[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 81 (Tuesday, June 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF THE RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY ACT--H.R. 2121

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 12, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce HR 2121, the 
Russia Democracy Act--legislation designed to enhance our democracy, 
good governance and anti-corruption efforts in order to strengthen 
civil society and independent media in Russia. Without a viable civil 
society, Russia cannot achieve true economic prosperity--nor will it 
cease to be a potential security threat to the United States.
  The Freedom Support Act, signed into law in 1992 by the former 
President Bush, focused on eliminating the threat to U.S. national 
security from political instability and ``loose nukes'' in Russia, and 
was therefore primarily a government-to-government program. This effort 
succeeded in significantly reducing this security threat, and 
consistently won bipartisan support and funding in Congress.
  The Russia Democracy Act expands upon U.S. initiatives that have 
proven successful in Russia. Among other things, it provides further 
support for local democratic governments through the Regional 
Investment Initiative; expands training for Russian journalists in 
investigative techniques designed to ferret out corruption; and it 
broadens successful U.S.-Russia cultural exchanges, such as those 
sponsored by the Library of Congress.
  The Russia Democracy Act also launches a number of new initiatives to 
take advantage of new developments in Russian society over the past 
decade. It harnesses new information technologies to provide Internet 
access to Russian citizens, independent media and NGOs. It builds upon 
successful business education programs to establish new ``American 
Centers'' at Russian universities to share public policy, rule of law 
and civics experience and expertise. And it taps the growing network of 
local, independent media outlets to spread democratic principles 
through Radio Liberty and Voice of America.
  By targeting assistance to Russian civil society at the grassroots 
level, and by staying ahead of the development curve, the Russia 
Democracy Act represents a bold new effort to support agents of 
democratic change in Russia.
  Having laid the groundwork of democracy over the past decade, the 
Russian people must now develop the civil society and a genuine 
democratic culture to sustain it. Russia is no longer starting from 
ground zero. For the first time in their democratic institutions are in 
place, and civil society is taking shape thousand year history, the 
Russian people felt empowered to make their own decisions about matters 
that concern them. Millions of Russians have been able to travel freely 
outside their country. A myriad of citizens groups and NGOs exist, 
including parent-teacher associations, legal defense organizations, 
environmental interest groups, small business associations, societies 
for the protection of soldier conscripts, and many others.
  On the other hand, Russia's government no longer embraces Western 
assistance as a matter of national pride--even if this cuts across 
Russia's national interests. For instance, just last month, President 
Putin rejected a World Bank loan that would have helped address 
Russia's growing tuberculosis crisis. Under these circumstances, we 
must look for more creative and targeted engagement with Russia's civil 
society and local authorities, rather than limiting our contacts to 
Russia's central government.
  Russia is in the mid-stream of this transformation with much 
unfinished business--economic and structural reforms, eradication of 
corruption, arresting capital flight, reforming the military, 
rationalizing relations between the federal center and the regions, and 
countless others. Rather than preserving newly acquired democratic 
freedom, the current leadership in Moscow appears bent on its reversal. 
In an effort to implement economic reforms and reassert Russian 
national interests on the world stage, Putin is consolidating state 
power at the expense of Russian civil society. He condones the abuse of 
government power to quash internal dissent and silence criticism of his 
regime. The raid and hostile government take-over of Russia's most 
important independent newspaper, magazine and television outlets, and 
last week's prevention of a human rights leader Sergei Grigoryants from 
boarding a flight bound for Washington where he was to attend a 
conference on Russia are sad examples of this trend.
  The Congress has a responsibility to aid the President in cultivating 
Russian civil society. Historically, America's lawmakers have played a 
central role in this effort. The Jackson-Vanik amendment of the 1970's, 
for instance, linked economics and human rights, and effectively 
undermined Soviet Communism and hastened the arrival of Russian 
democracy. The Congress must again rise to the occasion.
  In the final analysis, a democratic Russia, respecting human rights 
and observing international norms of peaceful behavior, is squarely in 
U.S. national security interests. Millions of Russians want to be part 
of the West culturally, politically, and in many other senses. These 
forces need to be strengthened. In my judgement the Russian Democracy 
Act is an incredibly prudent investment on the part of the United 
States to bolster whatever democratic forces there are in Russia. This 
is a critically important piece of legislation, and I urge my 
colleagues in Congress to support it.

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