[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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