[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11315-S11316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT

  Mr. SPECTER. I thank my colleague.
  Mr. President, I have sought recognition to speak briefly in support 
of the International Religious Freedom Act, which was introduced today.
  Mr. President, this follows some 2 years of effort. This legislation, 
first introduced by Congressman Frank Wolf in the House and then 
introduced by myself in the U.S. Senate, seeks to put the imprimatur of 
the United States of America squarely in opposition to the religious 
persecution that is going on around the world. Again, the efforts have 
continued for 2 years.
  Recently, because of certain objections to the tough sanctions 
imposed in the bill introduced by Congressman Wolf and myself, 
compromise legislation has been crafted with the leadership of Senator 
Nickles, Senator Lieberman, Senator Coats, with my participation, which 
strikes out at religious persecution around the world. Freedom of 
religion is a basic American value; perhaps along with freedom of 
speech, the basic American value; perhaps even more important than any 
other value expressed in our Bill of Rights, because freedom of 
religion is the first item mentioned in the Bill of Rights.

  We have seen around the world egregious religious persecution with 
clerics being mistreated in China; with individuals being sold into 
slavery in Sudan. My own observations and investigation in Saudi 
Arabia, illustratively where Christians cannot have a Christmas tree in 
their window if it can be viewed by the outside; where Jewish men and 
women in the fighting forces in Tent City--where we have some 5,000 
American personnel protecting the Saudis in the midst of a desolate 
desert--those Jewish military personnel are afraid to wear their dog 
tags, their identification being just too risky. In the Egyptian press 
Congressman Wolf and I have been vilified and chastised for our efforts 
to fight against religious persecution around the world.
  You can judge people by their enemies as well as by their friends. It 
is a tribute of a sort--also a tribute of a source--to be so chastised 
for speaking out against religious persecution.
  The bill, which was introduced today, Senate bill 1868, candidly, 
does not go as far as this Senator would have liked. My own view is 
that religious persecution ought to be met by very forceful sanctions. 
But the message was clear and unequivocal that the President's

[[Page S11316]]

administration would not sign legislation with tough sanctions.
  It is regrettable that the almighty dollar continues to rule American 
foreign policy, and has limited the strike and has limited the 
resistance to religious persecution that we have articulated around the 
world. It would have been better for human rights to have tougher 
sanctions; it would have been a better statement of American values on 
human rights and freedom of religion and better to stamp out religious 
persecution to have been quite a lot tougher.
  But the reality is that we are about to the end of the 105th 
Congress, a week from today. Congressman Wolf and I have pressed this 
stronger, tougher legislation for a lengthy period of time, and if no 
action is taken by the end of the congressional session, then I think 
that is a signal for open season for those who practice religious 
persecution to keep it up.
  What has been crafted here is a compromise. We haven't compromised 
the principle, but we have adhered to the principle of compromise in 
crafting the legislation. It takes a very significant first step with 
the declaration by the U.S. Government that religious persecution is 
not to be tolerated. We will monitor the results, and, if necessary, we 
will be back with further legislation. I think this is a significant 
step forward.
  I compliment Congressman Wolf for his diligence over a long period of 
time. I compliment Senator Nickles and Senator Lieberman for their 
craftsmanship of working out this compromise bill, along with our 
distinguished colleague, Senator Coats, who commented at a press 
briefing a few moments ago that as a final act on a very, very 
distinguished career in both the House and the Senate, this bill is 
something to be recommended.
  I urge my colleagues to take a look at the bill, to join as 
cosponsors, but to certainly pass it before we end the 105th Congress 
so that it becomes the law of the land and it will strike a real blow 
for religious freedom around the world.
  I thank the Chair, and I yield the floor.

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