[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 164 (Sunday, December 18, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H12186-H12187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN SAUDI 
                                 ARABIA

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 275) expressing the sense of 
Congress regarding the education curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 275

       Whereas the terrorist attacks on the United States on 
     September 11, 2001, were carried out by 19 hijackers, 
     including 15 Saudi Arabian nationals;
       Whereas since September 11, 2001, multiple terrorist 
     attacks have occurred inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that 
     were carried out by Saudi nationals;
       Whereas Saudi nationals have joined the insurgency in Iraq, 
     carrying out terrorist activities and providing financial 
     support;
       Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia controls and 
     regulates all forms of education in public and private 
     schools at all levels;
       Whereas Islamic religious education is compulsory in public 
     and private schools at all levels in Saudi Arabia;
       Whereas the religious curriculum is written, monitored, and 
     taught by followers of the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, 
     the only religion the Government of Saudi Arabia allows to be 
     taught;
       Whereas rote memorization of religious texts continues to 
     be a central feature of much of the educational system of 
     Saudi Arabia, leaving thousands of students unprepared to 
     function in the global economy of the 21st century;
       Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has tolerated 
     elements within its education system that promote and 
     encourage extremism;
       Whereas some textbooks in Saudi Arabian schools foster 
     intolerance, ignorance, and anti-Semitic, anti-American, and 
     anti-Western views;
       Whereas these intolerant views instilled in students make 
     them prime recruiting targets of terrorists and other 
     extremist groups;
       Whereas extremism endangers the stability of the Kingdom of 
     Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region, and threatens global 
     security;
       Whereas the events of September 11, 2001, and the global 
     rash of terrorist attacks since then, have created an urgent 
     need to promote moderate voices in the Islamic world as an 
     effective way to combat extremism and terrorism;
       Whereas the report of the National Commission on Terrorist 
     Attacks Upon the United States stated that ``Education that 
     teaches tolerance, the dignity and value of each individual, 
     and respect for different beliefs is a key element in any 
     global strategy to eliminate Islamist terrorism''; and
       Whereas the ascension of King Abdullah to the throne in 
     August 2005 presents a new opportunity for education reform 
     in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) urges the Government of Saudi Arabia to reform its 
     textbooks and education curriculum in a manner that promotes 
     tolerance and peaceful coexistence with others, develops 
     civil society, and encourages functionality in the global 
     economy;
       (2) urges the President to direct the Secretary of State to 
     use existing public diplomacy channels, international visitor 
     exchanges, professional development, and educational reform 
     programs, including those under the Middle East Partnership 
     Initiative and the Broader Middle East Initiative, to focus 
     on the issue of educational reform in Saudi Arabia in 
     accordance with the objectives enumerated in paragraph (1);
       (3) expresses extreme disappointment with the slow pace of 
     education reform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
       (4) urges the President to take into account progress in 
     meeting the goals outlined in paragraph (1) when determining 
     the level and frequency of United States 
     bilateral relations with the Government of Saudi Arabia; and 
       (5) requests that the Secretary of State examine the 
     educational system in Saudi Arabia, monitor the progress of 
     the efforts to reform the education curriculum, and report on 
     such progress, in classified form if necessary, to the 
     appropriate congressional committees.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 
275, which expresses the sense of Congress regarding modifications in 
the education curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  It is unfortunate that some of the textbooks which are used in Saudi 
Arabian schools foster intolerance, ignorance and anti-Semitic, anti-
American and anti-Western views. Extremism in

[[Page H12187]]

any form endangers the stability of the Middle East and undermines the 
efforts to create a conflict-free environment. There is an urgent need 
to promote moderate voices in the Islamic world as an effective way of 
fighting extremism.
  Educational reform, with an emphasis on tolerance and respect for 
religious differences, can enhance the possibilities of harmony in this 
troubled region. Our children need to learn the concepts of peace and 
tolerance, not war and hatred.
  The resolution recognizes the opportunity presented by the ascension 
of King Abdullah to the thrown in Saudi Arabia to call for education 
reform in his country.
  It also establishes that progress on such reform is a priority for 
the United States and a factor to be considered when determining the 
level of our diplomatic engagements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  It also urges the President to direct the Secretary of State to use 
the means at her disposal to assist the Saudis in such education 
reform.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
resolution. I congratulate my colleague from Florida.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.

                              {time}  1500

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I want to commend my good friend and 
distinguished colleague from Florida (Mr. Davis), a former member of 
the International Relations Committee, for introducing this most 
important measure relating to the curriculum in Saudi Arabia. We all 
appreciate his leadership on this important matter.
  Mr. Speaker, as all of us as parents know, we have an enormous 
obligation not only to ensure that our children receive an education 
which will enable them to function in this century, but that their 
education include an important quotient of understanding other 
religions and other cultures, and an education that resists the 
temptation to demonize those that we do not understand.
  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Saudi Arabia has singularly failed to 
accomplish this important task. The extremist Wahhabi religious 
education which is present in Saudi schools encourages and promotes 
extremism, viciously anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-Semitic 
attitudes. It fosters hatred and intolerance.
  It is no surprise, Mr. Speaker, that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 
September 11 were Saudi nationals. The vile hatred filling the minds of 
so many young Saudis in schools makes them prime targets for terrorists 
and other extremist groups. I urge all my colleagues to support this 
important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Davis).
  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the ranking 
member, Congressman Lantos, for his support on this legislation that 
has been pending for about 3 years, and the chair of the committee, 
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, my colleague from Florida, and also 
the cosponsor of this legislation, Mr. King of New York, the chairman 
of the Homeland Security Committee.
  As has been described, this resolution is actually very simple. It is 
constructive pressure on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reform the 
content of their school system to rid that content of anti-Semitic, 
anti-Western extremist material that is forced upon the education 
curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by radical extremists in the 
Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia.
  This legislation is the product of two trips I have taken to the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Like many Americans, like many Members of 
Congress, I searched for the answers after September 11 to make sure 
that what happened on that day would never happen again. My personal 
search, my search as a Member of Congress, took me to the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia just a few months after September 11.
  I visited, as did other Members of Congress, with the Minister of 
Education of Saudi Arabia and with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, 
now the King of Saudi Arabia. The King of Saudi Arabia understands this 
problem. For far too long, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has allowed 
radical elements within the country to control the school system. As 
was mentioned by Mr. Lantos, it is not a coincidence that 15 of the 19 
hijackers on September 11, 2001, came from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  What this legislation specifically says is that the Congress is 
directing the President of the United States to provide a report to the 
Congress and to the American people as to the status of efforts by 
Saudi Arabia to reform their school system, and we are in fact 
pressuring and calling upon and encouraging the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
to do exactly that.
  We need to have a relationship with this country that allows us to be 
open and honest in expressing our concerns. These are not just issues 
within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These are not just threats of 
terrorism to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. These 
are, in fact, as we sadly know from our history, threats to the United 
States as well.
  There has been a report card issued by the 9/11 Commission in the 
last few weeks about the efforts of this country to learn from 
September 11. I am sad to report that one of the areas that received a 
D was the failure of this Congress and this administration to openly 
discuss changes and to make changes in our policy towards the Kingdom 
of Saudi Arabia. It is my hope today that this resolution represents an 
overdue step in that direction as Democrats and Republicans coming 
together, I believe unanimously, to say to the administration that it 
is time to speak out on this issue and to do so constructively.
  Mr. Speaker, on this Sunday in my hometown of Tampa, in my State, it 
is a game day for many communities. I believe what the United States 
Government needs in the war on terrorism is the same thing that the 
Tampa Bay Bucks need right now in my hometown, which is a strong 
defense and a smarter offense. A smarter offense is identifying the 
root causes of terrorism and aggressively addressing them.
  This is, in fact, one of the root causes of terrorism. It is the 
creation of extremism and extremists in the schools of Saudi Arabia in 
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And this bill represents an attempt to 
work with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to put an end to that root cause 
of terrorism as well as others.
  I want to urge my colleagues to join Congressman Peter King and me, 
Congressman Lantos, and Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen in strongly and 
unanimously supporting this resolution.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend for his 
thoughtful and powerful statement.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gillmor). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. 
Res. 275.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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