[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 150 (Thursday, October 23, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S13183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DESIGNATING OCTOBER 27, 2003, AS ``INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
DAY''
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 251, which was
introduced by Senator Brownback earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 251) designating October 27, 2003, as
``International Religious Freedom Day.''
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to urge my colleagues and the
American people to seriously consider the state of religious freedom
around the globe.
Exactly 5 years ago we passed groundbreaking legislation aimed at
combating international religious persecution. The International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 only established the U.S. Commission on
Religious Freedom and the International Religious Freedom Office at the
Department of State, but it brought the issue of the religious
persecution to the forefront of foreign policy initiatives. Religious
persecution remains one of the leading violations of human rights in
our world today. It is particularly important that on the 5 year
anniversary of the passage of this bill, we remind the world of our
commitment to promote religious liberty for all people.
This Nation, founded by those seeking to adopt, believe, worship,
observe, teach, and practice their religion, has declared in the first
amendment that, ``Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . .
.'' And over time, the United States was joined by other countries in
signing numerous declaration and international agreements specifically
acknowledging the universal human right to freedom of religion.
Despite the great achievements we have made concerning religious
liberty, we can not close the book on the millions that still suffer
persecution. I remind my colleagues that persecution often includes
imprisonment, torture, forced conversion, rape and even death. In
Vietnam, Christians are forced to drink the blood of animals and
denounce their faith. In Uzbekistan, Muslims who do not conform to the
government-prescribed ideas are imprisoned and often tortured.
Thousands of religious minorities in India have been killed by
extremist majority groups because of their faith. We continue to hear
stories from China, North Korea, Sudan, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan,
Turkmenistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Tibet, and the list goes on.
The people of Afghanistan and Iraq are currently faced with the
challenge of incorporating religious freedom into the drafting of their
new constitutions. As I have said before, religious freedom is the
bedrock upon which democracy, hope and progress rest. Additionally,
religious freedom is more than just the ability to practice one's
faith, but it is central to other rights and freedoms, including a free
press, public assembly, freedom of speech or the right to petition the
government. All of these freedoms will be circumscribed if religious
freedom is not part of the new constitutions being drafted in
Afghanistan and Iraq. The time is ripe to unite and continue our work
on behalf of the millions that have endured their own plight from
religious persecution.
As we remember our victory 5 years ago, let us not forget the crucial
work on religious liberty that remains at the forefront of foreign
policy today. I hope that this resolution calling for the designation
of ``International Religious Freedom Day'' on October 27, 2003 can be
quickly considered and approved by my colleagues.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to
the resolution be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 251) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 251
Whereas the people of the United States enjoy and respect
the freedom of religion and believe that the fundamental
rights of all individuals shall be recognized;
Whereas fundamental human rights, including the right to
freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, are protected
in numerous international agreements and declarations;
Whereas religious freedom is an absolute human right and
all people are entitled to do with their own souls as they
choose;
Whereas the right to freedom of religion is expressed in
the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
adopted and proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly
Resolution 36/55 of November 22, 1981; the Helsinki Accords;
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
done at New York on December 16, 1966, and entered into force
March 23, 1976; the United Nations Charter; and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, adopted and proclaimed by the
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 217(A)(III) of
December 10, 1984;
Whereas the freedom for all individuals to adopt, believe,
worship, observe, teach, and practice a religion individually
or collectively has been explicitly articulated in Article 18
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article
18(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights;
Whereas religious persecution is not confined to a country,
a region, or a regime; but whereas all governments should
provide and protect religious liberty;
Whereas nearly half of the people in the world are
continually denied or restricted in the right to believe or
practice their faith;
Whereas religious persecution often includes confinement,
separation, humiliation, rape, enslavement, forced
conversion, imprisonment, torture, and death;
Whereas October 27, 2003, marks the 5th anniversary of the
signing of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
(22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.), creating the Office of
International Religious Freedom in the Department of State
and the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom and resulting in a greater awareness of religious
persecution both in the United States and abroad; and
Whereas the United States recognizes the need for
additional domestic and international attention and action to
promote religious liberty: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) designates October 27, 2003, as ``International
Religious Freedom Day''; and
(2) requests that the President issue a proclamation--
(A) calling for a renewed commitment to eliminating
violations of the internationally recognized right to freedom
of religion and protecting fundamental human rights; and
(B) calling upon the people of the United States and
interested groups and organizations to observe International
Religious Freedom Day with appropriate ceremonies and
activities.
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