving
    their long and unjust sentences from years ago and they remain
    today in jail. It is with this heavy background of human rights
    abuses that I implore this Congress to pass the Vietnam Human
    Rights Act of 2013 to send a strong signal to the Government of
    Vietnam to stand up for justice and human dignity.
        Just recently on June 1st, I, along with Chairman Royce and
    Congresswomen Loretta Sanchez and others, hosted a community
    town hall for the United States Ambassador to Vietnam, David
    Shear, in my district which is the heart of Little Saigon in
    Orange County which is one of the largest concentration of
    Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. The overwhelming number of
    Vietnamese Americans and local, elected officials who attended
    the event called on Congress to pass the Vietnam Human Rights
    Act. Today, I am asking for the same.
        Freedom, democracy, and human rights must be a part of any
    future partnership with Vietnam. Let us support the people of
    Vietnam by voting yes on H.R. 1897, the Vietnam Human Rights
    Act of 2013. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back my time.
        Chairman Royce. Thank you, Mr. Lowenthal. Do any other
    members seek recognition before we vote?
        Hearing no further requests for recognition, the question
    occurs on agreeing to the items being considered en bloc.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All opposed, no.
        In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the items
    considered en bloc are agreed to. Without objection, the
    measures agreed to en bloc: H.R. 1897; House Resolution 131, as
    amended; House Resolution 273; and House Resolution 222, as
    amended, are ordered favorably reported to the House and staff
    are directed to make technical and conforming changes. And I
    want to thank Ranking Member Engel and all of our colleagues
    for their contributions and assistance with today's markup. The
    committee is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 10:49 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

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                 Material Submitted for the Hearing Record

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