[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E349-E350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE ADVANCE DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 3, 2005

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, earlier today, my good friend and co-
chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Frank Wolf, 
introduced the Advance Democratic Values, Address Nondemocratic 
Countries, and Enhance (ADVANCE) Democracy Act of 2005. I am delighted 
to be the principal Democratic cosponsor of this bill. This landmark 
legislation, which we have been working on for more than a year, was 
developed in response to ideas that have emerged from outside the 
government, especially the thoughts and writings of Mark Palmer, who 
was the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 1986 to 1989 during that 
country's amazingly swift transition from totalitarianism to freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, Hungary, where I was born, faced the twin scourges of 
fascism and communism in the 20th century. Somehow I survived both of 
these soul-killing political systems and came to the United States, 
which was then a beacon of hope for those of us living in the darkness 
of Stalinist-controlled Central Europe.
  As a Member of Congress in the intervening years, and as founding co-
chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, I have dedicated myself 
to the cause of human rights, working to eliminate the threats posed by 
the vestiges of fascism and the encroachment of totalitarianism in this 
world. It has been my privilege to help promote democracy around the 
globe--a tradition started by President Wilson at the beginning of the 
last century and enshrined as a central tenet of U.S. foreign policy 
since the Carter administration.
  In the last few years, we have seen all too clearly how the lack of 
democracy can create safe havens for nihilistic forces that do not 
value human life, and this lack of democracy can help extremism 
flourish.
  But recently we also have been given fresh reason for optimism. Who 
would have predicted in the summer of 2004 that the rule of law would 
prevail in Ukraine and an ``Orange Revolution'' would force the 
creeping influence of authoritarianism to retreat to the East? And just 
last month, who would have predicted that

[[Page E350]]

Syria would begin to lose its grip so quickly on the people of Lebanon?
  We must do more to show that the United States is on the side of 
those who want peaceful change toward democracy and fundamental 
freedoms, and we must devise new ways to work with our friends around 
the globe to fan the embers of freedom.
  That is what our new bill seeks to do. We are starting by proposing 
reforms to the State Department and other parts of the U.S. Government 
so that promoting democracy is a fundamental and central component of 
our foreign policy. This legislation:
  Declares that it is the policy of the United States to promote 
freedom and democracy as a fundamental component of U.S. foreign 
policy, to see an end to dictatorial and other non-democratic forms of 
government, and to strengthen alliances with other democratic countries 
to better promote and defend shared values and ideals.
  Establishes in statute the Under Secretary for Global Affairs with a 
strong mandate to promote democracy and fundamental freedoms; expands 
the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and 
Labor to specifically include democracy promotion; and enhances the 
Human Rights and Democracy Fund controlled by that Bureau.
  Establishes a new Office of Democracy Movements and Transitions and 
separate Regional Democracy Hubs to be points of contact for democracy 
movements and to promote democratic transitions and democratic 
consolidation, and creates a Democracy Promotion Advisory Board to 
provide outside expertise to the Department of State on democracy 
promotion and to conduct a study on the efficiency and effectiveness of 
current U.S. democracy assistance.
  Requires the Secretary of State to prepare an annual report on 
democracy that will include a specific action plan, developed in 
consultation with local organizations, individuals and movements, to 
promote and achieve transition to democracy in non-democratic 
countries.
  Provides for U.S. embassies to be ``islands of freedom'' and 
encourages U.S. ambassadors to promote democracy in non-democratic 
countries, including by meeting with representatives of democracy 
movements and speaking out on democracy and human rights in such 
countries, particularly at universities.
  Provides training for State Department personnel on democracy 
promotion and links promotion and performance awards to effective 
advocacy and promotion of democracy, particularly in non-democratic 
countries.
  Establishes a Congressional Democracy Award for U.S. government 
officials who have made an extraordinary effort to promote democracy.
  Provides for increased efforts to work with other democratic 
countries to promote democracy including bilaterally, with the UN and 
related organizations, the Community of Democracies, and the new 
Democracy Transition Center being established by European counties in 
Hungary.
  Requires translation of the annual report on democracy, the country 
reports on human rights practices, the Annual Report on International 
Religious Freedom, and the annual Trafficking in Persons Report, and 
requires the creation of a democracy and human rights Internet web site 
collecting these and other materials related to the promotion of 
democracy and human rights.
  Let me be clear--there are many fine members of the Foreign Service 
at the Department of State and many dedicated civil servants that are 
relentless on issues of promoting democracy and protecting human 
rights, but we can do better. We hope that this legislation will change 
the Department's culture into one that focuses on freedom, not feel 
good relationships, and will give a framework and direction to our 
diplomats as they pursue the promotion of democracy around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1956, Hungary was in the midst of a national 
uprising. The Hungarian people had a real hope of freedom from the yoke 
of Soviet-installed communism. Then the West stood by while the Soviet 
Union invaded and extinguished the sparks of revolution in one 
aggressive wave.
  In 1989, we did not make that mistake. The United States and our 
democratic friends and allies stood with the Hungarian people and 
helped them and others confront their communist masters and achieve 
freedom.
  The central question of today is whether we will stand with the 
reformers, as we did in 1989, or stand by as the oppressors take action 
against them. This legislation will help ensure that we make the right 
choice and stand with the reformers.
  Make no mistake, the achievement of universal democracy is not an 
easy task, and we have no illusions about that. But as the only 
remaining superpower and the beacon of hope for so many people around 
the globe even now, the United States must find a way to promote 
democracy in this complex world. It in our own interest, it is 
consistent with our principles and our history, and it is the right 
thing to do.

                          ____________________