[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11905-S11906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 483--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
   DETENTION OF TIBETAN POLITICAL PRISONERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE 
                       PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 483

       Whereas, according to the Department of State and 
     international human rights organizations, the Government of 
     the People's Republic of China continues to commit widespread 
     and well-documented human rights abuses in Tibet;
       Whereas the People's Republic of China has yet to 
     demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally 
     accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and 
     association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that 
     restrict those freedoms;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has detained hundreds of Tibetan nuns, monks, and lay persons 
     as political prisoners for speaking out against China's 
     occupation of Tibet and for their efforts to preserve Tibet's 
     distinct national identity;
       Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested on October 14, 1989, 
     together with 5 other nuns, for participating in a peaceful 
     protest against China's occupation of Tibet;
       Whereas, on February 26, 2004, following a sustained 
     international campaign on her behalf, the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China released Phuntsog Nyidron from 
     detention after she served more than 14 years of her 16-year 
     sentence;
       Whereas Tenzin Delek, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, 
     and 3 other monks were arrested on April 7, 2002, during a 
     nighttime raid on Jamyang Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchu 
     County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture;
       Whereas, following a closed trial and more than 8 months of 
     incommunicado detention, Tenzin Delek and another Tibetan, 
     Lobsang Dhondup, were convicted of inciting separatism and 
     for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings on 
     December 2, 2002;
       Whereas Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and Tenzin 
     Delek was sentenced to death with a 2-year suspension;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     told senior officials of the United States and other 
     governments that the cases of Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin 
     Delek would be subjected to a ``lengthy review'' by the 
     Supreme People's Court prior to the death sentences being 
     carried out;
       Whereas the Supreme People's Court never carried out this 
     review, and Lobsang Dhondup was executed on January 26, 2003;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has failed to produce any evidence that either Lobsang 
     Dhondup or Tenzin Delek were involved in the crimes for which 
     they were convicted, despite repeated requests from officials 
     of the United States and other governments;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     continues to imprison Tibetans for engaging in peaceful 
     efforts to protest China's repression of Tibetans and 
     preserve the Tibetan identity;
       Whereas Tibetan political prisoners are routinely subjected 
     to beatings, electric shock, solitary confinement, and other 
     forms of torture and inhumane treatment while in Chinese 
     custody;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     continues to exert control over religious and cultural 
     institutions in Tibet, abusing human rights through the 
     torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention without fair or 
     public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their 
     political or religious views or attempt to preserve the 
     unique Tibetan identity; and
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has paroled individual political prisoners for good behavior 
     or for medical reasons in the face of strong international 
     pressure, but has failed to make the systemic changes 
     necessary to provide minimum standards of due process or 
     protections for basic civil and political rights: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Government of the People's Republic of China is in 
     violation of international human rights standards by 
     detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful 
     activities to protest China's repression of Tibetans or 
     promote the preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity;
       (2) sustained international pressure on the Government of 
     the People's Republic of China is essential to improve the 
     human rights situation in Tibet and secure the release of 
     Tibetan political prisoners;
       (3) the Government of the United States should--
       (A) raise the cases of Tenzin Delek and other political 
     prisoners at every opportunity with officials from the 
     People's Republic of China; and
       (B) work with other governments concerned about human 
     rights in China, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and 
     other Tibetan areas, to encourage the release of political 
     prisoners and promote systemic improvement of human rights in 
     China; and
       (4) the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order to promote 
     human rights, immediately release all political prisoners, 
     including Tenzin Delek.
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       SENATE RESOLUTION 484--TO HONOR AND THANK ROBERT RAY HOWE

  Mr. FRIST submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 484

       Whereas Assistant Chief Robert Ray Howe, a native of the 
     State of Wyoming, was appointed as a United States Capitol 
     Police Private on March 4, 1971;
       Whereas Assistant Chief Howe, throughout his career, has 
     distinguished himself through countless commendations and 
     recognition for professionalism and extraordinary service for 
     the United States Capitol Police;
       Whereas Assistant Chief Howe, through extraordinary efforts 
     and dedication during his outstanding career of over thirty 
     (30) years, rose from the rank of private to the position of 
     Assistant Chief of Police, the second in command of the 
     United States Capitol Police;
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby honors and thanks Robert 
     Ray Howe and his family

[[Page S11906]]

     for a lifelong professional commitment of service to the 
     United States Capitol Police and the United States Congress.
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 152--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS 
    THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE ITS 
  STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
   AMERICA, IN PARTICULAR THE PERIODIC NATIONAL AND WORLD BOY SCOUT 
                               JAMBOREES

  Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. Allard, Mr. Nelson of 
Nebraska, and Mr. Allen) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                            S. Con. Res. 152

       Whereas the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on 
     February 8, 1910, and received a Federal charter on June 15, 
     1916, which is codified as chapter 309 of title 36, United 
     States Code;
       Whereas section 30902 of title 36, United States Code, 
     states that it is the purpose of the Boy Scouts of America to 
     promote, through organization, and cooperation with other 
     agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and 
     others, to train them in scoutcraft, and to teach them 
     patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues;
       Whereas, since its inception, millions of Americans of 
     every race, creed, and religion have participated in the Boy 
     Scouts of America, and the Boy Scouts of America, as of 
     October 1, 2004, utilizes more than 1,200,000 adult 
     volunteers to serve 2,863,000 youth members organized in 
     121,051 units;
       Whereas the Department of Defense and members of the Armed 
     Forces have a long history of supporting the activities of 
     the Boy Scouts of America and individual Boy Scout troops 
     inside the United States, and section 2606 of title 10, 
     United States Code, enacted in 1988, specifically authorizes 
     the Department of Defense to cooperate with and assist the 
     Boy Scouts of America in establishing and providing 
     facilities and services for members of the Armed Forces and 
     their dependents, and civilian employees of the Department of 
     Defense and their dependents, at locations outside the United 
     States;
       Whereas sections 4682, 7541, and 9682 of title 10, United 
     States Code, authorize the Department of Defense to sell and, 
     in certain cases, donate obsolete or excess material to the 
     Boy Scouts of America to support its activities; and
       Whereas Public Law 92-249, enacted on March 10, 1972, and 
     codified as section 2554 of title 10, United States Code, 
     recognizes that Boy Scout Jamborees may be held on military 
     installations and authorizes the Department of Defense to 
     loan certain equipment and to provide transportation from the 
     United States or military commands overseas, and return, at 
     no expense to the United States Government, and to provide 
     other personnel services and logistical support to the Boy 
     Scouts of America to support national and world gatherings of 
     Boy Scouts at events known as Boy Scout Jamborees: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 
     Department of Defense should continue to exercise its long-
     standing statutory authority to support the activities of the 
     Boy Scouts of America, in particular the periodic national 
     and world Boy Scout Jamborees.

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