    [House Hearing, 116 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

      MARKUP OF H.R. 3190, BURMA Act of 2019; H.R. 2327, Burma Political
    Prisoners Assistance Act; H.R. 1632, Southeast Asia Strategy Act; H.R.
     3252, Global Respect Act; H.Res. 259, H.Res. 432, H.Res. 441, H.Res.
             444, H.R. 2229, First Responders Passport Act of 2019

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

                                     MARKUP

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                                 June 20, 2019

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 116-49

                                   __________

            Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

           Available:  http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://
                                docs.house.gov,
                           or http://www.govinfo.gov

                                  __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    36-770PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2019

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                       ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York, Chairman

    BRAD SHERMAN, California             MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Ranking
    GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York               Member
    ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey		     CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
    GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia         STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
    THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida	     JOE WILSON, South Carolina
    KAREN BASS, California		     SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania
    WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts	     TED S. YOHO, Florida
    DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island	     ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
    AMI BERA, California		     LEE ZELDIN, New York
    JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas		     JIM SENSENBRENNER, Wisconsin
    DINA TITUS, Nevada		     ANN WAGNER, Missouri
    ADRIANO ESPAILLAT, New York          BRIAN MAST, Florida
    TED LIEU, California		     FRANCIS ROONEY, Florida
    SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania	     BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
    DEAN PHILLPS, Minnesota	             JOHN CURTIS, Utah
    ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota		     KEN BUCK, Colorado
    COLIN ALLRED, Texas		     RON WRIGHT, Texas
    ANDY LEVIN, Michigan		     GUY RESCHENTHALER, Pennsylvania
    ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia	     TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
    CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania       GREG PENCE, Indiana
    TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey	     STEVE WATKINS, Kansas
    DAVID TRONE, Maryland		     MIKE GUEST, Mississippi
    JIM COSTA, California
    JUAN VARGAS, California
    VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas

                    Jason Steinbaum, Democrat Staff Director
                   Brendan Shields, Republican Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                             BILLS OFFERED EN BLOC

    H.R. 3190........................................................     2
    H.R. 2327........................................................    56
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2327 offered by
      Mr. Levin......................................................    64
    H.R. 1632........................................................    71
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 1632 offered by
      Mrs. Wagner....................................................    78
    H.R. 3252........................................................    85
    H.Res. 259.......................................................   100
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.Res. 259 offerd by
      Mr. Engel......................................................   104
    H.Res. 432.......................................................   108
    Amendment to H.Res. 432 offered by Mr. McCaul....................   115
    H.Res. 441.......................................................   119
    H.Res. 444.......................................................   124
    Amendment to H.Res. 444 offered by Mr. Lieu......................   129
    H.R. 2229........................................................   131
    Amendment to H.R. 2229 offered by Mr. Chabot.....................   133

                      INFORMATION SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

    Russian LGBTI Network Report submitted for the record from
      Representative Cicilline.......................................   148
    Article: Azerbaijan named most anti-LGBT+ country in Europe
      submitted for the record from Representative Cicilline.........   179
    Article: Lesbian conference in Ukraine targeted by anti-LGBT
      protesters submitted for the record from Representative
      Cicilline......................................................   181
    Article: Stabroek News submitted for the record from
      Representative Cicilline.......................................   185
    Article: GAYSTARNEWS Alegerian man's throat cut, then killers
      write 'gay' on the wall with his blood submitted for the record
      from Representative Cicilline..................................   187

                                   APPENDIX

    Hearing Nnotice..................................................   196
    Hearing Minutes..................................................   197
    Hearing Attendance...............................................   198
    Hearing Markup Summary...........................................   199

                 ADDITIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

    Statement submitted for the record from Representative Wright....   200

      MARKUP OF H.R. 3190, BURMA Act of 2019; H.R. 2327, Burma Political
    Prisoners Assistance Act; H.R. 1632, Southeast Asia Strategy Act; H.R.
     3252, Global Respect Act; H.Res. 259, H.Res. 432, H.Res. 441, H.Res.
             444, H.R. 2229, First Responders Passport Act of 2019

                            Thursday, June 20, 2019

                            House of Representatives

                          Committee on Foreign Affairs

                                         Washington, DC

        The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:07 a.m., in
    room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Eliot Engel
    (chairman of the committee) presiding.
        Chairman Engel. The committee will come to order.
        Pursuant to notice, we meet today to markup nine bipartisan
    measures. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare
    a recess of the committee at any point.
        Pursuant to Committee Rule 4, the chair announces that the
    chair may postpone further proceedings on approving any measure
    or matter or adopting an amendment.
        Without objection, all members may have 5 days to submit
    statements or extraneous materials on today's business.
        As members were notified yesterday, we intend to consider
    today's en bloc.
        The measures are H.R. 3190, the BURMA Act of 2019; H.R.
    2327, Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act, with the Levin
    amendment in the nature of a substitute; H.R. 1632, Southeast
    Asia Strategy Act, with the Wagner amendment in the nature of a
    substitute; H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act; H. Res. 259,
    expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support
    the repatriation of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq to
    their ancestral homelands, with the Engel amendment in the
    nature of a substitute; H. Res. 432, condemning the attacks on
    peaceful protestors and supporting the immediate peaceful
    transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan,
    with the McCaul amendment; H. Res. 441, condemning the attack
    on the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
    in July 1994, and expressing the concern of the United States
    regarding the continuing 25-year-long delay in the resolution
    of this case and encouraging accountability for the attack; H.
    Res. 444, reaffirming the importance of the United States to
    promote the safety, health, and wellbeing of refugees and
    displaced persons, with the Lieu amendment; and H.R. 2229,
    First Responders Passport Act of 2019, with the Chabot
    amendment.
        [The Bills offered en bloc follow:]

        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairman Engel. At this time, I recognize myself to speak
    on today's business. We have nine good bipartisan measures
    before us today. I am pleased to support them all.
        First, I want to discuss some of the bills and resolutions
    that deal with human rights. I will start with the bill
    introduced with Mr. Chabot, the BURMA Act.
        The world watched with horror as reports came out about the
    Burmese military and security forces' atrocities against the
    Rohingya people.
        Now, over 1 million Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh,
    unable to return home safely, and the Burmese military is using
    the same violent tactics against other ethnic minorities in
    Burma.
        The BURMA Act will hold the perpetrators of these horrific
    crimes accountable and pursue justice for the victims. It also
    works to reform Burma's gemstone sector that is currently
    dominated by the military.
        This lucrative industry should benefit the Burmese people.
    It should pay for the infrastructure and economic development
    so desperately needed there instead of funding the conflicts
    plaguing that country.
        We passed the BURMA Act with broad bipartisan support in
    the last Congress and I hope this year we get it across the
    line to the president's desk and help bring a measure of
    justice to the Rohingya people.
        While the BURMA Act focused on accountability for the
    military and security forces, we also need to hold the civilian
    government in Burma accountable for their crackdown on dissent.
        Aung San Suu Kyi's government is repressing civil society
    and silencing journalists--I never thought I would ever say
    this--including two Reuter's journalists who were imprisoned
    for 500 days for reporting on the Rohingya crisis.
        That brings me to Mr. Levin's Burma Political Prisoners
    Assistance Act. This bill calls on Aung San Suu Kyi's
    government to reform these repressive laws, and adds on the
    State Department's work to support civil society and free
    political prisoners.
        It is a good bill and I urge all members on both sides of
    the aisle to join me in supporting it.
        Next, I will turn to Mr. Fortenberry and Ms. Eshoo's
    measure that supports justice for persecuted minorities in
    Iraq.
        I have discussed this with Mr. Fortenberry for many, many,
    many months. He has worked very hard on this. This resolution
    condemns the tragic and horrific brutality that ISIS has
    wrought on religious and ethnic minorities in that country.
        It also calls on the United States along with the Iraqi and
    Kurdish regional governments to support the safe return and
    integration of these groups into Iraqi society. That includes
    Christians. It is a good resolution, and I am pleased to
    support it.
        Today marks World Refugee Day so it is fitting that we are
    considering Mr. Lieu's measure reaffirming the importance for
    the United States to promote health and wellbeing of refugees
    and displaced persons.
        This measure is a critical and timely call for all of us.
    We must continue to support refugee protection and humanitarian
    response to leadership investment of resources and partnership.
        Countless brave children, women, and men have been forced
    out of their homes by violence, conflict, persecution, natural
    disaster, or war. Across most of our history there would be no
    question that the United States would stand ready to provide a
    measure of relief for those desperate people.
        Today, sadly, I am sure that commitment is in doubt in many
    places around the world. So I thank Mr. Lieu for bringing
    forward this resolution that reaffirms what our country stands
    for, and I support moving it forward today.
        Next, another piece of important human rights legislation,
    the Global Respect Act. Throughout the world everyday people
    face violence, discrimination, cruel inhumane degrading
    treatment simply because of whom they love. This is about
    people's safety and security.
        We need to condemn persecution and violence against LGBT
    communities wherever and whenever it happens and those
    responsible for this sort of bigotry need to face justice.
        The Global Respect Act puts visa sanctions on those
    responsible for human rights abuses against the LGBT community
    and requires the State Department to report on these issues in
    their human rights.
        Mr. Cicilline, thank you for introducing this measure and
    for your remarkable leadership on this issue. I am a proud co-
    sponsor and I strongly support its passage.
        Now I will turn to Mr. Kildee's resolution dealing with the
    ongoing crisis in Sudan, which I was pleased to join in as an
    original co-sponsor.
        The situation in Sudan is dire and it is important that
    Congress send a strong message. Peaceful pro-democracy
    protestors are under attack by the country's security forces,
    especially General Hemedti's Rapid Support Forces.
        H. Res. 432 condemns these human rights abuses and pushes
    the Administration to work with international partners to
    resolve the current crisis in Sudan.
        This resolution is an important measure to show that
    Congress stands with the people of Sudan in their fight for a
    democratic civilian--led government. I am proud to support it
    and I urge all members to do the same.
        Now I will turn to Mr. Deutch's resolution that strongly
    condemns the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center that
    took place 25 years ago in Buenos Aires.
        This one hits close to the heart. I visited AMIA twice to
    meet with the community there and pay my respects to the
    victims. It is an absolute tragedy and, frankly, it is an
    outrage that after all these years there still has not been
    justice for those 85 victims and their families.
        This resolution condemns the attack and calls for swift
    action to bring the perpetrators to justice. I am pleased to
    support it. I followed this case. It is a disgrace. Every time
    we think we are right there something happens to push it away.
        Next, the First Responders Passport Act from Mr. Chabot.
    This is a good bill that passed the House in the 114th
    Congress, and I am glad we are considering it again now.
        USAID-supported search and rescue teams have played an
    essential role in the aftermath of many overseas natural
    disasters, including earthquakes in Nepal, Haiti, Japan, and
    New Zealand.
        These first responders provide specialized capabilities and
    demonstrate our commitment to international partners during
    times of need. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State
    to waive passport fees for the brave Americans who mobilize
    quickly as part of the U.S. government-supported team to help
    other countries when a natural disaster hits abroad.
        This is a common sense fix for Americans who risk life and
    limb to help other countries during times of despair and I am
    please to move it forward.
        Finally, we have the Southeast Asia Strategy Act from Mrs.
    Wagner. Southeast Asian States have been central to United
    States policy in Asia for decades and they are key partners in
    advancing our interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
        But at this point, the United States still has not put
    together a comprehensive strategy on how to strengthen our
    engagement with these countries.
        The Southeast Asia Strategy Act calls on the Secretary of
    State to develop this policy so we can fully engage with our
    partners on some of the most critical issues facing our world
    today.
        From climate change and human rights to security
    cooperation, energy, and a growing global economy, it is a good
    bill to strengthen our position in this critical region.
        I am pleased to support all these measures and I would like
    to thank our members for their hard work.
        And now I will recognize our ranking member, Mr. McCaul of
    Texas, for his remarks.
        Mr. McCaul. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Today, our committee will mark up five bills and four
    resolutions. This builds on the 26 bills and seven resolutions
    the committee has already approved, many in a bipartisan
    manner.
        In particular, I would like to thank the vice ranking
    member, Mrs. Wagner, for her bill, the Southeast Asia Strategy
    Act. This bill will promote U.S. cooperation with the
    Association of Southeast Asian Nations and establish a
    comprehensive interagency strategy for engagement in Southeast
    Asia with ASEAN.
        ASEAN is at the center of Asia's strategic and economic
    future and critical to the Administration's Indo-Pacific
    strategy. This legislation is especially important now to help
    us better counter China in their Belt and Road Initiative.
        I would like to thank also Mr. Chabot for his bill to give
    the Secretary of State discretion to waive passport fees for
    certain American first responders making trips abroad for
    natural disaster response efforts as natural disasters can
    strike anywhere at any time.
        I saw firsthand when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, first
    responders and volunteers were absolutely critical in helping
    victims, cleaning up debris and restoring necessities such as
    electricity and clean water.
        I appreciate Chabot's bill that would help these responders
    travel to aid a foreign country suffering from such disasters.
        Last, I am proud to support, once again, Chairman Engel's
    BURMA Act of 2019. The Foreign Affairs Committee has a decades-
    long history of holding the Burmese military accountable for
    their atrocities.
        It is more important than ever after their genocide against
    their own people in August 2017. The BURMA Act will selectively
    revive the sanctions regime that was recklessly scrapped during
    the last administration, which is long overdue.
        With that, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to considering
    these bills and I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. McCaul.
        Does anyone seek recognize for the purpose of speaking on
    the en bloc passage?
        Mr. Sherman.
        Mr. Sherman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to commend you and
    the ranking member once again for an outstanding package of
    bills brought forward in a collegial and bipartisan manner.
        With regard to Asia, I particularly want to focus on the
    ethnic cleansing, if not the genocide, of the Rohingya and I am
    glad that we are dealing with two bills today that deal with
    that.
        It is so important that the people of the--moving on to H.
    Res. 259, it is so important that the Assyrians and other
    ethnic minorities and religious minorities of Iraq be allowed
    to return in safety to their ancestral homelands.
        And we are, of course, remembering what happened to the
    Jewish community of Buenos Aires and taking a strong stand to
    support the LGBTI community.
        So it is an excellent package of bills. Pleased to co-
    sponsor them all, and I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sherman.
        Mr. Wilson.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Thank you, Chairman Engel, and Ranking Leader--Republican
    Leader Mike McCaul for bringing these important bills to markup
    today.
        These bills address some of the most pressing issues facing
    the world today and they are a testament to the bipartisan
    spirit of this committee.
        I would like to start by expressing my strong support for
    House Resolution 441 condemning the attack on the Mutual
    Israelite Association of Argentina--AMIA--Jewish Community
    Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994 introduced by
    my friend and chairman of the Middle East, North Africa, and
    International Terrorism Subcommittee, Ted Deutch.
        This dastardly attack carried out by Iran's primary global
    proxy, Hezbollah, tragically killed 85 innocent people and
    injured 300 others.
        But for 25 years, those responsible for this tragic attack
    have not faced justice. In 2006, Argentine Special Prosecutor
    Alberto Nisman formerly accused the Iranian government of
    directing the attack and confirmed that Hezbollah carried it
    out.
        But, unfortunately, the highest levels of the Argentinian
    government were also involved in the cover-up to seal Iran's
    role in the bombing.
        Nisman was found shot in the head 1 day before he was
    scheduled to present his findings on the case to the
    Argentinian Congress.
        And here we are, nearly 25 years to the day of the AMIA
    bombing and not a single Iranian suspect has faced prosecution.
    Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the victims
    of this horrible attack.
        Justice must be served. I am grateful to support this
    measure as original co-sponsor and appreciate that Chairman
    Deutch has highlighted this case and advocated for justice for
    these families.
        I would also like to express my support for Mr. Chabot's
    support measures H.R. 2229 that would waive passport fees for
    selfless American first responders traveling abroad to aid a
    foreign country suffering from a natural disaster.
        The generosity and charitable spirit of the American people
    are boundless. When disaster strikes, brave American men and
    women risk their lives to shuttle off to places many of us have
    never heard of to help local communities deal with some of the
    most devastating conditions on Earth.
        They not only help those communities but, in the long run,
    they spread good will about America. They ultimately serve as
    Ambassadors of our country and represent the best of the United
    States.
        The very least we in Congress can do to support these
    courageous individuals is waive their passport fees and send
    them on their way. Again, thanks to Mr. Chabot for his great
    work on this bill.
        Last, I would like to express my strong support for
    Chairman Engel and Mr. Chabot's BURMA Act of 2019. The ongoing
    situation in Burma is beyond belief. The massive human rights
    abuses and unthinkable violence against ethnic Rohingya
    civilians in Burma are reprehensible.
        We have seen the tragic reports. Seven hundred and fifty
    thousand have already fled, 80 percent of whom are women and
    children.
        But even when they finally get out of Burma these hapless
    refugees are packed in harsh conditions and sometimes even
    targets of continued violence.
        Just last month, 65 Rohingya refugees were found
    shipwrecked and stranded in southern Thailand, suspected of
    being victims of human trafficking.
        This is, unfortunately, an ongoing situation and the
    Burmese military leaders with blood on their hands have yet to
    be held accountable for their crimes against humanity.
        That is why the BURMA Act is so critical. It would ensure
    sanctions, accountability, and justice related to the ethnic
    cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma.
        It is our moral imperative to stand with the systematic
    human rights abuses of the--against the abuses of the Burmese
    military and seek accountability and justice for the victims of
    this heinous campaign.
        With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
        Mr. Deutch.
        Mr. Deutch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you and the
    ranking member for bringing this slate of bipartisan measures
    before us today. I am proud to support all of them.
        I thank my colleagues for continuing to highlight the gross
    injustices taking place against the Rohingya in Burma. I thank
    Mr. Cicilline for his tireless work to fight for equality and I
    stand with him in making clear that attacks on the LGBTI
    community are attacks on fundamental human rights.
        I support Mr. Lieu's effort to remind the world that we
    have a responsibility to those who are fleeing violence and
    displacement in seeking a better life.
        I am also proud to stand with my colleagues in support of
    those peaceful protestors in Sudan who seek a democratic
    transition and have been met with violence. These deadly
    attacks must end and a civilian transition must begin.
        It is with a heavy heart that I, along with the ranking
    member of the Middle East, North African, and International
    Terrorism Subcommittee, Mr. Wilson, and the chairman and
    ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Mr.
    Sires and Mr. Rooney, introduced a resolution marking the 25th
    anniversary of the AMIA terror attack and urging justice and
    accountability for those responsible for this attack.
        On July 18th, 1994, a terrorist detonated a car bomb in the
    AMIA building, a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.
    Eighty-five innocent people were killed. Hundreds more were
    injured, and to date this remains the deadliest terror attack
    in Argentina.
        Unfortunately, the investigations into the AMIA attack have
    been marked by long delays and judicial misconduct, failing
    thus far to bring justice for the victims, for the families,
    and for the community.
        Considerable evidence has linked this heinous attack to the
    terrorist group Hezbollah and to its sponsor, the government of
    the Islamic Republic of Iran, and despite warrants issued by
    the Argentinian justice system for Iranian and Lebanese
    nationals thought to be involved in the attacks and their
    addition on Interpol's most wanted lists, Iranian and Hezbollah
    operatives have yet to face accountability for their actions.
        After the previous president of Argentina worked to prevent
    Iran from being held accountable, prosecutor Alberto Nisman
    heroically proceeded investigating this bombing, shedding light
    on the alarming and growing partnership between leaders in Iran
    and Argentina.
        Just 1 day before he was scheduled to present his latest
    findings, Alberto Nisman was found dead in his home with a
    fatal gunshot to the head.
        We are grateful that President Macri's government has
    continued to push for Iranian accountability and we hope that
    responsible nations will comply and not afford those involved
    in this terror attack the opportunity to escape justice.
        Twenty-five years later, Iranian-backed Hezbollah continues
    to carry out terror operations. Twenty-five years later, anti-
    Semitism continues to threaten the lives of Jewish communities
    throughout Latin America and around the world.
        The rise in anti-Semitic attacks including the brutal
    attack on a rabbi in Argentina earlier this year should put us
    all on notice that we as a global community must do more to
    combat hate.
        And with this vote, the committee honors the memory of the
    victims of this horrific attack, recalls the brave work by
    Alberto Nisman, who lost his life pursuing justice, and calls
    for full accountability for all of those who are responsible.
        I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and the
    other good measures before us today, and I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Deutch.
        Mrs. Wagner.
        Mrs. Wagner. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you very
    much and the ranking member for including H.R. 1632, the
    Southeast Asia Strategy Act, in today's markup.
        I would also like to thank Congressman Castro, with whom I
    founded and co-chair the ASEAN Caucus for working with me on
    this legislation and for his great support of U.S.-ASEAN
    relations.
        This bill will deepen U.S. engagement without Southeast
    Asian partners by requiring the Secretary of State, in
    consultation with other agencies as appropriate, to develop and
    communicate a communicate regional strategy that addresses all
    aspects of the relationship, from trade and humanitarian goals
    to diplomatic and security arrangements.
        ASEAN member States are vital to the prosperity of the
    United States economy, generating hundreds of thousands of
    American jobs and investing more in our economy than China and
    India combined.
        In 2015, the United States and ASEAN elevated the
    relationship into a strategic partnership to enhance
    cooperation across the economic, political security, and
    people-to-people pillars of this relationship.
        Southeast Asian countries seek assurance that the United
    States is a reliable partner as they try to maintain economic
    independence from China and defend their territorial claims in
    the South China Sea.
        While ASEAN countries have expressed support for the Trump
    Administration's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy, which
    promotes cooperation with India, Japan, and Australia to
    contain China, some worry that the focus on the peripheral
    waters of Asia will leave Southeast Asian States to fend off
    China without substantial support.
        The U.S. withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership
    further stoked concerns that the United States is no longer as
    committed to enhancing our trade relations.
        I have had many opportunities to meet with ASEAN officials
    and foreign ministers. One message that I hear repeatedly is
    that the United States must demonstrate strength and leadership
    in the region.
        Congress should listen closely to our partners, who are
    demanding stronger leadership and not just because China would
    be sure to fill any vacuum in power.
        ASEAN is, clearly, a powerhouse and a critical region to
    engage in in and of itself. The U.S. should be proactively
    crafting and implementing its Southeast Asia strategy.
        This bill would require the Administration to do just that.
    I thank the chairman for his attention to U.S. engagement in
    the region and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1632, the
    Southeast Asia Strategy Act.
        I thank you, and I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mrs. Wagner.
        Mr. Keating.
        Mr. Keating. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I would like to thank you and your ranking member, Mr.
    McCaul, for your leadership and the slate of bills we have in
    front of us--very important bills all advancing important
    causes, all of which I support.
        I would like to also in particular thank Congressman
    Cicilline for his leadership for the Global Respect Act. I am
    pleased to be a original co-sponsor of the Global Respect Act.
        For too long we have seen prejudice and violence against
    the LGBTI persons globally and here in the United States. This
    bill is a strong response to international human rights abuse
    based on sexual orientation, gender identification, or sex
    characteristics, and it is worth noting the timing of advancing
    this bill since next week we mark an important half century
    milestone. Here in the United States we have come a long way in
    50 years since the Stonewall raid and riots.
        But there is still more work that has to be done to ensure
    the LGBTI individuals have the rights and respect that they
    truly deserve.
        With the passage of the Global Respect Act, the United
    States will lead by example in sending a strong message to our
    counterparts around the world.
        With that, I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Keating.
        Mr. Chabot.
        Mr. Chabot. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I am bouncing back
    and forth between this hearing and Judiciary--this markup and
    Judiciary and Small Business as well, so I will be brief. I
    would just like to comment on two of the bills we have before
    us today.
        The first is H.R. 2229, the First Responders Passport Act,
    which is legislation I introduced to allow the Secretary of
    States to waive passport fees for first responders who are
    contracted to deploy to disaster zones around the world.
        For instance, every 5 years USAID awards contracts to a
    couple fire department search and rescue teams to be able to
    mobilize immediately after disaster strikes abroad.
        Since teams have to be ready to leave the country the day a
    disaster strikes, these first responders must maintain active
    passports.
        However, since they are not government personnel they have
    to do so at their own expense. Furthermore, the teams do not
    deploy all that often. So foreign travel is not really an
    essential part of their jobs normally.
        Brave first responders represent our Nation to people who
    have lost everything across the globe. They should not be
    personally required to incur this expense to do their job.
    Instead, our country should provide them the necessary
    documents so that they can bring the compassion and generosity
    of the American people to those who need it most.
        I also briefly want to mention my amendment to this
    legislation, which brings its text into better alignment with
    its intent.
        It limits the exemption to individuals who are truly first
    responders; that is, those who are under contract to deploy
    within a week and so must have an active passport at all times.
        The second piece of legislation I would like to comment on
    is the BURMA Act, of which I am the lead Republican and I want
    to thank Chairman Engel for sponsoring this legislation and
    working with me to hold the Burmese military accountable for
    its barbaric attacks on the Rohingya in the fall of 2017.
        Since then, I and many on this committee have condemned
    these atrocities. The facts bear repeating. In September 2017,
    the Burmese military began a campaign to permanently drive the
    Rohingya out of Burma that resulted in over 700,000 Rohingya
    refugees fleeing from Rakhine State, Burma, into neighboring
    Bangladesh. They remain there today without any meaningful hope
    of returning home.
        This campaign consisted of widespread, systematic, and
    premeditated human rights abuses including barbaric killings,
    gang rapes, and the burning of around 400 Rohingya villages.
        According to a partial State Department report on these
    atrocities, about half of the Rohingya surveyed said that they
    had personally witnessed a rape while about 80 percent
    witnessed killings and the destruction of villages.
        Since the Burma Act passed the House as part of the NDAA
    last year, there have been substantial developments in our
    understanding of the true horror of these atrocities as various
    investigations have been completed.
        The evidence is so bad that virtually everyone who has
    looked at it says these crimes were genocide and crimes against
    humanity. Based on this evidence last December, the House voted
    overwhelmingly to adopt this resolution determining that the
    atrocities were indeed a genocide and calling for
    accountability.
        It is very disappointing that after almost 2 years, the
    Burmese military has not been held accountable for these
    atrocities.
        The BURMA Act would utilize sanctions and other tools to
    bring about some measure of justice for the Rohingya and move
    Burma toward a better future.
        Time alone will not absolve these crimes and it is long
    overdue that this legislation became law, and I want to thank
    you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership on this and thank all
    the other members of the committee that have been involved.
        And I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Chabot.
        Mr. Sires.
        Mr. Sires. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I am grateful you have called this markup that we are able
    to advance these bipartisan measures today.
        I want to thank my good friend from Florida, Chairman Ted
    Deutch, for introducing an important bill to condemn the attack
    on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
    in 1994.
        As we approach the 25th anniversary of that horrible day, I
    am proud to cosponsor this bill and join Mr. Deutch, Ranking
    Member Rooney, Ranking Member Wilson, and our other colleagues
    in repeating our calls for accountability.
        The AMIA bombing killed 85 people, injured 300, and shook
    the entire Jewish community in Argentina. It was the deadliest
    terrorist attack in Argentina's history. Evidence suggests that
    the terrorist group Hezbollah carried out this vicious and
    cowardly attack with the support of Iran.
        Yet, 25 years later, the perpetrators have not been brought
    to justice. The family of the victims deserve better.
        We in Congress must continue to call for the investigation
    to be completed. We should also continue to condemn those
    powerful interests that have sought to keep the truth from
    coming to light.
        I was honored to visit the AMIA Center in 2016 and meet
    with representatives of the Jewish community in Argentina who
    are still fighting for justice and accountability.
        I plan to lead a bipartisan delegation to Argentina next
    month to once again stand in solidarity with the Jewish
    community in Argentina and throughout the world.
        I urge my colleagues to support this resolution which sends
    a strong message that we will never forget what happened 25
    years ago and we will not give up until the perpetrators have
    been brought to justice.
        I thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their
    efforts to have this markup and I thank all the members and
    their staff for their hard work.
        Thank you. I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Sires.
        Mr. Burchett.
        Mr. Burchett. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member.
        I would like to express my strong support for House
    Resolution 441 and thank Mr. Deutch for introducing it.
        It is pretty clear to me and I guess the members that this
    committee that 25 years ago Hezbollah committed this heinous
    bombing on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association--the AMIA--
    and killed 85 civilians.
        This resolution is a stark reminder of the evil that
    Hezbollah has espoused since their founding in the early
    1980's. Additionally, we must never forget about Hezbollah's
    patron, Iran, who is equally culpable in this massacre and is
    leading the State sponsor in the world.
        It is safe to say that with Iranian help, Hezbollah has
    been able to launch many transnational terror attacks which,
    besides the AMIA, include the Israeli embassy bombing in Buenos
    Aires, the attack on U.S. embassy in Beirut, the Marine
    barracks bombing in Beirut, and not to mention the continued
    threat Hezbollah poses on Israel's northern borders.
        Mr. Chairman, the 25th anniversary of the AMIA bombing is a
    stark reminder that we must never forget the cowardly acts of
    Hezbollah and Iran, the ones that they have perpetrated over
    the years.
        And I yield back the rest of my time. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Burchett.
        Ms. Bass.
        Ms. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to speak in support of House Resolution 432,
    condemning the attacks on peaceful protestors and supporting an
    immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic
    government in the Sudan.
        Protests have taken place all across Sudan since December
    2018, both in response to Bashir's authoritarian regime and the
    country's declining economy.
        Bashir was removed in April after being in power for 30
    years, soon after a transitional military council assumed
    control of the country, promising to negotiate a civilian-led
    transition to power.
        In June, the Rapid Support Forces, a militia linked to
    atrocities against civilians in Darfur, slaughter peaceful
    protestors in the streets.
        There have been numerous atrocities committed including
    bodies being found in the Nile River, the killing of a 26-year-
    old engineer named Mohamed Mattar, and other reported cases of
    rape in the country while peaceful protests have tried to press
    for a swift return to civilian rule.
        All the while Sudanese security forces have continuously
    cracked down violently on protestors, used excessive lethal
    force, and reportedly detained hundreds.
        The current political crisis has the potential to
    destabilize the country. This resolution is important because
    it signals to the Sudanese population that we stand with their
    call for civilian rule, that we hear them, and that their lives
    are important.
        In the past hearings I have stated my disappointment with
    the Sudanese Security Forces firing live ammunition, causing
    multiple fatalities in order to disband sit-ins and peaceful
    protests in Sudan.
        I am also alarmed that the military has shut down media
    networks in Sudan, the social media. The internet has been shut
    down for more than 17 days.
        I call on the Sudanese Transitional Military Council to
    immediately open up the internet. And it is also critical that
    journalists continue covering this situation in Sudan.
        This not only gives the international community insight
    about what is happening on the ground but also boosts morale
    for protestors.
        I encourage everyone to support House Res. 432 condemning
    the attacks on citizens and supporting an immediate peaceful
    transition to civilian rule.
        Next Tuesday, the Africa Subcommittee is having a hearing
    on the political crisis in Sudan with government witnesses and
    I encourage you all to come and give voice to this alarming
    crisis.
        I have to say that I am deeply disappointed, having
    traveled to Sudan last year and was hopeful that we were moving
    in a positive direction in terms of our two countries. But,
    obviously, this has been a tremendous backslide.
        We also had planned to travel to Sudan next week. But
    because of the crisis, the instability, we are not going to be
    allowed to go into the country.
        So with that, I yield back my time. Thank you.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Bass.
        Mr. Rooney.
        Mr. Rooney. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to add my voice and support to my colleague Ted
    Deutch's resolution, H. Res. 441 condemning the attack on the
    AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires back in July 1994,
    which expresses concern over the 25-year-long delay in
    resolving the case and encourages that those people responsible
    for this heinous act be held accountable.
        It is critically important that this committee condemn this
    terrorist attack, one of the worst in the history of Latin
    America, and it is equally important that we recognize that
    those victims of the attack and their families deserve justice.
        For 25 years now, Hezbollah, generally backed by Iran, has
    been able to avoid accountability for the murders of these 85
    men, women, and children.
        This resolution serves as a potent reminder that the United
    States will continue to recognize and hold responsible those
    who perpetrate acts of terror anywhere in the world.
        I want to further commend the Macri government of Argentina
    for its effort to find the truth behind the death of prosecutor
    Alberto Nisman, who was responsible for investigating this
    terrorist attack but was found dead with a single bullet to his
    head in his apartment in a crime that we do not necessarily
    think was an accident, and I have the fervent belief that the
    government of Iran was behind it.
        Last, although this terrorist attack was perpetrated 25
    years ago, it should serve as a strong reminder that foreign
    terrorist groups do not just operate across oceans but in our
    own hemisphere as well.
        We all know the things that are taking place on the
    Uruguay-Argentina-Brazil border. We must work with our strong
    ally, Argentina, and all of our partners in the region to
    combat the malign influence of foreign actors and hold those
    responsible who perpetrate crimes and terror against innocent
    people.
        I want to thank my colleague from Florida, Mr. Deutch,
    again for introducing this important resolution. I thank the
    other people who have spoken on its behalf and thank, last,
    Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for bringing it before
    the committee for swift passage.
        I urge all my colleagues to support the resolution, and
    yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Rooney.
        Mr. Cicilline.
        Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to
    you, Chairman Engel, and Ranking Member McCaul for bringing up
    these important bills in a bipartisan fashion and I, of course,
    urge my colleagues to support all of them.
        I would like to spend a moment on H.R. 3252, the Global
    Respect Act. It speaks volumes to the LGBTI community around
    the world that the U.S. House stands united in support of the
    fundamental rights the LGBTI community to live with dignity,
    free from violence, unlawful detention, torture, and other
    indignities.
        H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act, will build on existing
    human rights-related sanctions authorities to ensure that human
    rights abusers are held accountable. This legislation will
    require the State Department to compile a list of foreign
    individuals who commit violations against members of the LGBTI
    community and to deny or rescind travel visas for individuals
    who have committed such violations.
        It would also codify reporting requirements on these issues
    in the State Department's annual Human Rights Report.
        As you may be aware, about 80 countries specifically outlaw
    same sex relations with the threat of imprisonment, fines, and,
    in several countries, even death.
        In the past few years, disturbing efforts to target
    lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and their
    families have passed and been signed into law in several
    countries around the world.
        Violence against LGBTI communities is pervasive and
    sometimes sanctioned or directed by government officials. The
    Universal Declaration of Human Rights States that, and I quote,
    ``All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
    rights.''
        As with any form of social or legal marginalization whether
    based on sex, race, religion, ethnicity, or other status, the
    denial of human rights of LGBTI people is not only wrong, but
    it also negatively affects health outcomes, social stability,
    rule of law, and economic potential.
        The United States must stand up against egregious human
    rights abuses. The Global Respect Act will ensure that
    foreigners who are culpable in violations against the LGBTI
    community face consequences for their actions.
        This bill will send a signal to not just the abusers but to
    the victims that the United States stands with them. Victims
    like Joel Simpson, an LGBTI activist in Guyana who was targeted
    and beaten outside of a nightclub in June.
        Or Assil Belalta, a 21-year-old medical student who was
    attacked in his own home by two assailants who slit his throat
    and wrote, ``He is gay'' on the wall with his blood.
        Or I.J., a victim of Ramzan Kadyrov's systematic rounding
    up and torture of men and women perceived to be gay in
    Chechnya. I.J. described his experience of being detained and
    arrested by Chechnyan security forces in a report written by
    the journalist Elena Malishina, whose dogged reporting at the
    expense of her own safety brought these atrocities to light in
    2017.
        I.J. said of his attack, and I quote, ``They threw me to
    the floor and beat me. They beat my chest and my face with
    their feet and they hit my head against the floor. One of them
    said, 'Do not beat him until the shock stage. At that point, he
    will stop feeling the pain. We do not need that,' end quote.
    They addressed me with female pronouns and demanded that I tell
    them the names of other gay people I knew. They threatened to
    kill me if I didn't,'' end quote.
        Or the LGBTI men and women in Brunei where a new law
    imposes State-sponsored torture and the death penalty for LGBTQ
    people with punishments including floggings and prisons for
    those convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex relations
    and the possibility of death by stoning.
        I could go on and on. This bill is simple and
    straightforward and will give the executive branch greater
    tools to punish those who target the LGBTI community abroad
    whether they are part of a government apparatus or not.
        I thank all of my colleagues on the committee for the
    support of these measures and urge you to support final
    passage.
        And with this, Mr. Chairman, I would ask unanimous consent
    to put into the record a report prepared by the Russian LGBTI
    Network, which details some of these incidents as well as four
    news articles which recount some of the worst atrocities
    against LGBTI individuals around the world.
        Chairman Engel. Without objection, so ordered.
        [The information referred to follows:]

        [GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Mr. Cicilline. And with that, I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Cicilline.
        Is there anyone on the Republican side that wishes to be
    recognized?
        OK. Mr. Castro.
        Mr. Castro. Thank you, Chairman, and I am proud to support
    all nine bills today.
        I just want to speak quickly about one of them, which is
    H.R. 1632, the Southeast Asia Strategy Act, which I introduced
    with my fellow ASEAN co-chair, Representative Wagner.
        Together we have introduced the Southeast Asia Strategy Act
    to enhance American engagement with this vibrant organization
    and important region in the world.
        For decades, the United States and its allies have
    established the infrastructure of security and prosperity in
    the Indo-Pacific, generating progress for peoples throughout
    Asia.
        Our unshakeable bond and commitments to regional allies
    bind U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific. Together, we work to
    reinforce the rules-based multilateral institutions and the
    international order that is proven to be indispensable, an
    effort in which ASEAN is integral.
        Even as the region transforms, the United States and its
    allies remain stalwarts of sustainable inclusive development,
    freedom of exchange and navigation, and democratic norms.
        At the nexus of the region's transformation and central to
    its bright future is Southeast Asia. To place proper emphasis
    on this significant region and invigorate our partnership for
    the years ahead, the United States must articulate a
    comprehensive strategy.
        This bill would direct the Secretary of State to do just
    that. On our shared interests and economic growth, enduring
    peace, reliable energy, and many others, this legislation
    catalyzes positive cooperation and contributes to sustaining a
    free and open Indo-Pacific and I was glad to work with
    Representatives Wagner and Yoho to help bolster a robust U.S.-
    ASEAN relationship.
        I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Castro.
        I understand that Mr. Sires has something to add.
        Mr. Sires. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I would like to add for the record that--to the Cicilline
    resolution that in Cuba the LGBT community had a parade and the
    government broke up the parade by beating them and breaking up
    the parade.
        So I would like to know if I can add that to the record on
    that resolution. They broke it up, beating them and jailing
    people.
        Chairman Engel. Without objection, so ordered.
        Mr. Sires. Thank you.
        Chairman Engel. OK. Thank you.
        Ms. Titus.
        Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I support all the measures before us today and I am a co-
    sponsor of several of them. But I would like to speak
    particularly about the Global Respect Act and I want to commend
    Mr. Cicilline on his leadership on this issue.
        I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation to ensure a
    strong and unwavering U.S. response to severe human rights
    abuses against LGBTI people.
        As we celebrate Pride Month, we should be reminded of the
    serious threats people from the LGBTI community continue to
    face around the world.
        As you have heard, in at least 68 countries same-sex and
    relationships are criminalized. The State Department's Human
    Rights Reports have shown a clear pattern of human rights
    violations including murder, rape, torture, death threats,
    extortion, and imprisonment in every region of the world based
    on sexual orientation and gender identity.
        No one should face such treatment for whom they love. The
    sanctions in this legislation are an important tool to push for
    accountability for violations of human rights of LGBTI people.
        I am also glad that this legislation will be included and I
    thank Mr. Cicilline for working with me on the Globe Act, which
    is a comprehensive vision of what the U.S. leadership should be
    doing to advance LGBTI human rights around the world.
        Unfortunately, this administration--under this
    administration the U.S. is ceding its role as a leader in
    advancing human rights and we in Congress cannot stand idly by
    as they try to stop the U.S. embassies from flying Pride flags,
    appoint anti-LGBTI State Department officials, and cozy up to
    authoritarian regimes that are responsible for these grave
    abuses.
        I also want to take a moment to recognize World Refugee
    Day. I am a co-sponsor of House Resolution 444, which
    underscores the important role the U.S. must play in refugee
    resettlement and global responses to the refugee crisis.
        We have a proud tradition of welcoming the world's most
    vulnerable. But, unfortunately, that also is being undermined.
        The Administration continues to shut out those fleeing
    violence, proposed drastic cuts to assistance to address some
    of the root causes of these crises, and cut the refugee
    admission target from a dismal 45,000 in 2018 to only 30,000 in
    2019. These are the lowest targets in modern history.
        The president must not abdicate the moral leadership and if
    he does, the Congress has to step in. We have got to continue
    to welcome those who are seeking a better life and promote the
    safety, health, and welfare of refugees.
        The symbol of the U.S. should remain the Statue of Liberty
    and not become a border wall.
        With that, I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Titus.
        Mr. Lieu.
        Mr. Lieu. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Today is World Refugee Day. I am pleased on this day the
    committee is considering H. Res. 444, a bipartisan resolution
    that I introduced with Representatives Diaz-Balart, Neguse, and
    Lofgren to reaffirm U.S. leadership in responding to the
    displacement crises around the world.
        We are currently facing the worst refugee crisis in
    history. According to the United Nations High Commission of
    Refugees in 2018, there are more than 70.8 million displaced
    persons worldwide. This included nearly 26 million refugees,
    over 41 million internally displaced persons, and 3.5 million
    people seeking asylum.
        Put another way, in 2018, 37,000 people being displaced
    from their homes every single day and about half of these
    refugees were children.
        Here at home in the United States, we have seen a drastic
    reduction in refugee admissions. In 2018, the U.S. resettled
    only 22,000 refugees compared to the 85,000 resettled in Fiscal
    Year 2016.
        Refugees are fleeing home because of a well-founded fear of
    being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
    membership, and a particular social group or political opinion.
        The U.S. resettlement program is critical to global
    humanitarian efforts. H. Res. 444 reaffirms the U.S. commitment
    to promote the safety, health, and wellbeing of the millions of
    displaced persons.
        In addition, it recognizes the people in organizations who
    have risked their lives to provide assistance to displaced
    communities.
        And finally, the resolution calls on the Secretary of State
    and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to continue
    supporting robust funding for refugee protection, to set robust
    refugee admission goals, and to work in partnership with the
    international community and find solutions to existing
    conflicts and to promote peace and reconciliation.
        This resolution is supported by more than 60 organizations
    including Church World Service, International Rescue Committee,
    Oxfam America, and Refugees International, and has been co-
    sponsored by 62 of our colleagues in the House.
        Thank you, Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul, for
    bringing up this resolution and I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Lieu.
        Ms. Wild.
        Ms. Wild. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I am pleased to support all of these bills today. But I
    want to speak in support of H.R. 3252, the Global Respect Act,
    and I too commend Mr. Cicilline for his efforts on this,
    because acts of violence and hatred targeting members of
    communities for who they are or what they believe are a threat
    to the moral fabric of our country and our world.
        We cannot let these violations of fundamental human rights
    and dignity go unanswered. Across the world, people are
    harassed, tortured, arrested, detained, and sometimes killed
    because of who they are, who they love, or the gender with
    which they identify.
        Nine countries, including Saudi Arabia, have laws on the
    books making homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
    Recently, Brunei codified the punishment of homosexuality by
    capital punishment, ultimately announcing that it would not
    proceed with executions for the time being in light of the
    international outcry that followed, but still leaving the law
    on the books.
        In the Russian region of Chechnya, a coordinated strategy
    of purges, detentions, and executions has terrorized the LGBT
    community. Despite being part of the Russian Federation, the
    local authorities in Chechnya have been left free to operate
    with impunity.
        The Global Respect Act would take a crucial step in saying
    unequivocally that LGBTQ people must be free from being
    targeted, attacked, or imprisoned on the basis of sexual
    orientation or gender.
        By requiring the State Department to track individuals
    responsible for violations against members of the LGBTQ
    community around the world and denying or revoking visas for
    individuals who have committed such violations, we will send a
    clear message to allies and adversaries alike.
        The LGBTQ rights are human rights. By passing this
    legislation, we have the opportunity to place our country
    firmly on the right side of history, affirming that we call for
    respecting the rights and dignity of all people everywhere.
        I encourage my colleagues on this committee on both sides
    of the aisle to pass the Global Respect Act.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Wild.
        Mr. Levin.
        Mr. Levin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to commend
    you and Mr. McCaul, the ranking member, for your leadership and
    your work on this. I feel, as a new member of the Congress,
    that the work of this committee is a real model for the House
    and for the whole Congress in terms of how we work together in
    a bipartisan way.
        And I want to speak specifically to urge my colleagues to
    support the Burma Political Prisoners Assistance Act, H.R.
    2327.
        In the past couple years, there has rightly been a lot of
    attention on the horrific crimes against the Rohingya people.
    It is a genocide and we have an obligation to act both as
    policymakers and as human beings.
        But far less has been said about those who are fighting to
    shed light on that crisis and share the stories that are,
    sadly, so dangerous yet so important to tell about the Rohingya
    situation and other human rights violations in Burma.
        I am talking about people like Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo,
    Reuters journalists who were arrested while investigating a
    massacre of Rohingya men and boys and spent more than 500 days
    in prison before being released last month.
        Even now they have not been officially exonerated of the
    false charges against them. Their stories are indicative of a
    much, much bigger problem when it comes to free expression in
    Burma.
        There have been crackdowns on peaceful protestors. There
    was the arrest of Aung Ko Htwe, a former child soldier, who
    gave an interview talking about his experience being abducted
    and forcibly recruited by the Burmese military at the age of
    13. For that, he faces up to 2+ years in jail.
        While our State Department and USAID are working to aid
    political prisoners, more needs to be done. That is where this
    bill comes in. We need to support efforts to change or repeal
    the very laws that are being used to stifle free expression and
    honest reporting and that were used to imprison people like Wa
    Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.
        Many of these laws date back to the colonial era. We should
    support the creation of an independent prisoner review
    mechanism to examine cases like these and offer recommendations
    as to how the law might better protect free expression and we
    need to make clear that this Congress is united, Democrats and
    Republicans, in our support for a free press, freedom of
    expression, and the fundamental rights of the Burmese people.
        Thank you, again, Mr. Chairman, for bringing this bill up
    today and to your staff for their hard work, and I want to
    thank in particular Congresswoman Wagner for partnering with me
    to introduce this legislation.
        I urge my colleagues to support it and the entire package,
    and I yield back the balance of my time.
        Thank you.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Mr. Levin.
        Ms. Spanberger.
        Ms. Spanberger. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        I would like to speak today in support of House Resolution
    432, condemning the attacks on peaceful protestors and
    supporting an immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led
    democratic government in Sudan.
        I am incredibly supportive of this effort because it is so
    vitally important for us, as members of the U.S. Congress, to
    stand up for civilians and those who are using their voices,
    those who are trying to impact change in their own communities
    through peaceful transitional efforts.
        I also speak in support of this resolution because I have a
    substantial Sudanese-American community who have family members
    and friends impacted who are fearful in the streets of their
    home country as they try to lift up their voices, as they try
    to peacefully protest and impact change within their country.
        And it is today in support of them and in support of the
    peaceful protestors who are seeking a transition to a civilian-
    led government that I ask all of my colleagues to support House
    Resolution 432.
        Thank you. I yield back.
        Chairman Engel. Thank you, Ms. Spanberger.
        Mr. Costa.
        Mr. Costa. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, to you and to
    the ranking member.
        Today is a very good day for the House Foreign Affairs
    Committee because all of these pieces of legislation really
    speak to the moral high ground that I think reflects American
    values--American values of human rights, American values of
    freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to gather.
        Let me just point out a couple of the pieces of legislation
    that I think, for me, are personal. The impacts of U.S.
    leadership in responding to displacement of refugees around the
    world is something that as always in the past stood out for
    America as a beacon of light around the world, and the refugee
    crisis that we have on our own borders is one that reminds us
    of the fact that we have a role to play.
        Anti-Semitism, sadly, continues to still exist around the
    world and it is fitting and appropriate that we recognize the
    attack that took place in July 1994 in Buenos Aires, reminding
    all of us that in fact anti-Semitism still, sadly, today occurs
    around the world and we must call it out for where and when we
    see it.
        Having been to Sudan, I can tell you that the resolution
    H.R. 432 is fitting and appropriate. The horrific violation of
    human rights in Sudan has been well known and demonstrated, and
    clearly, even with the change of the horrific regime that
    perpetuated the violation of human rights we still see people
    suffering in Sudan. We must call it out for what it is.
        And, clearly, America, as a beacon of religious freedom
    throughout our history, it is appropriate that the ethnic and
    religious minorities in Iraq, a part of the world that many of
    us have been to and which we have expended a great deal of
    American resources, we must remind those in Iraq that they have
    a responsibility in this area.
        Finally, as was noted before by my colleagues, it is Gay
    Pride Month, and the LGBTI community has had a long and
    difficult journey, not only in our country but around the
    world.
        Countries in which these abilities of people to enjoy their
    own basic rights, to love the persons that they choose in
    consensual relations, in some parts of the world we know is
    punishable by death and that is simply, simply unacceptable.
        And so these pieces of legislation, separately and taken
    together, I think make a incredibly strong statement today for
    the Foreign Affairs Committee and attribute to the leadership
    on a bipartisan basis that America is still a beacon of light
    and that we still, as a country, can come together and maintain
    the moral high ground, and I think this package of bills
    reflects that sentiment and it is something that we should all
    be proud of today.
        I will yield back the balance of my time, but I want to
    commend my colleagues and the authors of these five pieces of
    legislation, and look forward to supporting the entire package.
        I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you.
        Chairman Engel. The gentleman yields back. Thank you, Mr.
    Costa.
        Are there any other members seeking recognition? Hearing no
    further requests for recognition, then without objection the
    committee will proceed to consider the noticed items en bloc.
        A reporting quorum is present and without objection each
    measure is considered as read and the amendments to each are
    considered as read and are agreed to.
        The question occurs on the measures en bloc as amended if
    amended.
        All those in favor say aye.
        All those opposed, no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The measures
    considered en bloc are agreed to.
        And without objection, each measure is ordered favorably
    reported as amended if amended, and each amendment to each bill
    shall be reported as a single amendment in the nature of a
    substitute.
        Without objection, staff is authorized to make any
    technical and conforming changes, and this concludes our
    business today.
        I thank all the members of the committee, especially
    Ranking Member McCaul, for their contributions and assistance
    with today's markup.
        The committee stands adjourned. Let me just say for those
    who want to take a photo to show your blue for Sudan, we will
    be doing it quickly right after we end, which is now.
        Thank you very much. The committee is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:09 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                                    APPENDIX
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                      ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE RECORD
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