[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 15, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S7485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           CHRISTOPHER MEILI

  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I thank the chairman and my good friend, 
Senator Domenici, and Senator Reid for giving me this opportunity to 
address what I consider to be the acts of a courageous individual and 
the fact that the House today acted in a bipartisan manner, unanimously 
passing S. 768, a bill to give to Christopher Meili the opportunity to 
live in this country, and to say once again that America understands 
the courage exhibited by Christopher Meili in his extraordinary action 
in reporting and making public the destruction of documents in 
Switzerland at great peril to himself and to his family. He was 
ostracized for this act. He was threatened with death. His family, his 
two children, can no longer live in their own country. Once again, 
America has opened its heart and its doors.
  The House, in an extraordinary act, has given him the opportunity to 
live here, to work here, to raise his family. Christopher Meili is a 
noble man whose actions ennobled all of us, and he has suffered greatly 
for his courage in exposing the truth. Now he simply desires to live in 
freedom here in America with his family, and now he can.
  I spoke to Christopher earlier today and told him that the House of 
Representatives had completed action and that it had passed the 
legislation, and now it awaits the President's signature. I am certain 
that the President will continue the process of making possible 
Christopher's staying here in this country and giving to him the 
freedom that he yearns for himself and his family.
  Mr. President, I commend those of my colleagues who, by way of their 
action in passing this legislation, have given Christopher an 
opportunity to live here in this country, and we once again demonstrate 
that we understand the extraordinary sacrifices that this young man 
made in the cause of freedom.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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