[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 139 (Friday, October 3, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12475-S12476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMENDING NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

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     CALLING ON PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO RELEASE REBIYA KADEER

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               COMMENDING GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF KENYA

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 300, S. Con. 
Res. 66; Calendar No. 301, S. Res. 230; and Calendar No. 302, S. Res. 
231, en bloc.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the concurrent resolution and the resolutions by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 66) commending the 
     National Endowment for Democracy for its contributions to 
     democratic development around the world on the occasion of 
     the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the National 
     Endowment for Democracy.
       A resolution (S. Res. 230) calling on the People's Republic 
     of China immediately and unconditionally to release Rebiya 
     Kadeer, and for other purposes.
       A resolution (S. Res. 231) commending the Government and 
     people of Kenya.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolutions.
  Mr. FRIST. I further ask unanimous consent the resolutions be agreed 
to, the preambles be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, en bloc, and that any statements relating to the 
matters be printed in the Record, all with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolutions were agreed to.
  The preambles were agreed to.
  The resolutions, with their preambles, read as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 66

       Whereas November 22, 2003, marks the 20th anniversary of 
     the establishment of the National Endowment for Democracy 
     (hereinafter the ``Endowment''), a bipartisan nongovernmental 
     institution that promotes democracy around the world;
       Whereas through the National Endowment for Democracy Act 
     (22 U.S.C. 4411 et seq.), signed into law by President Ronald 
     Reagan on November 22, 1983, Congress has made possible the 
     funding of the Endowment's worldwide grant programs;
       Whereas 2003 also marks the 20th anniversary of the 
     National Republican Institute for International Affairs 
     (which was subsequently renamed the International Republican 
     Institute (IRI)), the National Democratic Institute for 
     International Affairs (NDI), and the Center for International 
     Private Enterprise (CIPE), all of which joined the Free Trade 
     Union Institute (which was subsequently renamed as the 
     American Center for International Labor Solidarity) to form 
     the four affiliated institutions of the Endowment;
       Whereas the Endowment and the affiliated institutes have 
     supported grassroots programs to build democratic 
     institutions, spread democratic values, encourage free market 
     institutions, and promote political parties, worker rights, 
     independent media, human rights, the rule of law, civic 
     education, conflict resolution, political participation by 
     women, and many other essential components of civil society 
     and democratic governance in emerging and transitional 
     democracies, nondemocracies, and war-torn societies;
       Whereas the programs carried out or funded by the Endowment 
     have made significant contributions to the efforts of 
     democratic activists to achieve freedom and self-governance 
     around the world;
       Whereas the Endowment, through the Journal of Democracy, 
     the International Forum for Democratic Studies, the Reagan-
     Fascell Democracy Fellows Program, and the World Movement for 
     Democracy, has served as a key center of democratic research, 
     exchange, and networking, bringing together thousands of 
     democracy activists, scholars, and practitioners from around 
     the world; and
       Whereas the spread of democracy throughout the world, to 
     which the work of the Endowment has contributed 
     significantly, has enhanced the national security interests 
     of the United States and advanced democratic ideals and 
     values throughout the world: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) commends the National Endowment for Democracy for its 
     major contributions to the strengthening of democracy around 
     the world on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Endowment; and
       (2) endeavors to continue to support the vital work of the 
     National Endowment for Democracy.

                              S. Res. 230

       Whereas Rebiya Kadeer, a prominent businesswoman from 
     Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of 
     China, was arrested in September 1999, while trying to meet 
     United States Congressional staff;
       Whereas the Congressional staff was on an official visit to 
     China organized under the auspices of the Mutual Educational 
     and Cultural Exchange Program of the United States 
     Information Agency;
       Whereas Rebiya Kadeer was convicted at a secret trial and 
     sentenced on March 10, 2000, to 8 years in prison for 
     ``illegally giving state information across the border'';
       Whereas the newspapers she was carrying with her at the 
     time of her arrest were all available to the public;

[[Page S12476]]

       Whereas from 1993 to 1998, Rebiya Kadeer was elected as a 
     member of the Provincial People's Political Consultative 
     Conference in Xinjiang;
       Whereas in 1995, Rebiya Kadeer was a delegate to the United 
     Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing;
       Whereas Rebiya Kadeer's health is deteriorating in prison 
     and she is finding it difficult to perform her prison labor 
     due to sickness;
       Whereas Rebiya Kadeer is the mother of 10 children;
       Whereas the United States Department of State has 
     repeatedly expressed concerns about the continued 
     imprisonment of Rebiya Kadeer;
       Whereas United States Assistant Secretary of State for 
     Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Lorne Craner, visited 
     Xinjiang in December 2002 with the expectation that she would 
     soon be released;
       Whereas the day before Secretary Craner's visit to 
     Xinjiang, 3 of Rebiya Kadeer's children were taken into 
     custody and were released later with strict instructions not 
     to talk to anyone about their mother's case;
       Whereas Rebiya Kadeer's case was brought up before a 
     hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 
     September 11, 2003, by T. Kumar of Amnesty International USA;
       Whereas Chinese authorities are ignoring repeated requests 
     from the United States Congress to release her; and
       Whereas President Bush is planning to attend the APEC 
     Conference in October 2003, in Thailand and is planning to 
     have meetings with the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, at the 
     Conference: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns and deplores the detention of Rebiya Kadeer 
     and calls for her immediate and unconditional release;
       (2) urges President Bush to take urgent steps to secure the 
     release of Rebiya Kadeer as soon as possible; and
       (3) urges President Bush to demand Rebiya Kadeer's 
     immediate release when he meets with Chinese President Hu 
     Jintao at the APEC Conference.

                              S. Res. 231

       Whereas on December 27, 2002, the Republic of Kenya 
     successfully held presidential, parliamentary, and local 
     elections;
       Whereas the elections were widely praised by objective 
     international observers as free and fair;
       Whereas the elections signal a major step forward for 
     democracy in Kenya, particularly when compared with other 
     elections held in Kenya since Kenya became an independent 
     state in 1963;
       Whereas the transition of power started by the elections 
     culminated on December 30, 2002, when former President Daniel 
     Toroitich arap Moi peaceably transferred the Kenyan 
     presidency to President Mwai Kibaki;
       Whereas the people of Kenya have manifested a strong desire 
     to combat the endemic corruption that has crippled Kenyan 
     society for years; and
       Whereas the Government of Kenya has responded to this 
     desire with concrete initiatives aimed at fostering 
     transparency and accountability in Kenya: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the people of the Republic of Kenya for 
     conducting free and fair elections;
       (2) commends the Government of Kenya for the successful 
     completion of a peaceful and orderly transition of power;
       (3) expresses its desire to see this new democracy in Kenya 
     thrive;
       (4) acknowledges the suffering inflicted on the people of 
     Kenya as a result of terrorist activity and appreciates the 
     assistance and cooperation of Kenya to the global fight 
     against terrorism;
       (5) reaffirms the friendship that exists between the people 
     of the United States and the people of Kenya, as 2 nations 
     bound together by the shared values of democracy;
       (6) applauds the regional peacemaking efforts of Kenya and 
     the contributions of Kenya to international peacekeeping;
       (7) commends the commitment and concrete steps taken by the 
     Government and people of Kenya--
       (A) to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of 
     law;
       (B) to combat corruption, including through the passage by 
     the Kenyan Parliament of the Public Officer Ethics Bill and 
     the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Bill;
       (C) to improve access to education; and
       (D) to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS;
       (8) commits to working with the people of Kenya to continue 
     making progress in combating corruption, encouraging 
     development, fighting HIV/AIDS, and fostering respect for the 
     rule of law and a climate of transparency; and
       (9) welcomes the October 2003 visit of Kenyan President 
     Mwai Kibaki to the United States.

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