[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 148 (Friday, October 16, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2225-E2226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, October 10, 1998

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, we are poised on the brink of a historic 
vote to help millions of our persecuted brothers and sisters of faith 
around the world. The words of our first President George Washington 
ring out across the years, as if written to us for this day: ``I beg 
you will be persuaded that no one would be more zealous than myself to 
establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny 
and every species of religious persecution.''
  Yesterday, with historic unity and courage, the Senate voted 98 to 0 
stand against the horrors of religious persecution. I rise now, after 
more than a year of work on this bill, in heartfelt support for the 
International Religious Freedom Act. Let us finish the job. With one 
voice let us tell religious believers around the world that we have 
heard their cries and seen their suffering. And let us with one voice 
tell persecuting regimes around the world that we will not be silent, 
and that we will not let their crimes go unchecked.
  Even as we speak, there are those suffering torture, imprisonment, 
rape, murder, merely because they seek to peacefully practice their 
faith. The International Religious Freedom Act creates a comprehensive 
and responsible structure for responding to that persecution. It is 
consistent with international and U.S. human rights law. It has many 
long-term avenues for change. The only option it does not allow is 
silence.
  I commend my Senate colleagues Don Nickles, who sponsored and 
provided such great leadership on this bill, and Senators Joe 
Lieberman, Connie Mack, Dan Coats, and others, as well as all the staff 
who worked so hard. I commend my colleague Frank Wolf and his staff 
Anne Huiskes for their hard work on the bill that laid such strong 
groundwork for this bill today.
  What is so remarkable about this bill is its bipartisan nature. I 
know just how bipartisan it was, because my staff Laura Bryant was one 
of the principal drafters of this bill, together with my colleague from 
the other side of the aisle Tom DeLay's staff Will Inboden. They worked 
together for over a year with the staff of other Senators who share a 
deep commitment to freedom of religion, from both sides of the aisle, 
including John Hanford, Steve Moffitt, Elaine Petty, Jim Jatras, Cecile 
Shea, Pam Sellars, and many others.
  My friend Senator Coats cautioned this morning, after the 
overwhelming vote, that we must not think this was easy. And it was 
not. There were many long hours, weeks and months of negotiations, not 
only within the Congress, but with the Administration and with 
religious and other groups. I want to commend

[[Page E2226]]

the Administration for supporting this bill, and for working so 
extensively with our offices as we sought to come to a common 
agreement. I particularly wish to thank Susan Jacobs, Mike Dennis, 
Alexandra Arriaga, and David Killian for the many hours and hard work 
they graciously devoted to negotiations on this bill. I commend Senator 
Nickles for his great leadership and for his will to work in such a 
bipartisan way.
  This bill also would not have happened without the support of many 
groups, representing people of many faiths. The Episcopal Church was 
the first to support the bill, leading the charge on behalf of their 
brothers and sisters of faith suffering in Sudan, Pakistan, and around 
the world. I particularly wish to thank their representatives Tom Hart 
and Jere Skipper, whose great dedication and unflagging effort were 
critical in rallying widespread support for this bill. I ask unanimous 
consent to enter the powerful statement of the Presiding Bishop of the 
Episcopal Church, the Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold into the Record. 
True to its proud tradition defending human rights, the American Jewish 
Committee also led the charge from the beginning, particularly Rich 
Foltin who spent long hours working on this bill.
  The Christian Coalition was another critical and outspoken supporter, 
and I particularly wish to mention the hard work of Jeff Taylor, 
director of the Washington Office. The Southern Baptists, who are 
headquartered in my district, also have members suffering persecution 
around the world. Will Dodson of the Southern Baptist Ethics and 
Religious Liberty Commission provided essential support and 
encouragement. The United States Catholic Conference provided critical 
help, through Cynthia Phillips and several other representatives. The 
Ant-Defamation League, particularly Stacy Burdett, broadened and 
rallied support, true to its historical defense of victims of 
persecution. There are many others who have provided critical help, 
including Chuck Colson, head of Justice Fellowship, Nagy Kheir of the 
American Coptic Association and many others. To all of these, I say 
thank you.
  Two years ago, we unanimously passed a resolution condemning 
Christian persecution worldwide, a resolution I was proud to cosponsor. 
The International Religious Freedom Act admirably implements those 
principles. It is comprehensive, far-reaching and tough. Yet it is 
carefully designed to craft policies individually for each country, 
addressing the sad truth that persecuting regimes have developed great 
sophistication and variety in their methods of oppression.
  Let me briefly address the cornerstones of this bill. First, it 
establishes a high-level Ambassador at Large who will forcefully 
advocate for religious freedom around the world. It establishes a high-
level, independent Commission of experts to provide policy 
recommendations. We hope for the kind of great work that the State 
Department Advisory Committee, under the able leadership of John 
Shattuck and Alex Arriaga, have provided so far.
  Secondly, every year the State Department will report on the status 
of religious freedom around the world, and on the actions our 
government has taken to combat violations of that freedom. In the 
tradition of the Human Rights Report, the Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom will shed the light of exposure on 
religious persecution.
  Third, every year our government must take action in each country 
where violations occur. This is the essential core of the bill. We 
provide a vast number of options to address the persecution, from 
diplomatic discussions to targeted economic sanctions. We know that 
each country and each situation is different, and this bill 
acknowledges that strategic reality.
  In every country where particularly severe violations occur, each 
year our government will have to take stronger action. This action is 
geared to create the greatest possible leverage for change in the 
behaviour of persecuting regimes. Prior to imposing any sanction, the 
President must first seek an agreement for change with the foreign 
country. He must consult with religious groups and others who best know 
the country to devise the best possible measure. He must also consult 
with United States business interests to fully weigh any unintended 
economic risk to the United States. The President has the flexibility, 
if necessary, to waive economic actions because they might be harmful 
to the persecuted people, or because another important national US 
interest requires it.
  Finally, there is extensive long-term promotion of change in this 
bill--from broadcasting to awards for foreign service officers who 
promote religious freedom. And we require training on human rights and 
on conditions of religious persecution around the world, for all those 
who might be faced with cases of such persecution directly, from 
Ambassadors to foreign service officers to immigration officers.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill promotes wise, long-term change. As Senator 
Nickles has said, this bill is not designed to punish but to change 
behavior. The International Religious Freedom Act is comprehensive and 
strong but it is calibrated, flexible and responsible. The only option 
it does not allow is silence.
  Long ago, in times of terrible hardship for the people of God, the 
prophet Isaiah said that what is acceptable to God is ``to undo the 
bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free''. Mr. Speaker, 
this is not just a bill. This is a stand for the most precious freedom, 
the right dearest to every human heart. This is a historic stand for 
the freedom of the people of God in every country to worship Him in 
freedom and in truth.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge each of my colleagues to join with the Senate in 
saying to the world, with one voice, that the United States stands for 
freedom of religion in every country, for every people, for every man 
and woman. We cannot be silent.

                                      The Episcopal Church Center,


                                                 New York, NY,

                                               September 29, 1998.


    Open Letter to Congress Concerning Religious Persecution Abroad

       Dear Members of the House and Senate: I have recently 
     returned from a once-a-decade meeting of all Anglican bishops 
     around the world known as the Lambeth Conference. Nearly 750 
     bishops from every Church of the Anglican Communion, of which 
     the Episcopal Church in the United States is one, met for 
     three weeks to worship, learn, and discuss issues of our 
     experience in God's world. One of the inescapable and 
     profoundly moving realities of the Lambeth Conference is the 
     diversity of experience, of background, of culture, which 
     characterizes the world's 70 million Anglicans, representing 
     165 countries. I returned to the United States challenged and 
     stretched by stories of differing circumstances and divergent 
     view points.
       This amazing richness of experience and faith within the 
     Anglican family causes me to appreciate once again the 
     richness of all faiths here in the United States. While I 
     have chosen a path in the Anglican tradition of Christianity, 
     I celebrate the rich diversity enjoyed in this country, and 
     the freedom that we have to practice our faith. Another 
     lesson learned at the Lambeth Conference was that these 
     freedoms which we so easily take for granted do not exist in 
     many parts of the world. Stories of religious intolerance, 
     restrictions, persecution, and even murder jolted bishops 
     from the West to the stark reality of people's suffering for 
     what they believe.
       Bishops form Sudan, our fastest growing church in the 
     world, told how their believers have suffered torture and 
     enslavement. Food and medicine are used to coerce Christians 
     to renounce their faith. Fear of genocide and systematic 
     persecution have forced thousands of people into refugee 
     camps. In Pakistan, Anglicans are often beaten, their 
     churches and villages raided, while women are raped and 
     kidnaped. These and other stories moved the Lambeth 
     Conference to call on governments around the world to 
     ``strive for creation of just and free conditions for people 
     of all religions to practice their beliefs.'' Today, I call 
     on you.
       I commend the work of so many in Congress for raising 
     religious persecution abroad before our government and the 
     nation at large. Legislation in both the House and Senate has 
     served to heighten awareness and concern for those around the 
     world who suffer for their faith. Now, it is time to finish 
     the job.
       I believe the compromise legislation designed by Senators 
     Nickles and Lieberman takes a positive and meaningful step in 
     the cause of religious liberty worldwide. The Nickles-
     Lieberman bill requires the Administration to take one of a 
     broad range of options currently available under U.S. law--
     from private diplomatic protest to certain economic 
     sanctions--to respond to countries that engage in religious 
     persecution. The bill asks the State Department to report on 
     the wide range of religious intolerance experienced 
     worldwide. It requires consultation with religious 
     communities, both here and abroad, prior to any action to 
     ensure that any U.S. response will help, not harm, the 
     religious minority on the ground. It gives the Administration 
     a flexible, case-by-case response, because one response 
     cannot fit all circumstances. I believe this is a moderate, 
     flexible response to human rights abuses that strikes the 
     right balance between imposing inflexible sanctions and 
     overlooking serious human rights abuses.
       The West cannot impose its way of doing things on other 
     parts of the world. Different conditions require different 
     actions. I do not make this call for religious freedom as a 
     way of imposing our ideals on a resistant world. I carry this 
     message to you as a clear call from our brother and sister 
     Anglicans and other people of faith abroad. I hope that you 
     and I can be faithful to that call.
       Thank you for your fullest consideration of this 
     legislation.
           Yours sincerely,
                                  The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold,
                                     Presiding Bishop and Primate.

     

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