[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 115 (Thursday, September 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H5413-H5427]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VIET NAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, pursuant to a previous order
of the House, I call up the bill (H.R. 2833) to promote freedom and
democracy in Viet Nam, and ask for its immediate consideration in the
House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of H.R. 2833 is as follows:
H.R. 2833
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Viet Nam
Human Rights Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 101. Findings.
Sec. 102. Purpose.
TITLE II--PROMOTION OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN VIET NAM
Subtitle A--Prohibition on Nonhumanitarian Assistance to the Government
of Viet Nam
Sec. 201. Bilateral nonhumanitarian assistance.
Sec. 202. Multilateral nonhumanitarian assistance.
Subtitle B--Assistance to Support Democracy in Viet Nam
Sec. 211. Assistance.
Subtitle C--United States Public Diplomacy
Sec. 221. Radio Free Asia transmissions to Viet Nam.
Sec. 222. United States educational and cultural exchange programs with
Viet Nam.
Subtitle D--United States Refugee Policy
Sec. 232. Refugee resettlement for nationals of Viet Nam.
Subtitle E--Annual Report on Progress Toward Freedom and Democracy in
Viet Nam
Sec. 241. Annual report.
TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 101. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Viet Nam is a one-party state, ruled and controlled by
the Vietnamese Communist Party.
(2) The Government of Viet Nam denies the people of Viet
Nam the right to change their government and prohibits
independent political, social, and labor organizations.
(3)(A) The Government of Viet Nam consistently pursues a
policy of harassment, discrimination, and intimidation, and
sometimes of imprisonment and other forms of detention,
against those who peacefully express dissent from government
or party policy.
(B) Recent victims of such mistreatment, which violates the
rights to freedom of expression and association recognized in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, include Dr. Nguyen
Dan Que, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Giang, General Tran Do, Most
Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, Most Venerable
[[Page H5414]]
Thich Quang Do, Father Nguyen Van Ly, numerous leaders of the
Hoa Hao Buddhist Church and of independent Protestant
churches, and an undetermined number of members of the
Montagnard ethnic minority groups who participated in
peaceful demonstrations in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam
during February 2001.
(4) The Government of Viet Nam systematically deprives its
citizens of the fundamental right to freedom of religion.
Although some freedom of worship is permitted, believers are
forbidden to participate in religious activities except under
circumstances rigidly defined and controlled by the
government:
(A) In 1999 the Government issued a Decree Concerning
Religious Activities, which declared in pertinent part that
``[a]ll activities using religious belief in order to oppose
the State of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, to prevent
the believers from carrying out civic responsibilities, to
sabotage the union of all the people, to against the healthy
culture of our nation, as well as superstitious activities,
will be punished in conformity with the law''.
(B) The Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam (UCBV), the
largest religious denomination in the country, has been
declared illegal by the Government, and over the last twenty-
five years its clergy have often been imprisoned and
subjected to other forms of persecution. The Patriarch of the
Unified Buddhist Church, 83-year-old Most Venerable Thich
Huyen Quang, has been detained for 21 years in a ruined
temple in an isolated area of central Viet Nam. Most
Venerable Thich Quang Do, the Executive President of the
Unified Buddhist Church, has also been in various forms of
detention for many years, and was recently rearrested and
placed under house arrest after he had proposed to bring Most
Venerable Thich Huyen Quang to Saigon for medical treatment.
(C) The Hoa Hao Buddhist Church was also declared to be
illegal until 1999, when the Government established an
organization which purports to govern the Hoa Hao. According
to the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom, ``[t]his organization is made up almost entirely of
Communist Party members and apparently is not recognized as
legitimate by the vast majority of Hoa Haos . . .
[n]evertheless, [this government-sponsored organization] has
sought to control all Hoa Hao religious activity,
particularly at the Hoa Hao village, which is the center of
Hoa Hao religious life''. Hoa Hao believers who do not
recognize the legitimacy of the government organization are
denied the right to visit the Hoa Hao village, to conduct
traditional religious celebrations, or to display Hoa Hao
symbols. Many have been arrested and subjected to
administrative detention, and several Hoa Hao have been
sentenced to prison terms for protesting these denials of
religious freedom.
(D) Independent Protestants, most of whom are members of
ethnic minority groups, are subjected to particularly harsh
treatment by the Government of Viet Nam. According to the
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom,
such treatment includes ``police raids on homes and house
churches, detention, imprisonment, confiscation of religious
and personal property, physical and psychological abuse, and
fines for engaging in unapproved religious activities (such
as collective worship, public religious expression and
distribution of religious literature, and performing
baptisms, marriages, or funeral services) . . . [i]n
addition, it is reported that ethnic Hmong Protestants have
been forced by local officials to agree to abandon their
faith''.
(E) Other religious organizations, such as the Catholic
Church, are formally recognized by the Government but are
subjected to pervasive regulation which violates the right to
freedom of religion. For instance, the Catholic Church is
forbidden to appoint its own bishops without Government
consent, which is frequently denied, to accept seminarians
without specific official permission, and to profess Catholic
doctrines which are inconsistent with Government policy. A
Catholic priest, Father Nguyen Van Ly, was arrested in March
2001 and remains in detention after submitting written
testimony to the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom.
(F) The Government has also confiscated numerous churches,
temples, and other properties belonging to religious
organizations. The vast majority of these properties--even
those belonging to religious organizations formally
recognized by the Government--have never been returned.
(5) Since 1975 the Government of Viet Nam has persecuted
veterans of the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam and other
Vietnamese who had opposed the Viet Cong insurgency and the
North Vietnamese invasion of South Viet Nam. Such persecution
typically included substantial terms in ``re-education
camps'', where detainees were often subjected to torture and
other forms of physical abuse, and in which many died. Re-
education camp survivors and their families were often forced
into internal exile in ``New Economic Zones''. Many of these
former allies of the United States, as well as members of
their families, continue until the present day to suffer
various forms of harassment and discrimination, including
denial of basic social benefits and exclusion from higher
education and employment.
(6)(A) The Government of Viet Nam has been particularly
harsh in its treatment of members of the Montagnard ethnic
minority groups of the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, who
were the first line in the defense of South Viet Nam against
invasion from the North and who fought courageously beside
members of the Special Forces of the United States Army,
suffering disproportionately heavy casualties, and saving the
lives of many of their American and Vietnamese comrades-in-
arms.
(B) Since 1975 the Montagnard peoples have been singled out
for severe repression, in part because of their past
association with the United States and in part because their
strong commitment to their traditional way of life and to
their Christian religion is regarded as inconsistent with the
absolute loyalty and control demanded by the Communist
system.
(C) In February 2001 several thousand Montagnards
participated in a series of peaceful demonstrations
throughout the Central Highlands, demanding religious freedom
and restoration of their confiscated lands, and the
Government responded by closing off the Central Highlands and
sending in military forces, tanks, and helicopter gunships.
(D) Credible reports by refugees who have escaped to
Cambodia indicate that the Government has executed some
participants in the demonstrations and has subjected others
to imprisonment, torture, and other forms of physical abuse.
(E) The Government of Viet Nam has also taken steps to
prevent further Montagnards from escaping, and there are
credible reports that Vietnamese security forces in Cambodia
are offering bounties for the surrender of Montagnard asylum
seekers.
(7) The Government of Viet Nam has also persecuted members
of other ethnic minority groups, including the Khmer Krom
from the Mekong Delta, many of whom fought alongside United
States military personnel during the Viet Nam war and whose
Hinayana Buddhist religion is not among those recognized by
the Government.
(8) The Government of Viet Nam also engages in or condones
serious violations of the rights of workers. In August 1997,
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that
child labor exploitation is on the rise in Viet Nam with tens
of thousands of children under 15 years of age being
subjected to such exploitation. The government's official
labor export program also has subjected workers, many of whom
are women, to involuntary servitude, debt bondage, and other
forms of abuse, and the reaction of government officials to
worker complaints of such abuse has been to threaten the
workers with punishment if they do not desist in their
complaints.
(9)(A) United States refugee resettlement programs for
Vietnamese nationals, including the Orderly Departure Program
(ODP), the Resettlement Opportunities for Returning
Vietnamese (ROVR) program, and resettlement of boat people
from refugee camps throughout Southeast Asia, were authorized
by law in order to rescue Vietnamese nationals who have
suffered persecution on account of their wartime associations
with the United States, as well as those who currently have a
well-founded fear of persecution on account of race,
religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a
particular social group.
(B) In general, these programs have served their purpose
well. However, many refugees who were eligible for these
programs were unfairly denied or excluded, in some cases by
vindictive or corrupt Communist officials who controlled
access to the programs, and in others by United States
personnel who imposed unduly restrictive interpretations of
program criteria. These unfairly excluded refugees include
some of those with the most compelling cases, including many
Montagnard combat veterans and their families.
(10) The Government of Viet Nam systematically jams
broadcasts by Radio Free Asia, an independent broadcast
service funded by the United States in order to provide news
and entertainment to the people of countries in Asia whose
governments deny the right to freedom of expression and of
the press.
(11) In 1995 the Governments of the United States and Viet
Nam announced the ``normalization'' of diplomatic relations.
In 1998 then-President Clinton waived the application of
section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 (commonly known as the
``Jackson-Vanik Amendment''), which restricts economic
assistance to countries with non-market economies whose
governments also restrict freedom of emigration. In 1999 the
Governments of the United States and Viet Nam announced
``agreement in principle'' on a bilateral trade agreement.
This agreement was signed in 2000 and has been presented to
Congress for approval or disapproval.
(12) The Congress and the American people are united in
their determination that the extension or expansion of trade
relations with a country whose government engages in serious
and systematic violations of fundamental human rights must
not be construed as a statement of approval or complacency
about such practices. The promotion of freedom and democracy
around the world--and particularly for people who have
suffered in large part because of their past associations
with the United States and because they share our values--is
and must continue to be a central objective of United States
foreign policy.
SEC. 102. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to promote the development of
freedom and democracy in Viet Nam.
[[Page H5415]]
TITLE II--PROMOTION OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN VIET NAM
Subtitle A--Prohibition on Nonhumanitarian Assistance to the Government
of Viet Nam
SEC. 201. BILATERAL NONHUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.
(a) Assistance.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (b),
United States nonhumanitarian assistance may not be provided
to the Government of Viet Nam--
(A) for fiscal year 2002 unless not later than 30 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act the President
determines and certifies to Congress that the requirements of
subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (2) have been met
during the 12-month period ending on the date of the
certification; and
(B) for each subsequent fiscal year unless the President
determines and certifies to Congress in the most recent
annual report submitted pursuant to section 241 that the
requirements of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph
(2) have been met during the 12-month period covered by the
report.
(2) Requirements.--The requirements of this paragraph are
that--
(A) the Government of Viet Nam has made substantial
progress toward releasing all political and religious
prisoners from imprisonment, house arrest, and other forms of
detention;
(B) the Government of Viet Nam has made substantial
progress toward respecting the right to freedom of religion,
including the right to participate in religious activities
and institutions without interference by or involvement of
the Government;
(C) the Government of Viet Nam has made substantial
progress toward respecting the human rights of members of
ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands or elsewhere
in Viet Nam; and
(D)(i) neither any official of the Government of Viet Nam
nor any agency or entity wholly or partly owned by the
Government of Viet Nam was complicit in a severe form of
trafficking in persons; or
(ii) the Government of Viet Nam took all appropriate steps
to end any such complicity and hold such official, agency, or
entity fully accountable for its conduct.
(b) Exception.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (a) shall not apply for any
fiscal year with respect to the provision of United States
nonhumanitarian assistance for any program or activity for
which such assistance was provided to the Government of Viet
Nam for fiscal year 2001 in an amount not to exceed the
amount so provided for fiscal year 2001.
(2) Continuation of assistance in the national interest.--
Notwithstanding the failure of the Government of Viet Nam to
meet the requirements of subsection (a)(2), the President may
waive the application of subsection (a) for any fiscal year
if the President determines that the provision to the
Government of Viet Nam of increased United States
nonhumanitarian assistance would promote the purposes of this
Act or is otherwise in the national interest of the United
States.
(3) Exercise of waiver authority.--
(A) In general.--The President may exercise the authority
under paragraph (2) with respect to--
(i) all United States nonhumanitarian assistance to Viet
Nam; or
(ii) one or more programs, projects, or activities of such
assistance.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Severe form of trafficking in persons.--The term
``severe form of trafficking in persons'' means any activity
described in section 103(8) of the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-386 (114 Stat. 1470);
22 U.S.C. 7102(8)).
(2) United states nonhumanitarian assistance.--The term
``United States nonhumanitarian assistance'' means--
(A) any assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(including programs under title IV of chapter 2 of part I of
that Act, relating to the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation), other than--
(i) disaster relief assistance, including any assistance
under chapter 9 of part I of that Act;
(ii) assistance which involves the provision of food
(including monetization of food) or medicine; and
(iii) assistance for refugees; and
(B) sales, or financing on any terms, under the Arms Export
Control Act.
SEC. 202. MULTILATERAL NONHUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.
The President shall ensure that section 701 of the
International Financial Institutions Act (22 U.S.C. 262d),
relating to human rights, is carried out with respect to Viet
Nam.
Subtitle B--Assistance to Support Democracy in Viet Nam
SEC. 211. ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General.--The President is authorized to provide
assistance, through appropriate nongovernmental
organizations, for the support of individuals and
organizations to promote human rights and nonviolent
democratic change in Viet Nam.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the President to carry out subsection
(a) $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
Subtitle C--United States Public Diplomacy
SEC. 221. RADIO FREE ASIA TRANSMISSIONS TO VIET NAM.
(a) Policy of the United States.--It is the policy of the
United States to take such measures as are necessary to
overcome the jamming of Radio Free Asia by the Government of
Viet Nam.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to such
amounts as are otherwise authorized to be appropriated for
the Broadcasting Board of Governors, there are authorized to
be appropriated to carry out the policy under subsection (a)
$9,100,000 for the fiscal year 2002 and $1,100,000 for the
fiscal year 2003.
SEC. 222. UNITED STATES EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE
PROGRAMS WITH VIET NAM.
It is the policy of the United States that programs of
educational and cultural exchange with Viet Nam should
actively promote progress toward freedom and democracy in
Viet Nam by providing opportunities to Vietnamese nationals
from a wide range of occupations and perspectives to see
freedom and democracy in action and, also, by ensuring that
Vietnamese nationals who have already demonstrated a
commitment to these values are included in such programs.
Subtitle D--United States Refugee Policy
SEC. 232. REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FOR NATIONALS OF VIET NAM.
(a) Policy of the United States.--It is the policy of the
United States to offer refugee resettlement to nationals of
Viet Nam (including members of the Montagnard ethnic minority
groups) who were eligible for the Orderly Departure Program
or any other United States refugee program and who were
deemed ineligible due to administrative error or who for
reasons beyond the control of such individuals (including the
inability to pay bribes demanded by officials of the
Government of Viet Nam) were unable to apply for such
programs in compliance with deadlines imposed by the
Department of State.
(b) Authorized Activity.--Of the amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Department of State for Migration and
Refugee Assistance for each of the fiscal years 2001, 2002,
and 2003, such sums as may be necessary are authorized to be
made available for the protection (including resettlement in
appropriate cases) of Vietnamese refugees and asylum seekers,
including Montagnards in Cambodia.
Subtitle E--Annual Report on Progress Toward Freedom and Democracy in
Viet Nam
SEC. 241. ANNUAL REPORT.
Not later than May 31 of each year, the Secretary of State
shall submit to Congress a report for the 12-month period
ending on the date of submission of the report, on the
following:
(1)(A) The determination and certification of the President
that the requirements of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of
section 201(a)(2) have been met, if applicable.
(B) The determination of the President under section
201(b)(2), if applicable.
(2) Efforts by the United States Government to secure
transmission sites for Radio Free Asia in countries in close
geographical proximity to Viet Nam in accordance with section
221(a).
(3) Efforts to ensure that programs with Viet Nam promote
the policy set forth in section 222 and with section 102 of
the Human Rights, Refugee, and Other Foreign Policy
Provisions Act of 1996 regarding participation in programs of
educational and cultural exchange.
(4) Steps taken to carry out the policy under section
232(a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of
Wednesday, September 5, 2001, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 30
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on H.R. 2833.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, first of all, let me thank my good friend, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and other cosponsors of this
important human rights legislation for their strong support for this
measure that is before the body today.
Madam Speaker, to hear some of our colleagues talk, we would think
that Viet Nam was well on its way to being a human rights success
story. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. Just this week, a
Buddhist monk in Danang committed suicide by self-immolation to protest
the increasingly harsh repression of the Unified Buddhist Church of
Viet Nam.
Just yesterday, the Hanoi security cadres arrested two prominent
reform advocates, retired Colonel Phan Que Duong and writer Hoang Minh
Chinh. Their only crime appears to have been
[[Page H5416]]
asking permission to start a nongovernmental organization that would
expose corruption and promote transparency in government.
Yet, these thoughtful and courageous men were dragged away from their
homes and families on the very eve of the vote on the trade agreement
whose supporters say is evidence that the Vietnamese Government is on
the road to reform.
It is true that there have been some improvements since the dark days
of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when hundreds of thousands of people
were confined to so-called ``reeducation camps;'' and as we know, many
died there, simply because they had taken the side of freedom. But in
recent years, there has been no such progress. Indeed, in the last few
months, the government of Viet Nam has substantially increased the
frequency and the severity of its human rights violations.
Madam Speaker, the Government of Viet Nam systematically denies the
fundamental right to freedom of religion. Although some freedom of
worship is permitted, believers are forbidden to participate in
religious activities except under circumstances rigidly defined and
controlled by the government.
In 1999, the government issued a Decree Concerning Religious
Activities which declared, in pertinent part, ``All activities using
religious belief in order to oppose the State of the Socialist Republic
of Viet Nam, to prevent the believers from carrying out civic
responsibilities, to sabotage the union of all the people, to go
against the healthy culture of our Nation, as well as superstitious
activities, will be punished in conformity with law.''
The Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam, Madam Speaker, the largest
religious denomination in Viet Nam, has been declared illegal by the
government, and over the last 25 years its clergy have often been
imprisoned and subjected to other forms of persecution.
{time} 1230
The Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church, 83-year-old Most
Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, has been detained for 21 years in a ruined
temple in an isolated area of central Vietnam. Most Venerable Thich
Quang Do, the Executive President of the Unified Baptist Church, has
also been in various forms of detention for many years, and was
recently rearrested and placed under house arrest after he had proposed
to bring the most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang to Saigon for medical
treatment. For that, he was punished.
The Hoa Hao Buddhist Church was also declared to be illegal until
1999, when the government established an organization which purports to
govern the Hoa Hao, but is dominated by government and Communist
cadres, which is not acceptable to the believers. Several Hoa Hao have
been sentenced to prison terms for protesting this denial of their
religious freedom.
Independent Protestants, most of whom are members of ethnic minority
groups, are subjected to particularly harsh treatment by the Government
of Vietnam. According to the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom, such treatment includes police raids on homes and
house churches, detention, imprisonment, confiscation of religious and
personal property, physical and psychological abuse, and fines for
engaging in unapproved religious activities such as collective worship,
public religious expression, the distribution of religious literature,
and performing baptisms, marriages, and funeral services. In addition,
the U.S. Commission's report goes on to say, it is reported that ethnic
Hmong Protestants have been forced by local officials to agree to
abandon their faith.
A Catholic priest, Madam Speaker, Father Nguyen Van Ly was arrested
in March of 2001, just a few months ago, and remains in detention after
submitting written testimony to the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom. For that, this great trading partner
of the United States, this man, this priest, was arrested: submitting
testimony to an official organ, a function of the United States
Government that investigates religious persecution.
Madam Speaker, the other human rights violation in Vietnam right now
is the recent intensification of the government's systematic repression
of the Montagnards. Since 1975, the Montagnard people have been
severely persecuted, in part because of their wartime association with
the United States, and in part because of their strong commitment to
their traditional way of life and to their Christian religion, and that
is regarded as inconsistent with the absolute loyalty and control
demanded by the Communist system.
In February 2001, several thousand Montagnards participated in a
series of peaceful demonstrations throughout the Central Highlands,
demanding religious freedom and restoration of their confiscated lands.
The government responded by closing off the Central Highlands and
sending in military forces, tanks and helicopters. Credible reports by
refugees who have escaped to Cambodia indicate that at least one
participant in the demonstration was killed and that the government has
subjected others to imprisonment and torture and other forms of
physical abuse. The Government of Vietnam has also taken steps to
prevent further Montagnards from escaping, and the Vietnamese security
forces in Cambodia are offering bounties for the surrender of
Montagnard asylum seekers.
Madam Speaker, I want to also call attention to the active
involvement of officials and entities of the Vietnamese Government in
severe forms of trafficking in persons. There is evidence that the
government's official labor export program has subjected workers, many
of whom are women, to involuntary servitude, debt bondage, and other
forms of abuse. In the recent case of several hundreds of workers who
were trafficked by Vietnamese-owned corporations to the Daewoosa
factory in American Samoa, the reaction of government officials to
worker complaints of severe mistreatment was to threaten the workers
with ``punishment under the laws of Vietnam'' if they continued to
complain.
Madam Speaker, as most Members know, these are not the only human
rights violations committed by the Vietnamese Government. The
Government of Vietnam also pursues a policy of harassment,
discrimination, intimidation, and other types of detention against
those who peacefully express dissent from the government or the party
policy. The arrests of Mr. Chinh and Colonel Duong are just the latest
episode in that awful story.
Madam Speaker, the Human Rights Act for Vietnam will ensure that
putting an end to those egregious abuses remains central to U.S.
foreign policy toward Vietnam. It will not restrict trade in any way,
but it uses other forms of leverage to construct a human rights program
that is comprehensive yet reasonable and flexible.
First, the act tells the truth about human rights and the situation
of human rights in Vietnam. It describes the violations by the
Government of Vietnam of the rights to freedom of expression,
association, and religion, and the rights of workers, as well as the
persecution of ethnic minorities, as I said, including the Montagnards
and persons associated with the United States prior to 1975. The act
concludes that Congress and the American people are united in their
determination that expansion of trade relations should not be construed
as approval or complacency or complicity about human rights violations,
and that the promotion of freedom and democracy must be central to U.S.
foreign policy.
Second, the act will link increases in foreign aid, other than
humanitarian assistance to the Government of Vietnam, to a finding by
the President that the government has made ``substantial progress''
toward meeting certain human rights benchmarks. These benchmarks are
reasonable and easily attainable: substantial progress toward release
of political and religious prisoners; substantial progress toward
respect by the Government of Vietnam to the right of freedom of
religion, including the right to participate in religious organizations
not connected to the Government of Vietnam; substantial progress, Madam
Speaker, toward respect for the rights of members of ethnic minority
groups in the Central Highlands and elsewhere; and an end to the
government complicity and severe forms of trafficking in human persons.
Madam Speaker, the Vietnam Human Rights Act does not require cuts in
[[Page H5417]]
current levels of assistance or impose any restrictions at all on
assistance that goes to nongovernmental organizations or private sector
enterprises. It affects only increases in nonhumanitarian aid that goes
to the Government of Vietnam. It also has a waiver capability that the
President can exercise in the national interest or if he feels that the
purposes of the act would be better served by waiving its provisions.
Madam Speaker, finally, just let me say the act also authorizes
assistance to NGOs committed to promoting freedom and democracy in
Vietnam. It will support efforts by the United States to overcome
Hanoi's systematic jamming of the profreedom broadcasts by Radio Free
Asia. It is amazing to me that right now, as we are about to approve a
bilateral trade agreement, they are jamming every day the broadcast
coming out of Radio Free Asia.
The act would require the State Department to take steps to ensure
that U.S. cultural and exchange programs are open to people who share
our values not just of the Vietnamese Government and Communist Party
officials and persons close to those officials.
Finally, Madam Speaker, the act declares it to be the policy of the
U.S. to offer refugee resettlement to pro-American combat veterans and
other residents of Vietnam who meet the statutory criteria for U.S.
refugee programs, who have been wrongfully denied access to these
programs for reasons beyond their control, including but not limited to
their inability to pay bribes that have been demanded by the Vietnamese
Government officials.
The act does not change existing refugee law and does not mandate the
admission of any person or group. The act does insist, however, that
discretion under current law should be exercised to promote fairness
for people who have been persecuted for 25 years because of their
wartime associations with the U.S. or simply because they share our
values.
Madam Speaker, I urge a positive vote on this bill, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in support of H.R. 2833.
First, I would like to commend my good friend and distinguished
colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), for introducing
this very important legislation and for doggedly pursuing the Vietnam
human rights issue, as indeed he has been pursuing so many human rights
issues during his entire course of great service to this Nation. I
would also like to express my appreciation to the chairman of the
committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), for moving this
legislation so expeditiously.
Madam Speaker, yesterday afternoon I returned from the Durban
Conference in South Africa on Racism and Discrimination, as the
American delegation was withdrawn by Secretary of State Colin Powell, a
decision I fully support.
It is ironic to listen to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith),
outlining in great detail the discrimination and persecution unfolding
in Vietnam against religious and ethnic minorities, because Vietnam was
not on the agenda at Durban. The Sudan was not on the agenda at Durban,
although as we speak, slave trade is taking place in the Sudan.
Afghanistan and the Taliban were not on the agenda in Durban,
although we know what happens to individuals who attempt to introduce
Christianity into that country. There are few things Afghanistan needs
more than some Christian values.
Saudi Arabia was not on the agenda, although the persecution of women
continues unabated, discrimination against women continues unabated.
The only country singled out for criticism at the farce which was
Durban was the democratic state and our ally in the Middle East, the
State of Israel. So the timing of this legislation, as it comes before
us, could not be more opportune.
I would like to identify myself with the statements made by the
gentleman from New Jersey with respect to all the specific acts of
religious and ethnic persecution which unfold in Vietnam. None of us
here should be under any illusion about the nature of the Vietnamese
Government. According to the State Department's Human Rights Report,
the Vietnamese Government is an unrepentant authoritarian regime. True
political opposition in that country is not allowed. Freedom of
expression does not exist, and Vietnamese are put in prison for good
for simply expressing political opinions the government does not
approve of.
The Vietnamese Government places the most severe restrictions on the
expression of religious beliefs, particularly beliefs in Buddhism, as
my good friend and colleague so eloquently outlined.
Madam Speaker, today the House will approve the U.S.-Vietnam
bilateral trade agreement. I support that agreement, but it is critical
that we send a signal to Hanoi that the U.S. continues to care about
the human rights and the religious freedom situation in Vietnam, not
just trade. Passage of the Smith legislation will indicate to the
administration and to the Vietnamese Government that the Congress
expects to see true progress on the human rights front, and we have not
forgotten those Vietnamese who are being persecuted for their religious
beliefs or their political views.
The legislation that we are considering will ensure that there is not
a rollback in our trade and aid relationship with Vietnam, only a cap
on the level of our aid to Vietnam unless decent human rights
conditions are created.
{time} 1245
It is ironic that this legislation is before us today, because if it
were not and if it would be merely a discussion of trade with Vietnam,
we ourselves would be engaging in hypocrisy as are the delegates in
Durban as we speak. It is important to promote trade. But it is
important to stand up for human rights as well.
I commend and congratulate the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
for introducing this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to
support its passage.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds.
Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend for his outstanding statement
and for pointing out the hypocrisy of the Durban conference, especially
in leaving out some of these egregious violators and, as he pointed
out, focusing on the state of Israel. I want to thank him for that
statement and for his support for that bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Tom Davis).
(Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia asked and was given permission to revise
and extend his remarks.)
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act of 2001.
As an original co-sponsor of this landmark legislation, I believe
passage of the Viet Nam Human Rights Act will send a strong message to
the Hanoi regime and to its victims that expansion of trade relations
does not imply approval of or complacency about the continuing pattern
of severe human rights violations in Vietnam.
As an ardent supporter of human rights and a strong proponent of free
trade, I want to stress that the Viet Nam Human Rights Act is about
aid, not trade. This legislation sends a clear message to Hanoi, and
also to other interested observers including the Vietnamese-American
community, that the U.S. is serious about our commitment to the
principles of free speech, freedom of expression, and the freedom of
religious exercise.
As a founding member of the Congressional Dialogue on Viet Nam and a
member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I am acutely aware of
the Vietnamese government's human rights violations, including
religious persecution and indefinite criminal sentences for political
prisoners.
On May 12 of this year, I attended a hearing which addressed the
issue or religious suppression and persecution in Vietnam. My
colleagues and I heard testimony from many religious Vietnamese-
American leaders who shared their perspectives on this important issue.
Many of them had suffered personally at the hands of the Vietnamese
government. In July, I sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell
before he went to Vietnam, asking him to raise these very issues with
the government.
[[Page H5418]]
This legislation sets a framework for an honest and detailed
assessment of the human rights situation in Vietnam. It accurately
identifies violations by the Vietnamese government against the rights
of the Vietnamese people to exercise their freedom of expression,
association, and religion, and the rights of workers, as well as
persecution of religious figures and ethnic minorities including the
Montagnards and other people associated with the U.S. prior to 1975.
In addition, H.R. 2833 summarizes the history of U.S. policy towards
Vietnamese refugees and of normalization of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic and
trade relations. This legislation concludes that Congress and the
American people are united in their belief that expansion of trade
relations should not and must not be construed as approval of or
ignorance about the Vietnamese government's human rights violations.
Furthermore, we, the government and the American people, seriously
believe that the promotion of freedom and democracy must be central to
U.S. foreign policy.
This legislation makes conditional any increases in foreign
assistance, other than humanitarian assistance, to the Vietnamese
government on a finding by the President that they have made
substantial progress toward meeting certain human rights benchmarks,
which include the release of all political and religious prisoners from
all forms of detention including imprisonment and house arrest; respect
by the Vietnamese government towards the right to freedom of religion,
including the right to participate in religious organizations not
connected to the Vietnamese government; respect for the rights of
members of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands and
elsewhere; and an end to government complicity in severe forms of
trafficking in human beings, in particular, women and children.
This bill will also require an enforcement of a provision of a
current law designed to withhold non-humanitarian loans and other
extensions of funds from international financial institutions to
governments that consistently commit gross violations of fundamental
human rights.
This legislation will help to actively promote freedom and democracy
in Vietnam by authorizing assistance to nongovernmental organizations
committed to encouraging and advancing these principles in Vietnam.
Additionally, this legislation declares it to be the policy of the
United States to take such measures as are necessary to overcome the
jamming of Radio Free Asia by the Vietnamese government. It requires
periodic reports on efforts by the U.S. government to secure
transmission sites for Radio Free Asia in countries near Vietnam. It
also authorizes additional funding to enhance transmission facilities
in order to overcome jamming.
This bill seeks to ensure that U.S. educational and cultural exchange
programs promote American values. It requires the U.S. State Department
to take steps to make sure that U.S. cultural and exchange programs are
open to people who share our values, not just Vietnamese government and
Communist Party officials and persons close to them.
Finally, this bill would declare it to be the policy of the United
States to offer refugee resettlement to residents of Vietnam who met
the statutory criteria for the Orderly Departure Program and other
refugee programs, but who were incorrectly deemed ineligible for such
programs or who, for reasons beyond their own control including but not
limited to inability to pay bribes demanded by Vietnamese government
officials, were denied access to U.S. programs in time for deadlines
imposed by State Department officials. This legislation also requires
the State Department to report on what steps it has taken to provide
such persons with access to U.S. refugee resettlement.
This bill does not affect any form of humanitarian assistance, nor
does it limit assistance that is provided through nongovernmental
organizations. Essentially, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act will require
the Vietnamese government to make substantial progress towards the
release of political and religious prisoners, and an end to religious
persecution, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities, and
elimination of trafficking in human beings before receiving any further
increases in government-to-government U.S. aid. It is my strong belief
that this is the least we can do for all those being oppressed by the
Communist Government.
For these reasons, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2833
so that we can hold the Vietnamese government accountable for the human
rights abuses committed by their regimes and hopefully bring justice to
the Vietnamese people.
I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and his staff for
their hard work and commitment in bringing attention to this important
issue.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) who has been a persistent
and outspoken champion of human rights.
(Ms. LOFGREN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Ms. LOFGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of 2833, the
Viet Nam Human Rights Act, a resolution to promote democracy and
freedom in Vietnam.
Madam Speaker, last weekend many of us were celebrating Labor Day
with our constituents and families honoring our country's proud
traditions of democracy and freedom. But last weekend in Da Nang,
Vietnam, a 61-year-old monk set himself on fire in protest of the
communist authorities' repression of religious freedoms.
Before his death, Ank wrote letters to the U.N. Human Rights
Commission, the Human Rights Commission of the European Union and other
international groups, stating simply, ``I have decided that the only
way I can protest is by setting my body on fire to denounce repression
against the UBCV and all other religions.''
I have with me the Declaration of Vietnamese Priests Abroad, an open
letter to the international community condemning the vicious repression
of religious and other basic human rights in Vietnam. This letter,
dated August 15, was signed by 144 Catholic priests worldwide and calls
upon ``freedom-loving governments to defend the values of human rights
which are being trampled on in Vietnam.''
Madam Speaker, I include the letter for the Record.
Declaration of Vietnamese Priests Abroad
We, the undersigned Vietnamese priests abroad, want to
express our great concern about the present urgent situation
of Vietnam's religious life in general, and the life of the
Vietnamese Catholic Church in particular.
Though living and serving away from the Fatherland, we as
Vietnamese and as priests remain attached to our people and
country. We always pray for our people to be truly free and
for our country to be prosperous, in which every Vietnamese
is loved and respected in accordance with his or her human
dignity.
As for religious life in Vietnam, we are convinced that
religious freedom is absolutely a basic and spiritual need
for man and society. For the future of Vietnam, religious
freedom is not only a legitimate demand but also a matter of
human rights that needs to be urgently solved. Vietnam will
lose an opportunity to create a bright future if the
Vietnamese people do not have true religious freedom. The
history of Vietnam has proved that religious life is strongly
tied with the destiny of the people. Once religion is free,
society will be peaceful and healthy and a human development
will be secured for the country.
It is unfortunate for the Vietnamese people that what is
happening in our country increasingly proves that religion is
at risk of being used as an instrument by the Vietnamese
Communist Government and enslaved by it to the point of dying
away in the end. Using this as its strategy involves
agonizing policies of the legal system (especially the
procedure of begging the government permission and policies
of discrimination), unreasonable administrative system,
``divide and conquer'' causing division among leaders of the
same religion, etc. All of these aim to deprive religious
belief of sacred values and to render it meaningless and
finally useless. Religious freedom in Vietnam is being
distorted and trampled brutally and shamelessly by the
Vietnamese Communist Government. The present conditions of
society are unstable and only conducive to bribery and power
abuse at all levels. In the face of these great social
problems, religious organizations do not have a right to
truly speak out. If they say anything, they must espouse the
policies of the government.
Concerning the Vietnamese Catholic Church, we are in one
accord with the pastoral approach of the Vietnamese Episcopal
Conference as stated in the Joint Letter May 1, 1980: ``To
live the Gospel in the midst of the people.'' It is also for
the sake of living
[[Page H5419]]
the Gospel in the midst of the people that we cannot fail to
share the common concern of our people as stated in the above
observations.
In the spirit of those observations, we, the undersigned
Vietnamese priests abroad, want to declare our position
regarding several urgent issues of the present situation of
religions in Vietnam as follows:
1. We fervently support the spirit of self-engagement of
Reverend Thaddeus Nguyean-Vaen-Lyu, a Catholic priest of the
Archdiocese of Huea, and his demands regarding true religious
freedom. At the same time, we also support other religious
leaders' legitimate demands regarding religious freedom. We
demand that the Vietnamese Communist Government guarantee
religious leaders' safety and security and their right to
freely exercise religious duties.
2. We demand the Vietnamese Communist Government, for the
sake of the future of our people and country, bring to an end
religious persecution and insidious and malicious strategy,
which is ordered to use religions in Vietnam as instruments
leading to their destruction.
3. We call freedom loving governments and international
human rights organizations to defend the values of human
rights, which are being trampled on in Vietnam, especially
the right to religious freedom according to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.
Declared in Washington, D.C.
On the Fifteenth of August, 2001.
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Body and Soul, into Heaven.
Signed by the following Vietnamese priests abroad:
Rev. Msgr. Dominic Mai-Thanh-Loong, Archdiocese of New
Orleans, USA
Rev. Joseph Ninh-Coang-Huynh, Archdiocese of
Philadelphia, USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Thanh-Long, Archdiocese of Washington, USA
Rev. Joachim Traan-Quyu-Thiean, Diocese of Arlington, USA
Rev. Andrew Nguyean-Hoou-Lea, Diocese of Auckland, New
Zealand
Rev. Paul Traan-Xuaan-Taam, Archdiocese of Washington, USA
Rev. Joseph Traan-Kim-Thiean, Archdiocese of Philadelphia,
USA
Rev. Vincent Nguyean-Hoou-Dui, O.P. Canada
Rev. John Ninh-Xuaan-Minh, Diocese of Mainz, Germany
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Xuaan-Thaeng, Diocese of Richmond,
Virginia, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Phuu-An, Diocese of Camden, New Jersey,
USA
Rev. Joseph Toang-Thiean-Liean, Diocese of Dallas, Texas, USA
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Thanh-Loong, Diocese of Camden, New Jersey,
USA
Rev. Joseph Traan-Vaen-Huaan, Archdiocese of San Antonio,
Texas, USA
Rev. Vincent Kim-Vaen-Toan, Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada
Rev. Anthony Ngoa-Kim-Traing, Diocese of Richmond, Virginia,
USA
Rev. Dominic Vuo-Ngoic-An, Archdiocese of Washington, USA
Rev. Peter Phaim-Vaen-Chinh, Diocese of St. Petersburg,
Florida, USA
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Vaen-Tuea, Archdiocese of New Orleans,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. John Baptist Nguyean-Hung-Laan, O.F.M.,
Diocese of Bruxelles, Belgium
Rev. Matthias Vuo-Ngoic-Naung, Diocese of San Jose,
California, USA
Rev. Peter Ninh-Ngoic-Quea, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Los
Angeles, USA
Rev. Alphonsus Nguyean-Hoa-Naenh, Diocese of Pontoise, France
Rev. Vincent Phan-Hoou-Toa, Archdiocese of Mobile,
Alabama, USA
Rev. John Vuo-Haan, Ardchdiocese of New Orleans, Louisiana,
USA
Rev. Peter Phan-Phaut-Huoan, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Los
Angeles, USA
Rev. John Nguyean-Thanh-Chung, Archdiocese of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Mainh-Coong, Diocese of Camden,
New Jersey, USA
Rev. Joachim Nguyean-Dao-Kim, Diocese of Galveston-Houston,
Texas, USA
Rev. Joseph Hoang-Minh-Thaeng, Archdiocese of Rome,
Italy
Rev. Vincent Nguyean-Vaen-Kiean, Diocese of Honolou, USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Vaen-Hung, S.S.C., Taiwan
Rev. Alexis Noan-Quang-Troong, Diocese of
Hsinchu, Taiwan
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Hung-Coong, M.M., New
York, USA
Rev. Joachim Vuo-Ninh-Thoan, Diocese of Chiayi, Taiwan
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Minh-Chinh, Archdiocese of Taipei, Taiwan
Rev. Andrew Traan-Cao-Toong, Archdiocese of New
Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Thea-Quang, Archdiocese of Birmingham,
London, England
Rev. Anthony Traan-Hoou-Laan, Archdiocese of Seattle,
Washington, USA
Rev. Joseph Ngoa-Quang-Nonh, Archdiocese of Tokyo, Japan
Rev. Christopher Lea-Huy-Baung, C.Ss.R., Houston, Texas, USA
Rev. Joseph Mai-Thanh-Haan, Archdiocese of
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rev. John Traan-Ngoic-Bich, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Tucson,
Arizona, USA
Rev. Joseph Noan-Huy-Choong, Diocese of Galveston-
Houston, Texas, USA
Rev. Paul Chu-Vaen-Chi, Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia
Rev. Dominic Nguyea-Vaen-Noai, Archdiocese of Sydney,
Australia
Rev. Canut Nguyean-Thaui-Hoaich, Archdiocese of Sydney,
Australia
Rev. Joachim Noan-So-Thuic, Archdiocese of Sydney,
Veritas Radio, Philippines
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Minh-Nguyean, Archdiocese of Sydney,
Australia
Rev. Dominic Mai-Minh-Luaan, Diocese of Springfield Cape
Girardeau, USA
Rev. Joseph Chu-Coang, O.Cist., Diocese of Worcester,
Massachusetts, USA
Rev. Joachim Nguyean-Ninh-Nam, Diocese of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Xuaan-Troong, Diocese of Brooklyn,
New York, USA
Rev. Joseph Lea-Phuing, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Galveston-
Houston, Texas, USA
Rev. Paul Lea-Anh-Voong, S.V.D., Diocese of San Bernadino,
California, USA
Rev. Anthony Traan-Tri-Tuea, Diocese of Hsinchu, Taiwan
Rev. Thomas No-Minh-Taam, Diocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis,
Minnesota, USA
Rev. Mark Noan-Quang-Bauu, C.M.C., Archdiocese of
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Rev. Peter Vuo, Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Rev. Michael Nguyean-Linh-Ghi, Diocese of Chiayi, Taiwan
Rev. Joseph Troong-Vaen-Phuuc, Diocese of Hsinchu, Taiwan;
Rev. Peter Lea-Vaen-Quaung, Diocese of Hsinchu, Taiwan
Rev. Dominic Ninh-Duy-Khieam, Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Rev. Joseph Nao-Vaen-Nhoong, Archdiocese
of Sai Gon, Retired, Louisiana, USA
Rev. Peter Lea-Thanh-Quang, Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas,
USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Thanh-Baeng, Incarnational Consecration
(Hereafter: I.C.), Archdiocese of New Orleans, USA
Rev. Francis Nguyean-Vaen-Hoa, Archdiocese of
Oklahoma, USA
Rev. Vincent Traan Ninh-Phuuc-Quyu, Archdiocese of New
Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Rev. Louis Nguyean-Haau, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Paris,
France
Rev. John Nguyean-Kim-Ngoan, Diocese of Meaux, Paris, France
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Ngoic-Chaau, Archdiocese of Taipei, Taiwan
Rev. Peter Doong-Bau-Hoait, Diocese of Chiaya, Taiwan
Rev. Vincent Traan-Quang-Nieam, Diocese of Orange,
California, USA
Rev. Joseph Chaau-Xuaan-Bauu, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Dallas,
Texas, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Vaen-Thaui, Archdiocese of Chicago,
Illinois, USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Ninh-Nea, Diocese of San Jose, California,
USA
Rev. Paul Phaim-Vaen-Hoai, Diocese of Orange, California, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Coang-Hoaun, Diocese of Fresno,
California, USA
Rev. Philip Nguyeaan-Vaen-Hieau, Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa,
USA
Rev. Peter Noa-Quang-Chaau, Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee,
USA
Rev. Philip Ninh-Vaen-Thieap, Diocese of Green Bay,
Wisconsin, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Duy-Hung, Diocese of Stockton,
California, USA
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Minh-Vaen, Chaplain for Vietnamese
Catholics in Switzerland
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Vaan-Son, Diocese of Dallas, Texas, USA
Rev. Leo Vuo-Huyean, C.M.C., Diocese of San Bernardino,
California, USA
Rev. Peter Traan-Vaen-Troi, S.J., Austraila
Rev. Augustine Nguyean-Nouc-Thui, S.J. Austraila
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Moang-Tho, Diocese of Tours, France
Rev. Maurice Nguyean-Vaen-Danh, O.S.B., Monastery of
Buckfast, England
Rev. Stephen Nguyean-Mainh-Taan, O.F.M., Archdiocese of San
Francisco, USA
Rev. Peter Mary Nguyean-Hoou-Hiean, Archdiocese of Tokyo,
Japan
Rev. Andrew Duong-Laic Cao-Duy-Linh, O.F.M., Diocese of
Nayoga, Japan
Rev. John Baptist Nguyean-Vieat-Huy, S.J. Australia
Rev. Vincent Traan-Vaen-Baeng, Diocese of Bamberg, Germany
Rev. Peter Hoang-Kim-Huy, O.S.B., Archdiocese of
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Rev. Paul Tai-Thanh-Binh, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of New
Orleans, Lousiana, USA
Rev. Joseph Phan-Noong, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Oakland,
California, USA
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Ngoic-Thaan, Diocese of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Hung-Nouc, Diocese of Sioux
City, Iowa, USA
Rev. Paul Nguyean-Hung-Coong, S.V.D.,
Iowa, USA
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Thanh, Diocese of Galveston-
Houston, Texas, USA
Rev. Louis Vuo-Laam, Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Rev. Francis Xavier Nguyean-Trung-Duong, Diocese of Nagasaki,
Japan
Rev. Joseph Cao-Phoong-Kyu, Diocese of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Rev. Dominic Nguyean-Vaen-Hauo, Diocese of St. Jean
Longueuil, Canada
Rev. Peter Ngoa-Ninh-Thoua, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Los
Angeles, USA
Rev. Joseph Noang-Vaen-Vinh, Archdiocese of Perth, Australia
Rev. Andrew Phaim-Quang-Phong, Diocese of Grand Rapids,
Michigan, USA
Rev. Joseph Traan-Minh-Nhaat, Archdiocese of Perth, Australia
Rev. Stephen Bui-Thooing-Lou, Diocese of
Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Germany
[[Page H5420]]
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Nouc, Archdiocese for the Military Services,
USA
Rev. Michael Joseph Nguyean-Ngoic-Vinh, Archdiocese of New
Orleans, USA
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Nauo, S.V.D., Indiana, USA
Rev. Joseph Traan-Thea-Maan, Archdiocese of New Orleans, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Chinh, Archdiocese of Boston,
Massachusetts, USA
Rev. Francis Bui-Quyeat, Diocese of Houma-
Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA
Rev. John Baptist Nguyean-Vaen-Hiean, Diocese of Long Island,
New York, USA
Rev. Peter Mary Bui-Coang-Minh, Diocese of Orange,
California, USA
Rev. Joseph Ninh-Xuaan-Long, Diocese of Charlotte, North
Carolina, USA
Rev. Peter Traan-Niean, Retired, Carthage, Missouri, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Nouc-Duong, Archdiocese of Hartford,
Connecticut, USA
Rev. Joseph Noa-Bau-AUi, Wyoming, Michigan, USA
Rev. Jerome Nguyean-Thanh-Laam, O.S.B., Carthage, Missouri,
USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Vaen-Phong, (Society of the House of the
Lord), Diocese of Dallas, Texas, USA
Rev. Dominic Noa-Duy-Nho, Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas,
USA
Rev. Peter Traan-Vieat-Hung, Archdiocese of Newark,
New Jersey, USA
Rev. John Baptist Traan-Vaen-Taan, Diocese of Des Moines,
Iowa, USA
Rev. Anthony Nguyen-Vaen-Noa, Archdiocese of Oklahoma,
Oklahoma, USA
Rev. Peter Traan-Ninh-Thauo, Diocese of Hoalien, Taiwan
Rev. Joseph Vuo-Xuaan-Minh, Archdiocese of St. Paul and
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Rev. John Bosco Phaim-Trung-Thoic, C.M.C., Archdiocese of
Boston, USA
Rev. Martin Nguyean-Thanh, I.C., Diocese of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. Thomas Thiean-Nonh, I.C., Diocese of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. Peter Nguyean-Vieat-Taan, I.C., Diocese of Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. Msgr. Philip Traan-Vaen-Hoai, Vatican, Rome,
Italy
Rev. Thomas Nguyean-Vaen-Chaunh, Archdiocese of New Orleans,
Louisiana, USA
Rev. Joseph Nguyean-Hung-Coong, Diocese
of Wichita, Kansas, USA
Rev. Thomas Noa-Thanh-Ha, Diocese of Orange,
California, USA
Rev. Thomas Nguyean-Xuaan-Toan, Archdiocese of San
Francisco, California, USA
Rev. Peter Ngoa-Coang-Thaeng, Archdiocese of Los Angeles,
California, USA
Rev. Dominic Ninh-Minh-Haui, C.Ss.R., Diocese of Dallas,
Texas, USA
Rev. Joseph Phaim-Nouc-Khoui, Diocese of Stockton,
California, USA
Rev. Vincent Phaim-Minh-Chaau, S.V.D., Archdiocese of St.
Louis, Missouri, USA
Rev. Joseph Traan Ninh Huynh, S.V.D., Archdiocese of Taipei,
Taiwan/R.O.C.
Madam Speaker, a few months ago the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom
Davis) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) and I held a
hearing on human rights in Vietnam. Several of our invited guests,
prominent religious leaders in Vietnam, were unable to leave Vietnam to
give their testimony. As a result of this hearing, the congressional
dialogue on Vietnam relaunched its Adopt a Voice of Conscience
campaign. My colleagues and I have been in constant contact with the
Vietnamese American community and the Department of State about the
safety of Father Nguyen Van Ly, Venerable Thich Quang Do, and other
leaders we know are being harassed or detained.
I invite my colleagues to again join this bipartisan campaign and
make the release of these prisoners of conscience a prominent issue in
U.S. policy towards Vietnam.
The Vietnamese people deserve to live in full freedom. Countless
brave Vietnamese are currently in prison, under house arrest, or
suffering other kinds of persecution.
These ``voices of conscience'' are both our inspiration and our
responsibility. It is our duty to ensure that those who are courageous
enough to speak out against injustice have our support and our
protection.
Our offices have received hundreds of letters from our Vietnamese
American constituents, calling upon Congress to pass the Vietnam Human
Rights Act.
This bill tells the truth. It does not restrict trade in any way. It
does not limit humanitarian aid to Vietnam. It remembers by name those
who have been persecuted because of their beliefs. It is important
human rights legislation that I am proud to support, and I urge my
colleagues to do the same.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
Mr. ROHRABACHER. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R.
2833. Let me commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for the strong leadership they
have provided. It has been my honor to stand with these two gentlemen
on numerous occasions on issues dealing with human rights.
I only wish our other colleagues had the commitment to freedom and
democracy and human rights that the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) have because
America truly could save the world if we had that type of commitment.
It is up to us to try to reach out to our colleagues, and that is what
we are doing today.
The Vietnam Human Rights Act stresses the importance of human rights
in American policy towards Southeast Asia. During the last 24 hours,
let us take a look at what has happened. The Vietnamese communists
understand what is going on with the debate here. In fact, some people
in Hanoi may understand this debate more than some of our colleagues
who are not paying attention to this debate right now. They prepared
for this debate by what? What happened in Vietnam?
Well, two prominent elderly dissidents were arrested, one simply
after he applied to set up an anti-corruption body in Vietnam to try to
deter corruption in Vietnam. Think about that.
The Vietnamese government, the regime, the dictators in Vietnam, have
sent us their message. We talk about human rights in Vietnam. They
start arresting dissidents. The British Broadcasting Corporation
reports that dozens of other dissidents have been called and questioned
by police, called into the police departments and been given the
message. These incidents exemplify the reality of what we are voting on
today. They have verified themselves by their own arrogance the need
for us to pass a bill concerning human rights in Vietnam.
During the past 6 years, the United States has normalized relations
and extended trade subsidies through waivers in the Jackson-Vanik Act,
and we have a bilateral trade agreement with Communist Vietnam. These
initiatives by our government have made absolutely no impact on
promoting democracy and human rights in Vietnam. To paraphrase a song I
heard as a kid, when will we ever learn. Trying to cozy up and ignore
the pitfalls and the bad parts of a dictatorial regime, trying to
ignore the violence and the crimes of gangsters will not make this a
better world.
Right now the Hanoi regime is proving that they are as stubborn and
as brutal as ever in their campaign against Buddhists, Catholics, and
others. They are proving their very nature by continuing these attacks
on anyone who believes in religion in Vietnam who has not succumbed to
the temptation of simply trying to register their church and run their
church affairs in the way that the government would have them run.
Finally, we know now of a brutal suppression of the Montagnard hill
tribes people. These people fought valiantly alongside Americans during
the war and since then have faced brutal repression; and now that the
war is long over when these chapters should be closed, the Vietnamese
Communist Government is reopening this type of repression against the
Montagnards. I feel a personal obligation for the Montagnards. I was in
a Montagnard village in 1967, and I believe that my life was a lot
safer with those Montagnards because they were on the side of the
United States. It is up to us to be on their side now, and on the side
of all religious believers throughout the world, especially in Vietnam,
who are persecuted, and to be on the side of those people who believe
in democracy throughout the world, especially Vietnam. That is what
this legislation does.
Madam Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to join us in supporting it.
{time} 1300
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield as much time as
she might consume to my good friend and distinguished colleague, the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).
Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos), my colleague, for being such a defender and proponent of
human rights, not just in this debate
[[Page H5421]]
today, but in his recent work also when he was in South Africa.
Madam Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and a strong supporter of
H.R. 2833, which promotes the development of freedom and democracy in
Vietnam. While the United States should move toward promoting economic
relations with Vietnam, we must first address the current human rights
violations, religious persecution, and the social injustice that is
faced by so many in that country.
In our support for the economic revitalization of Vietnam, we cannot
ignore these basic human rights. We cannot ignore that they go
unresolved in that country. Although diplomatic and trade relations
between the United States and Vietnam have improved in recent years,
very little headway has been made with respect to the rights of people
in that country.
Madam Speaker, I have the privilege of representing the largest
Vietnamese community outside of the country of Vietnam. They are the
parents, siblings, the children of families who fought communism for 2
decades.
The majority of the people that I represent feel that the economic
relations with Vietnam should not be established until specific
immigration, political and human rights are addressed; and in this
debate, I am their voice.
On their behalf, I support H.R. 2833, which links bilateral, non-
humanitarian aid to Vietnam's progress on human rights. While
encouraging economic revitalization of Vietnam, it will require a
climate of freedom and democracy.
At this point, the Vietnamese Government has not made sufficient
progress. In fact, in the 4 years, now 5 years that I have been in
Congress, very little progress has been made.
When we held a human rights hearing recently on Vietnam with my other
colleagues, we reviewed the United States State Department records, and
they reported that the Vietnamese Government has made some change, but
their human rights record remains poor.
Moreover, human rights groups report that over the past year the
Vietnamese Government, in order to avoid international criticism, has
cracked down on political and religious dissidents by isolating and
intimidating them through such practices as house arrest and constant
surveillance rather than imprisoning them.
In fact, I myself saw some of this while I was in Vietnam this past
year. I was supposed to meet with six of the leading dissidents on
human rights in Vietnam. Unfortunately, two were unable to make it
because of that constant watch and the ability to stop them.
The four that I did meet with, Professor Nguyen Thanh Giang, General
Tran Do, Mr. Pham Que Duong and Mr. Hoang Minh Chinh, discussed the
restrictions. They talked about the rising fear that they have because
of this government oppressing them in particular as they continue to
speak out on human rights.
The Government of Vietnam systematically deprives its citizens of the
fundamental right to freedom of religion. Numerous respected religious
leaders, including the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang and the Most
Venerable Thich Quang Do, Father Ly, all of these have been under house
arrest in the last few years. The Venerable Thich Quang Do, 28 of our
colleagues in this House and I signed a letter to the Nobel peace prize
people because of the work he has done on behalf of trying to stop this
religious persecution.
The Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church, Thich Huyen Quang, has
been detained for 21 years, 21 years, in a ruined temple, and Thich
Quang Do has recently been put under house arrest once again simply
because he wanted to get his colleague to Saigon for medical treatment.
Contrary to the pretense of the Vietnamese Government that it has no
political or religious prisoners, many Vietnamese continue to languish
in prisons because of their beliefs. All they simply do is say they
broke the law. Well, if the law is to ask for the right to assemble, if
the law would be the right to free speech, if the law would be the
right to religious freedom, if it was a right to collective bargaining,
if it was a right to own the press or speak up in the press, then the
laws of that country would be correct; but currently all of that is
deprived these people in Vietnam.
Madam Speaker, today I will support H.R. 2833 because I believe we
must keep the pressure on the Government of Vietnam to improve its
record on religious and human rights.
It is the United States' responsibility, the world's beacon of
democracy, to make certain that the Vietnamese Government is making
sufficient progress with the human rights of their own people before we
give them concessions with respect to trade normalization.
I urge my colleagues to join me in keeping the spotlight on the
Government of Vietnam so that it may improve its political and human
rights record.
Vote yes to end that religious persecution. Vote yes to promote free
speech and democracy. Vote yes on H.R. 2833.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the distinguished chairman of
the Subcommittee on Africa of the Committee on International Relations.
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Viet Nam
Human Rights Act.
Last year I led a delegation to Vietnam to survey the political,
social and economic situation there in the country. During my trip, I
paid a visit to the Venerable Thich Quang Do, who was imprisoned there
under house arrest. He is the leader of the banned Unified Buddhist
Church of Vietnam. Because of his years of peaceful protest in support
of religious and political freedom, he has suffered constant
harassment, constant imprisonment; and even though he was under house
arrest and under surveillance, Thich Quang Do nevertheless welcomed my
visit.
Because of my private visits with this brave dissident and Le Quang
Liem, another courageous fighter for freedom, I came to the conclusion
that we needed frankly to speak out. What was surprising was how
quickly I was denounced by the government, by the Communist government
of Vietnam. That told me something. That told me that the Vietnamese
Government is sensitive to international criticism. And I think this
obliges the United States to speak out constantly against Vietnam's
human rights violations. We may not always realize it, but protests by
the American Government and the American people do help the cause of
freedom in Vietnam and elsewhere. Silence I think for us, Madam
Speaker, is not an option.
However, I am afraid that we as a Nation have been tepid when it
comes to challenging human rights abuses in Vietnam. Our last
ambassador to Vietnam even went so far as to say, ``I don't hear anyone
reporting problems here. Vietnam by any standard has been rated a
success.'' That is what he said. By no standard is Vietnam a success.
Just ask those who were forced to flee their country. Just ask those
who want freedom of speech. Just ask, as I did, Thich Quang Do or Le
Quang Liem.
Today is our chance to correct the mistakes of the previous
administration and to act against human rights abuses in Vietnam. The
bill before us today is a good one. The legislation links human rights
as a condition to nonhumanitarian aid to Vietnam, it authorizes
assistance to democratic forces in Vietnam, and it provides additional
funding of Radio Free Asia to overcome jamming efforts by the Communist
government of Vietnam.
I am particularly supportive of the Radio Free Asia provisions in
this act, because it should now be more able to bring objective news,
the truth, to the Vietnamese people. The spread of democratic values in
Asia is critical to U.S. security interests. Radio Free Asia is a step
in the right direction. The Vietnamese service airs important programs
on issues like democracy and press freedoms, and it tells the
Vietnamese people what the world is saying, what this Congress is
saying, about their repressive government. It gives critical moral
support to Thich Quang Do and Le Quang Liem. We know that these
broadcasts are effective. Why do we know that? Because the Vietnamese
Government spends so much time trying to block them. With this bill,
that will be a harder task.
I urge its passage.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay).
[[Page H5422]]
Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, let me thank the distinguished gentleman
from California for yielding the time.
Today, as we consider improving our relations with the country of
Vietnam, we must not overlook our longstanding commitment to human
rights in our global relationships. In recent months, the Government of
Vietnam has significantly increased its suppression of religious and
personal freedoms within its borders. The regime has imprisoned scores
of religious leaders, mostly Christians, who have courageously spoken
out against their government's repressive actions, and it has caused
hundreds more to flee into Cambodia to avoid imprisonment. Still other
Vietnamese religious leaders are currently under government-ordered
house arrest, effectively cutting off contact with their parishioners
and congregations.
In addition to its actions against free expression and religious
activities, the Vietnamese Government has also confiscated church
properties, where in some cases they have turned church sanctuaries
into state-run nightclubs.
In light of these continued crackdowns on religion, dissidents and
minorities, Congress must make it clear to the Vietnamese Government
that in order for the U.S. and Vietnam to have a closer relationship,
they must do more to improve their human rights record.
The Viet Nam Human Rights Act, H.R. 2833, seeks to establish such
human rights safeguards. H.R. 2833 would prohibit any increase in
nonhumanitarian assistance to the Vietnamese Government unless there is
clear progress on human rights on their part. It would also authorize
$2 million to help promote human rights and democratic change within
Vietnam and support additional Vietnamese refugee resettlement.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2833.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
debate time be extended by 10 minutes, equally divided between the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and myself.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the distinguished chairman of the
Committee on International Relations, who has been a forceful advocate
for human rights worldwide, including Vietnam, and is one of the
cosponsors of this legislation.
(Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
{time} 1315
Mr. HYDE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
I strongly support H.R. 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act. I want
to congratulate the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the vice
chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, and other
cosponsors of this comprehensive human rights legislation.
Later this afternoon, the House will consider a resolution to approve
the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement. We are all hopeful that
free trade will improve the lives of the Vietnamese people and that it
will eventually create irresistible domestic pressure for human rights
and democracy in Vietnam. In the meantime, however, the Vietnamese
Government remains one of the most repressive regimes on Earth.
Religious persecution, especially of Buddhists and of Evangelical
Protestants, has taken a turn for the worse during the last year. Since
February, the government has engaged in a brutal crackdown against
members of the Montagnard ethnic minority groups who participated in
peaceful demonstrations seeking the return of their traditional lands.
I think it is important, therefore, that in expanding trade relations
we avoid sending a message of approval or complacency about Hanoi's
human rights record.
This bill makes clear that progress towards freedom and democracy
will continue to be a central theme of U.S. foreign policy toward
Vietnam. It uses forms of leverage other than trade sanctions to
promote this objective, such as conditions on nonhumanitarian foreign
assistance, guarantees that U.S. educational and cultural exchange
programs will be open to people who share our values, and serious
efforts to overcome the jamming of Radio Free Asia.
I urge a unanimous vote in favor of this important human rights
legislation.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I am delighted to yield such time as she
may consume to my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Jackson-Lee), who has been an eloquent champion of human rights
across the globe.
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks, and include extraneous material.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished
gentleman from California for his leadership and the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his leadership on this legislation.
Clearly, I believe it is important that those of us who may go in the
face of adversity on issues that may provide a certain degree of
contention and tension, that we continue to be united around the
question of human rights and the right kind of human rights.
Let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith). The gentleman
helped me out. Although my constituent is still incarcerated in
Vietnam, we spoke a couple of months ago about the gentleman who simply
walked across the border because he had a sense of concern. A
Vietnamese citizen out of Houston walked across the border in Vietnam
trying to express the desire for political freedom.
I thank the gentleman for assisting his family, though we know that
he is still incarcerated and his family, of course, is suffering
greatly in my community.
I come here today because I support H.R. 2833 because it is important
for America to know that Vietnam is our friend. The Vietnamese stood
alongside of us in the Vietnam War, and those same Vietnamese are now
here in our country. They are our friends and neighbors. They have
simply asked us to allow the freedom that they experience in this
country to be the same kind of freedom that their friends and relatives
could achieve in Vietnam.
We are friends of Vietnam. There are many of us who lost good
relatives and friends in that country. But now, today, this legislation
is needed, because it simply ties to the funding process a very strong
statement: no increase in appropriations from the United States of
America until you address the human rights abuse.
What do I mean by that? The incarceration of a Catholic priest, who
simply wanted to include testimony in the U.S. Commission's hearing on
International Religious Freedom; also the incarceration of the
cofounder of the Inter-Religious Council, a leader of the banned
Buddhist church, incarcerated; since 1992, the detaining of the
Patriarch 82 year old Mr. Nguyen of the Unified Buddhist Church. These
people are ailing. They are seeking justice, and they are seeking
freedom.
Madam Speaker, these individuals are simply an example of those who
we have lost contact with, who because of their particular views or
their desire to practice their religion without intimidation, have been
lost in the prison system of the Vietnamese Government, the present
Vietnamese Government.
So I would simply say that the United States has its responsibility
to ensure that the message of freedom, the opportunity of equality,
most importantly, human rights and religious freedom, is promoted to
our friends. And the Vietnamese community here has exhibited for us a
true partnership. I stand with them in supporting H.R. 2833, thanking
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his leadership and the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
I am hoping and praying that my neighbor, who is still incarcerated,
leaving his family in financial destitution, can raise his head again
in dignity and come back home. But if I do not stand for him on the
floor of the House with this legislation, then I would say to my
friends and colleagues in this Congress, we do a disservice to those
who lost their lives and stood alongside of us as brothers as we
[[Page H5423]]
fought for justice and peace in the Vietnam War. That, I consider to be
a war that was for a just cause, and I will never, never, I will never
cease thanking those brothers and sisters who served in the Vietnam War
from the United States of America.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Vietnam Human Rights Act, HR
2368.
Madam Speaker, last year the United States signed a sweeping
bilateral trade agreement with Vietnam. The World Bank estimates that
this world increase U.S. imports from Vietnam by $800 million from last
year--a gain of 60 percent.
Madam Speaker, the U.S. State Department's year 2000 review of human
rights in Vietnam noted that Vietnam has made improvements in its human
rights record. Despite these improvements, the State Department still
rated Vietnam as ``proof'' overall on human rights. The State
Department noted that the Vietnam Government continues to repress basic
political freedoms, is intolerant of dissenting viewpoints, and
selectively represses the religious rights of its citizens.
In protest of these practices, I voted to disapprove normal trading
relations with Vietnam prior to the recess. By doing so, I did not seek
to disparage the gains Vietnam has made in re-engaging the world.
Rather, I hoped my vote would cause this body to seek a consistent
balance between our trade priorities and the principles we use to steer
this nation. We cannot continue to hold ourselves out as a nation of
laws and turn our back on our convictions at every economic
opportunity. Therefore, I am supportive of the provisions of H.R. 2368,
because it brings promise for human rights reform that is needed in
Vietnam. This bill establishes a Congressional-Executive Commission on
Vietnamm to monitor the acts of the Government of Vietnam which reflect
compliance with or violation of human rights, in particular those
contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rule of law in
Vietnam and the development of U.S. programs and activities and private
organizations to increase the interchange of people and ideas between
the United States and Vietnam.
The bill also prohibits U.S. non-humanitarian assistance to the
Government of Vietnam unless the President determines and certifies to
Congress that the Government of Vietnam has complied with certain human
rights requirements. It directs the Secretary of the Treasury to
instruct the U.S. Executive Director of specified international
financial institutions to use the U.S. vote to deny multilateral non-
humanitarian assistance to Vietnam unless the President determines and
certifies to Congress that such requirements have been met. It
authorizes U.S. assistance for the support of individuals and
organizations to promote human rights and nonviolent democratic change
in Vietnam. It sets forth U.S. policy with respect to overcoming the
jamming of Radio Free Asia by Vietnam, U.S. educational and cultural
exchange programs to promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam and the
offer of refugee resettlement to Vietnam nationals.
It is crucial that we do whatever is possible to ensure that Vietnamm
complies with human rights, particularly in connection with its
guarantee of the freedom of religion, association and expression and
its treatment of prisoners. I have closely followed the persecution of
religious leaders, including the Vietnamese government's restriction on
church activities. I have commended and supported the work of
courageous individuals such as Catholic priest Father Nguyen Van Ly, a
champion for religious freedom in Vietnam. For example, Father Ly's
parish bravely planted a large banner with the words ``We Need Freedom
or Religion'' on the church property. It should not have to be an act
of bravery to stand up for religious freedom. It should be an assured
right. Father Ly also submitted written testimony for hearing of the
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and joined with
other religious leaders in Vietnam to organize an Inter-religious
Council to campaign peacefully for religious rights. In May, Vietnamese
authorities arrested Father Ly.
I have also received dozens of letters from Vietnamese constituents
expressing their own profound concern over the persecution of Father Ly
and of religious leaders from the Bhuddist Church. I must conclude that
these concerns of my constituents are representative of those of
Vietnamese heritage across the nation. More importantly, it is our role
as leaders of the free world to promote the core values of our human
rights.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger).
Mr. BALLENGER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
time, and also the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for coming up
with this bill.
Madam Speaker, I am fortunate to have many Montagnard tribesmen
living in my district, so it is a pleasure today to be able to speak
out in favor of this bill, H.R. 2833.
Today, we have an opportunity to send a clear message to Hanoi that
human rights abuses will not be forgotten with the passage of a
resolution to codify the trade agreement recently negotiated between
the U.S. and Vietnam. Vietnam's record on human rights has remained
poor, with very few real improvements. Government crackdowns on
religious groups and political dissidents continue today. In a 1999
State Department report, it said, ``In areas populated by ethnic
minorities, authorities allow little discretion in practicing their
faith.''
One particular group that bears heavy-handed Hanoi treatment are the
Montagnard people of the Central Highlands. Since 1975, the Montagnards
have been singled out, in part for their past assistance to the United
States, their strong commitment to the Christian religion, and a
traditional way of life.
In February of 2001, several thousand Montagnard protestors gathered
for a series of peaceful demonstrations throughout the Central
Highlands. These peaceful demonstrations were forcibly stopped by the
Vietnamese military, using helicopter gunships and tanks. In addition,
refugees that did escape to Cambodia are being sought now by Hanoi for
their return and, in some cases, bounties are offered by the Vietnamese
Government to ensure their return.
With these events occurring on a daily basis, it is imperative that
the international community know that the United States remains
committed to improving the human rights situation in Vietnam. The bill
we are debating now, H.R. 2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act, is a
positive step forward in that direction.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill. By passing this
resolution, we will reaffirm our resolve to help the Montagnards, along
with other ethnic minorities in the same position. The Montagnards
fought hard alongside members of the United States Army Special Forces
in the war in the North. Do not give up the fight for them now.
I urge all my fellow Congressmen to vote yes on H.R. 2833.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the
chairwoman of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human
Rights who has been a very potent and strong force on behalf of human
rights worldwide, but also on behalf of the Vietnamese.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
me time.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Vietnam who clamor for
democracy and the right to live free of oppression, on behalf of all
the faithful and religious leaders who have been imprisoned, tortured
and subjected to the most barbaric persecution simply for exercising
their universal rights, as a refugee from another Communist regime, and
as chairman of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human
Rights, I rise in strong support of the Viet Nam Human Rights Act.
The Vietnamese regime continues to systematically violate the human
rights, the civil liberties and the religious freedoms of its people.
In March of this year, the Vietnamese authorities prevented the Hoa Hao
Buddhist believers from participating in a mass pilgrimage to their
sacred ground. Key leaders were arrested or their homes surrounded by
police. Devotees were threatened or detained on their way to visit the
holy site. Those who were finally able to reach the Hoa Hao village
were met by police and security officials.
The extent of the human rights violations and religious persecution
is so acute that on Tuesday of this week Amnesty International reported
that a Buddhist monk killed himself as a form of protest for the
heinous practices used by the Vietnamese authorities to usurp the
rights of their people to practice their religious beliefs.
Just last night, Hong Kong AFP reports that a dozen dissidents were
detained in dawn raids by Vietnamese authorities. After several hours
of interrogation, they were released with warnings from security police
to stop their activities.
[[Page H5424]]
Vietnam uses a maze of laws, decrees and regulations to prohibit
religious worship and to justify the arbitrary arrest, detention,
harassment, abuse and censorship of those seeking to exert their
religious liberty and their right to free association.
Article IV of the Vietnamese constitution, for example, enables the
security apparatus to enforce an extralegal administrative decree
against any dissidents under the pretext of endangering national
security. The regime is among the totalitarian or authoritarian regimes
specifically rebuked by the State Department in its annual reports on
religious freedoms and human rights practices.
Earlier this year, the report issued by the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom also stated that human rights and
religious freedoms are ``severely repressed in Vietnam in a manner
common to Communist countries in general: through arbitrarily enforced
registration laws, tightly controlled official organizations and strict
limitations on religious activities.''
This same commission created by the Congress called on the new
administration and on us to factor into the development and
implementation of U.S.-Vietnam policy the protection of religious
freedom and human rights. It underscored the need for the Congress to
pressure the Vietnamese authorities to ``make substantial improvements
in the protection of religious freedoms'' and to ``undertake
obligations to the United States to make such improvements.''
It further called on the Congress to incorporate Vietnam's progress
in the protection and respect of human rights and religious freedoms as
part of an annual review of the normal trade relation status for
Vietnam.
The Viet Nam Human Rights Act is an integral component of such a
strategy, using nonhumanitarian assistance, democracy programs and U.S.
Government broadcasts to support the Vietnamese people in their
struggle to exert their rights as human beings and as citizens. It
sends a clear signal to the Vietnamese authorities that the U.S.
Congress is keeping a watchful eye.
As the wife of a proud Vietnam veteran, I ask my colleagues to
support this important piece of legislation, and I congratulate the
gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith) for once again being the
forceful leader that he is on the issue of international human rights.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of
my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
New Jersey.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for her kind comments and strong support and
advocacy for human rights in Vietnam.
This is an issue, especially with the trade bill pending later on
this afternoon, where we have to make a strong, cogent statement on
behalf of those who are persecuted. We must stand with the oppressed
and not the oppressor. I know some people, and I think it is naive, but
some people honestly believe if we just engage in trade, somehow that
will mitigate, and some day end, these egregious abuses. The evidence
would suggest otherwise.
Having said that, we have in this legislation some very significant
milestones that we call upon the Government of Vietnam to achieve.
Among these are the release of political and religious prisoners, an
expansion of a provision of religious freedom which allows these
Buddhist and Evangelical Christians, and so many others being repressed
at this particular time, to engage freely in the exercise of their
religion; and stop the repression of ethnic minorities, especially the
Montagnards, who have suffered a cruelty that many of us would find
absolutely appalling.
Finally, on the issue of trafficking, Members may recall I was the
prime sponsor last year of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act of 2000. Vietnam has a trafficking problem. There is
some complicity on the part of the government.
{time} 1330
This bill calls upon our own government to make a finding as to
whether or not and to what extent the Government's complicity in
trafficking is real or whether or not there has been progress in ending
trafficking. Hopefully, for the sake of those who have been abused in
modern slavery-like conditions, we will see an end to this abuse of
women and children.
Madam Speaker, as we come to a close of the debate on this
legislation, I want to especially thank my good friend and my former
staff director on the Subcommittee on International Operations and
Human Rights which I used to chair, Grover Joseph Rees, who has done an
extraordinary job in helping to shape this legislation. He has done
great work getting the facts for all of us. We only deal with facts, no
hyperbole, no exaggeration. What is the situation on the ground right
now? What is the prognosis for reform, and how do we get there?
I want to thank Peter Yeo on the Democratic staff of the Committee on
International Relations who not only serves the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) so well, but serves the entire committee so
well, and I want to thank him for his contributions.
I want to thank Uyen Dinh, in the office of the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) who weighed in and helped. Also thank to Tom
Mooney, the staff director of the full International Relations
Committee, for all the work that he and his staff did. This has been a
true team effort. This is a bipartisan effort. The government of
Vietnam should be very clear that we go on record today with the
support of human rights organizations, the support of the American
Legion, who submitted an effective letter, which I will include as part
of the Record, from Steve Robertson, the director of the National
Legislative Commission of the American Legion.
I just want to say again how important this legislation is and,
hopefully, it will pass with a vote as close to unanimous as humanly
possible.
Those who vote against this are saying that human rights do not
matter, because this has a waiver in it. This legislation has a
provision that gives the President the ability to decide whether or not
waiving a provision, a sanction, if you will, is in the national
interest.
So I strongly support this legislation. It is a bipartisan product.
The American Legion,
Washington, DC, July 24, 2001.
Hon. Christopher Smith,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Smith: The American Legion thanks you
for authoring H.R. 2368, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of
2001. The American Legion fully supports this important
legislation which seeks to promote freedom and democracy in
Vietnam.
The American Legion opposes Normal Trade Relations (NTR)
with Vietnam based on what we believe is less-than-full
cooperation by the Vietnamese government in regard to the
accounting of the over 1,900 Americans still missing from the
Vietnam War. The current state of human rights in Vietnam
requires as much, if not more, attention than normalized
trade relations.
Currently, Vietnamese authorities are targeting many ethnic
groups who were faithful allies of U.S. forces during the
Vietnam War, and denying them their basic human rights. The
Montagnards of the Central Highlands are just one example. We
believe H.R. 2368 will help ensure compliance with the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Vietnamese
government.
Although trade may be increasing between both countries,
The American Legion does not believe this will, in any way,
guarantee Vietnam's speedy transition to democracy. Continual
pressure needs to be applied to the Vietnamese government to
treat their citizens in a fair and equitable manner.
Once again, The American Legion fully supports H.R. 2368,
the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2001. The American Legion
appreciates your continued leadership in addressing the
issues that are important to veterans and their families.
Sincerely,
Steve A. Robertson,
Director, National Legislative Commission.
Madam Speaker, I yield any remaining time to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), my good friend.
(Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2833, the
Viet Nam Human Rights Act, and I encourage my colleagues, as did the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
[[Page H5425]]
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), to vote for passage of
this very important legislation. I want to applaud the gentleman from
New Jersey, my good friend, for his hard work and devotion and
dedication in bringing this legislation to the floor, and the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos) for his efforts on not only this, but on
frankly all of the major important human rights issues that we have had
before the Congress. I also applaud the bipartisan group of colleagues
who have cosponsored this piece of legislation.
I would say to the government, is it too much to ask that the
government of Vietnam be required to make ``substantial progress''
toward the releasing of political prisoners, ending religious
persecution, increasing respect for the rights of ethnic minorities,
and eliminating their participation in the trafficking of human beings
before they receive any further increases in government-to-government,
nonhumanitarian assistance from the United States? These steps should
be at a minimum, the minimum actions taken by any Nation who is serious
about establishing normal relations with the United States.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 2833 requires that the President of the United
States certify that the government of Vietnam make substantial
improvements in the area of human rights. Those of us who have held
hearings and listened to the heartbreaking testimonies of witness after
witness who have endured the persecution from Hanoi policies know that
these substantial improvements are long overdue. Witnesses attest that
many groups of people in Vietnam have suffered unending persecution
since the war ended in 1975, and the persecution has continued.
Regarding religious persecution, no faith, no faith is untouched by
Hanoi's persecution. In January, 42 colleagues in the House sent a
letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai expressing concern
for the lack of religious freedom and continued persecution of
religious leaders in Vietnam. Catholic bishops, Buddhist monks, leaders
of Christian house churches and Muslims have all endured nonstop
persecution by the Communist government in Vietnam since 1975.
Earlier this year, prominent leaders of the outlawed Unified Buddhist
Church of Vietnam, UBCV, the 83-year-old patriarch, Thich Huyen Quang,
and Thich Quang Do, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, were detained and
placed under house arrest for what the government described as ``as a
number of wrongful acts they have recently committed.'' This action was
followed by the detaining of Catholic Father Nguyen Van Ly and a
stepped up offense against the Montagnard people of the Central
Highlands in Vietnam, as the gentleman from California was talking
about.
Many of the Montagnard are people who fought alongside American
troops years ago and are now victims of imprisonment, torture, and
death for speaking out against the Communist government abuses.
Christians in Vietnam have had their property confiscated and their
leaders imprisoned and tortured for simply trying to worship their God.
It should be clear that imprisonment, torture, and killing of innocent
citizens, based on their religious beliefs by any country, will always
stand in the way of normal relations with the United States.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 2833 also tries to address the issue of the
complicity of the Vietnamese government in severe forms of trafficking
in human beings. In June of this year, the Congressional Human Rights
Caucus chaired by the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), held a
hearing on the trafficking of women and children into sex markets
around the world. One of the expert witnesses showed covertly filmed
negotiations of girls as young as 7 and 8 years old being sold into sex
markets in Vietnam, 7 and 8 years old. So as Members come pouring in
down here to talk about the opportunities for trade in Vietnam, think
in terms of these young girls, 7 and 8 years old. Governments who
tolerate or participate in this type of cruel and inhumane behavior
should never qualify, should never qualify for foreign aid or expect to
enjoy Normal Trade Relations with the United States.
It is my hope that the passage of the Viet Nam Human Rights Act will
send a strong message to the government in Hanoi that continued abuses
of its citizens will not lead to an expansion of trade, increases in
aid, or normal relations with the United States or the rest of the Free
World. I encourage my colleagues to protect the innocent in Vietnam by
voting for H.R. 2833. I am sure the gentleman from New Jersey and the
gentleman from California will ask for a rollcall vote on this, I would
assume. But hopefully, hopefully there will be no negative votes
against this so that the message goes into Hanoi of the United States
Congress and the people of the United States Congress, and so that the
people in Hanoi and the people in Vietnam who will wake up tomorrow and
find out that the Congress has passed this legislation, take hope
because of the overwhelming vote.
So again, in closing, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos). I hope this bill
passes with 435 votes or, if there is somebody missing, 434 to nothing,
because if we really want to open up the gulags of Vietnam and allow
the Catholic priests and the bishops and the monks and the Montagnard
people to be heard, and stop the sexual trading that has gone on in the
past, the passage of this bill will really do it.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce,
Justice, State and the Judiciary, for his very, very strong statement.
We both got elected back in 1981; and we have worked together on human
rights issues all around the world, including in Vietnam. It was the
gentleman's idea years ago to go to a gulag called Perm Camp 35, 1,000
miles outside of Moscow in the Ural Mountains. There we met with
political prisoners who had been abused, who had been tortured, and
that meeting and the subsequent representation that he and I and others
made--but he led the way on that--helped to secure the freedom of those
individuals.
We did the same thing in China and in other places in Asia. He has
been all over Africa. When he speaks--and he and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) speak with enormous amounts of credibility--on
humanitarianism and respect for human rights and respect for life, the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), I think, takes a second to no one.
I do hope Members are listening--and K Street and some of the
lobbyists, and the government of Vietnam itself, which through its
embassy has admonished this Congress not to support this legislation.
Why? I went to their Web site, Madam Speaker, just the other day and
looked and they had a statement about how religious freedom is
respected, it is constitutionally protected. Then what do they have to
worry about? This simply says there has to be ``substantial progress''
in that area; we are not even saying achievement. We are saying
progress; move in the right direction. I would hope that Members would
find it in their hearts to vote for this and say, we are going to give
away the store and have free trade with the hope and expectation that
will lead to a liberalization of human rights. I do believe that is
naive, but if this is our belief, I do not know how we cannot support
this legislation. This is waivable. It provides the President, who we
hope will make an honest determination, to decide whether a waiver is
in the best interests of the tenets that are contained within this
legislation.
Madam Speaker, we want to see real progress. We are tired of words.
We want deeds by the government of Vietnam. They are repressing people.
They are beating people. They are killing people. That is not
hyperbole, that is the truth on the ground. There are religious
believers such as the Unified Buddhist Church, as we mentioned earlier,
and others have mentioned it, who have suffered immeasurably simply
because of their faith. Again, the gentleman from Virginia was the
prime sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act, legislation
that the previous administration did not want and then signed. I hope
this administration does not follow that course as well. Embrace human
rights. Be real, transparent, up front.
[[Page H5426]]
Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) for his
very, very strong advocacy. He is a champion and someone for whom I
have a tremendous amount of respect. I hope my colleagues hear these
words and will support this legislation.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the remaining time.
I want to thank all of my colleagues for their eloquent statements.
Earlier this year, under the leadership of the gentleman from Missouri
(Mr. Gephardt), the Democratic leader in the House, a number of us went
to Vietnam to see on the ground the development of that country that
has suffered so much during the long and painful war. We feel for the
Vietnamese people. They are an enormously talented and hardworking,
committed people to leading better lives. But we have to stand with
them, not just in terms of their economic aspirations, but in terms of
their aspirations along individual and human rights, rights of
religious freedom, political freedom, press freedom, none of which they
enjoy at the moment. This legislation attempts to address those issues.
As we open up our relations with Vietnam, politically and
economically, it is critical that this body speaks out loud and clear
on the issue of human rights in Vietnam. I again want to pay tribute to
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my friend and colleague, who
has led us on this issue, and I call on all of my colleagues to vote
for this legislation.
Mr. HYDE. Madam Speaker, I submit two letters relating to the
consideration of H.R. 2833, the ``Viet Nam Human Rights Act.''
Committee on International Relations,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, September 6, 2001.
Hon. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Jim: I am writing to you concerning the bill H.R.
2833, the ``Viet Nam Human Rights Act,'' which contains
legislative language which may be the subject of a sequential
referral of the bill to your committee. From your letter of
this date, I understand that you are willing to waive the
right to a sequential referral which will permit this
committee to move expeditiously to the floor.
I understand that this waiver in no way affects your
subject matter jurisdiction, and I will support appointment
of conferees from your committee on these or other related
matters within your jurisdiction.
I appreciate your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Henry J. Hyde,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, September 6, 2001.
Hon. Henry J. Hyde
Chairman, House Committee on International Relations, U.S.
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Henry: I write regarding H.R. 2833, the ``Viet Nam
Human Rights Act,'' which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations, the Committee on Financial Services,
and the Committee on Rules. As you know, the Committee on the
Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in this legislation,
and I appreciate your acknowledgment of that jurisdictional
interest. While the bill would be sequentially referred to
the Judiciary Committee, I understand the desire to have this
legislation considered expeditiously by the House; therefore,
I do not intend to hold a hearing or markup on this
legislation.
In agreeing to waive consideration by our Committee, I
would expect you to agree that this procedural route should
not be construed to prejudice the Committee on the
Judiciary's jurisdictional interest and prerogatives on this
or any similar legislation and will not be considered as
precedent for consideration of matters of jurisdictional
interest to my Committee in the future. The Committee on the
Judiciary takes this action with the understanding that the
Committee's jurisdiction over the provisions within the
Committee's jurisdiction is in no way diminished or altered,
and that the committee's right to the appointment of
conferees during any conference on the bill is preserved. I
would also expect your support in my request to the Speaker
for the appointment of conferees from my Committee with
respect to matters within the jurisdiction of my Committee
should a conference with the Senate be convened on this or
similar legislation.
Again, thank you for your cooperation on this important
matter. I would appreciate your including this letter in the
Congressional Record during today's debate of H.R. 2833.
Sincerely,
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.,
Chairman.
Mr. OXLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
2833, the Viet Nam Human Rights Act. This legislation is an important
component of our Viet Nam trade policy.
This bill was additionally referred to the Committee on Financial
Services, which I chair, because it contains provisions relating to
international financial institutions and multilateral banking
organizations. I am including for the record a letter to the Speaker
memorializing the cooperation between my committee and the Committee on
International Relations in reaching this important compromise.
I want to thank the Chairman of the Subcommittee on International
Monetary Policy and Trade, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter)
for his hard work, and Chairman Hyde and Chairman Smith for their
willingness to engage the Committee on Financial Services on matters
within its jurisdiction.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important
measure.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC, September 6, 2001.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: I am writing with regard to H.R. 2833,
the Viet Nam Human Rights Act, which is scheduled to be
considered by the House today. This bill is similar to H.R.
2368 which was reported by the Committee on International
Relations yesterday and additionally referred to the
Committee on Financial Services. As you are aware, both bills
contain provisions relating to international financial
institutions and multilateral banking organizations which
fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial
Services pursuant to clause 1(g) of rule X of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
As a result of the continuing consultation between the
Committees on Financial Services and International Relations,
H.R. 2833 contains language responsive to the concerns raised
by Members of my committee. Therefore, I have no objection to
allowing the Committee on financial Services to be discharged
from the further consideration of both H.R. 2833 and H.R.
2368. By agreeing to waive its consideration of the bill, the
Financial Services Committee does not waive its jurisdiction
over either measure. In addition, the Committee on Financial
Services reserves its authority to seek conferees on any
provisions of H.R. 2833 that are within the Financial
Services Committee's jurisdiction during any House-Senate
conference that may be convened on this or related
legislation.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Oxley,
Chairman.
Mr. GILMAN. Madam Speaker, I want to commend Chairman Smith for
crafting this important bill. I also wish to commend Committee Counsel
Joseph Rees for his excellent work in helping to prepare this
comprehensive measure.
Madam Speaker, the Vietnam Human Rights Act is a landmark initiative
that sets out clear goals and direction for our Nation's policy towards
Vietnam. It is an example of the sort of policy the State Department
should be doing with other repressive governments.
Unfortunately, in the past few years, our government delinked trade
restrictions to human rights improvement in Vietnam. This action was
shortsighted and an insult to the memory of these American and
Vietnamese men and Woman who died during the war attempting to bring
about positive change. Their sacrifice to promote democratic
governments in the region must not be forgotten.
The Vietnam Human Rights Act will ensure that the State Department
puts our Nation's best foot forward. Accordingly, I strongly urge my
colleagues to support it.
Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). All time for debate has
expired. Pursuant to the order of the House of Wednesday, September 5,
2001, the previous question is ordered.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 410,
nays 1, not voting 19, as follows:
[Roll No. 335]
YEAS--410
Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Allen
Andrews
Armey
Baca
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldacci
Baldwin
Ballenger
Barcia
Barr
Barrett
Bartlett
[[Page H5427]]
Barton
Bass
Becerra
Bentsen
Bereuter
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilirakis
Bishop
Blagojevich
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehlert
Boehner
Bonilla
Bonior
Bono
Borski
Boswell
Boucher
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Brown (FL)
Brown (OH)
Brown (SC)
Bryant
Burr
Burton
Buyer
Callahan
Calvert
Camp
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Carson (IN)
Carson (OK)
Castle
Chabot
Chambliss
Clay
Clayton
Clement
Clyburn
Coble
Collins
Combest
Condit
Cooksey
Costello
Cox
Coyne
Cramer
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cubin
Culberson
Cummings
Cunningham
Davis (CA)
Davis (FL)
Davis, Jo Ann
Davis, Tom
Deal
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
DeLay
DeMint
Deutsch
Diaz-Balart
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Dooley
Doolittle
Doyle
Dreier
Duncan
Dunn
Edwards
Ehlers
Ehrlich
Emerson
Engel
English
Eshoo
Etheridge
Evans
Everett
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Flake
Fletcher
Foley
Forbes
Ford
Fossella
Frelinghuysen
Frost
Gallegly
Ganske
Gekas
Gephardt
Gibbons
Gilchrest
Gilman
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Goss
Graham
Granger
Graves
Green (TX)
Green (WI)
Greenwood
Grucci
Gutierrez
Gutknecht
Hall (OH)
Hall (TX)
Hansen
Harman
Hart
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Hefley
Herger
Hill
Hilleary
Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hobson
Hoeffel
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hostettler
Houghton
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Hyde
Inslee
Isakson
Israel
Issa
Istook
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jenkins
John
Johnson (CT)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones (OH)
Kanjorski
Keller
Kelly
Kennedy (MN)
Kennedy (RI)
Kerns
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind (WI)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kleczka
Knollenberg
Kolbe
Kucinich
LaFalce
LaHood
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Largent
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lofgren
Lowey
Lucas (KY)
Lucas (OK)
Luther
Maloney (CT)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Markey
Mascara
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (MO)
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHugh
McInnis
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinney
McNulty
Meehan
Meeks (NY)
Menendez
Mica
Millender-McDonald
Miller (FL)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mink
Moore
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Morella
Murtha
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nethercutt
Ney
Northup
Norwood
Nussle
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Osborne
Ose
Otter
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pelosi
Pence
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Phelps
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Pombo
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Quinn
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reyes
Reynolds
Riley
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roemer
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Ross
Rothman
Roukema
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Rush
Ryan (WI)
Ryun (KS)
Sabo
Sanchez
Sanders
Sandlin
Sawyer
Saxton
Schaffer
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schrock
Scott
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Shadegg
Shaw
Shays
Sherwood
Shimkus
Shows
Shuster
Simmons
Simpson
Skeen
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (MI)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stenholm
Strickland
Stump
Stupak
Sununu
Sweeney
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Tauzin
Taylor (MS)
Taylor (NC)
Terry
Thomas
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Thune
Thurman
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Toomey
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Velazquez
Visclosky
Vitter
Walden
Walsh
Wamp
Waters
Watkins (OK)
Watson (CA)
Watt (NC)
Waxman
Weiner
Weldon (FL)
Weldon (PA)
Weller
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Young (FL)
NAYS--1
Paul
NOT VOTING--19
Conyers
Crane
Davis (IL)
Frank
Gillmor
Hastings (FL)
Hayes
Horn
Jones (NC)
Kaptur
Lipinski
Meek (FL)
Mollohan
Oxley
Portman
Sherman
Traficant
Watts (OK)
Young (AK)
{time} 1407
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 335 I was
unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea''.
Mr. HAYES. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for rollcall
vote 335 due to my recovery from hip surgery. Had I been present, I
would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 335.
____________________