[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H3732-H3734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONDEMNING THE UNAUTHORIZED, INAPPROPRIATE, AND COERCED ORDINATION OF 
           CATHOLIC BISHOPS BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 804) condemning the unauthorized, 
inappropriate, and coerced ordination of Catholic bishops by the 
People's Republic of China, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 804

       Whereas the Catholic Patriotic Association of China is a 
     government-sanctioned organization that does not represent 
     the majority of Chinese Catholics, and has been used by the 
     Government of the People's Republic of China to oppress 
     Catholics who choose to remain loyal to the Pope as their 
     spiritual leader;
       Whereas on April 30, 2006, the Chinese Government-
     sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted 
     an unauthorized episcopal ordination of the priest Joseph Ma 
     Yinglin, elevating him to the office of bishop without the 
     approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope 
     Benedict XVI;
       Whereas on May 3, 2006, the Chinese Government-sanctioned 
     Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted an 
     unauthorized episcopal ordination of the priest Joseph Liu 
     Xinhong, elevating him to the office of bishop without the 
     approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope 
     Benedict XVI;
       Whereas on May 14, 2006, the Chinese Government-sanctioned 
     Catholic Patriotic Association of China installed Bishop 
     Vincent Zhan Silu as Bishop of Mindong Diocese without the 
     approval and against the wishes of the Holy Father Pope 
     Benedict XVI;
       Whereas, according to information reported by the Vatican, 
     bishops and priests in the People's Republic of China have 
     been subjected to strong pressures and threats to take part 
     in the episcopal ordinations which, being without pontifical 
     mandate, are illicit and, besides, contrary to their 
     conscience;
       Whereas the entire world follows with attention the 
     progress of religious freedom in China and had hoped that 
     such deplorable episodes by now would belong to the past;
       Whereas, following a trip to China in August 2005, the 
     United States Commission on International Religious Freedom 
     reported that the Chinese Government continues to 
     systematically violate the right to freedom of thought, 
     conscience, and religion or belief, contravening both the 
     Chinese Constitution and international human rights norms;
       Whereas on May 3, 2006, the United States Commission on 
     International Religious Freedom announced its 2006 
     recommendations to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and 
     continued to identify China as one of ten ``Countries of 
     Particular Concern'';
       Whereas Chinese law and policy restrict religious 
     activities to those activities associated with the five 
     officially-sanctioned ``patriotic'' religious organizations;
       Whereas all other collective religious activities in China 
     are illegal, and individuals from ``unregistered'' religious 
     groups are subject to harassment, detention, and arrest;
       Whereas freedom of religious expression is a fundamental 
     right enshrined in the United States Constitution and 
     recognized by all civilized nations; and
       Whereas China, like all members of the United Nations, is 
     bound by Article 18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human 
     Rights which states: ``Everyone has the right to freedom of 
     thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom 
     to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone 
     or in community with others and in public or private, to 
     manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, 
     worship and observance'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the actions 
     of the Government of the People's Republic of China to coerce 
     Catholic bishops in China, both those in the Catholic 
     Patriotic Association of China and those who remain loyal to 
     the Pope, to violate their consciences and consecrate bishops 
     in defiance of Rome;
       (2) extends its deepest sympathy and condolences to the 
     Catholic population of China and the Catholic Church for this 
     insult to their beliefs and religious practices;
       (3) reaffirms the right of all religious organizations to 
     choose their leaders in a manner that is free of 
     intimidation, terror, or coercion in accordance with Article 
     18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights;
       (4) urges the Government of China to end its repression of 
     religious organizations, recognize the ecclesiastical 
     authority of religious leaders to provide spiritual 
     leadership to their followers, and end the practice of only 
     allowing religious worship through state-sanctioned patriotic 
     religious associations; and
       (5) encourages the Government of China to refrain from 
     additional ordination of Catholic bishops while the Vatican 
     and the Catholic Patriotic Association of China resolve their 
     differences and adopt a mutually acceptable process for 
     approving the elevation of bishops.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the chief sponsor of this resolution, Mr. English of 
Pennsylvania.
  Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I need to start my 
remarks with an acknowledgment of the extraordinary leadership that the 
gentleman from New Jersey has provided long in the House as a defender 
of religious freedom, and the topic before us with this resolution is 
one that I know is very dear to his heart, and so I am grateful for his 
leadership on this topic.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution is simple and self-explanatory. Any 
truly free society must, by definition, accord its citizens freedom to 
seek a relationship with God according to the dictates of their 
conscience and choose spiritual leaders whom the worshipers believe are 
best suited to guide in establishing that relationship.
  Recently, the People's Republic of China violated the religious 
freedom of its Roman Catholic citizens by imposing Beijing's choices 
for bishops rather than allowing the Vatican to make these 
appointments. This resolution condemns that action and calls upon the 
Chinese government to refrain from any further unauthorized 
ordinations.
  There are few actions, Madam Speaker, more central to religious 
practice than choosing the spiritual leaders of a congregation. Each 
Sunday, Catholics throughout the world celebrate Mass and communally 
recite the Apostles' Creed, which includes a statement of belief in the 
holy Catholic church. As an intimate part of that belief, Catholics 
acknowledge the supreme leadership of the Pope of Rome in all spiritual 
matters and as the chief administrator of the church.
  I am sure none of us would tolerate government coercion of any type 
in choosing the leaders of our churches, synagogues, temples, and 
religious organizations. Nevertheless, the Chinese government does not 
allow Catholics to run schools or recognize openly the authority of the 
papacy in many fundamental matters of faith and morals. The Chinese 
government also continues to insist as a precondition for establishing 
diplomatic relations that the Vatican cede its role in the selection of 
bishops to the government-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association. A 
government that purports not to believe in God at all has no business 
choosing religious leaders.
  Madam Speaker, the leaders of China consistently seek to position 
their country as one of the leading nations of the world. The Chinese 
people make no secret of their goal to establish their nation as an 
equal to the United States. Well, leadership brings responsibility. 
Religious repression is wrong wherever it occurs, and civilized nations 
rightfully deplore the lack of tolerance found in many backward and 
regressive societies. China, however, claims to aspire to a higher 
standard, which is why their recent actions are so disturbing.
  China is an ancient nation with a proud history. They are the 
fountainhead of Eastern philosophy, the birthplace of Confucius, 
possibly the greatest secular thinker the world has ever known. 
Analects 15:23 of the teaching

[[Page H3733]]

of Confucius states: ``What you do not want done to yourself, do not do 
to others.''
  The early Chinese emperors embraced this teaching, and China was 
providing shelter and refuge to Nestorian Christians when Europeans 
were still burning heretics at the stake. Unfortunately, while 
religious freedom has been moving forward in Western democracies, it 
appears to be on the retreat in China.
  Nevertheless, China became a signatory to the Uniform Declaration 
Human Rights when they joined the United Nations. The ordinations that 
we today condemn are a direct violation of Article 18 of the Uniform 
Declaration of Human Rights, which states, and I quote, ``Everyone has 
the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right 
includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either 
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest 
this religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and 
observance.''
  No one forced China to join the United Nations or to ratify the 
Uniform Declaration of Human Rights. They did so freely and without 
coercion. Indeed, the government in Beijing worked diligently for many 
years to displace Taiwan as the recognized government of China. 
Consequently, they now have a responsibility to live up to their 
standards and their great history, proud traditions, and U.N. 
obligations. My resolution calls upon them to do just that.
  Madam Speaker, I hope that my resolution will focus attention on the 
advancement of religious freedom not just in China but throughout the 
world and particularly in our own country. Thomas Jefferson taught us 
that, ``God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a 
nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties 
are the gift of God? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect 
that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.''
  Whatever liberties we may possess, whatever privileges we may earn, 
whatever prosperity we may enjoy as individuals or as a nation, the 
most fundamental freedom of all is the right to establish our own 
relationship with God. This is the seminal freedom of all other 
freedoms that we cherish.
  Whenever, wherever this core freedom is under assault, free people 
everywhere have a fundamental responsibility to defend it. We cannot 
ignore the suppression of religious freedom in China and expect it to 
endure in the United States.
  Now, while we can, Congress must intrusively and decisively take a 
stand on behalf of Chinese Catholics and all others who wish to worship 
God in a manner and through a confession of their own choosing. We must 
insist that all members of the community of nations respect individual 
religious freedoms as the condition for mutual respect. Any nation that 
interferes with individual religious freedom and the freedom of 
spiritual communities to order their own affairs to the degree that the 
Chinese government has intervened in Catholicism cannot aspire to a 
place of leadership in the modern world.
  Repression, Madam Speaker, is like a cancer. Left untreated, it will 
grow in size and power until it overwhelms the entire body. Only by 
vigorous early intervention can a doctor stop the spread of infection 
or a free nation prevent the spread of repression. If we do not stand 
with the Catholics of China now, who will stand with us in the future? 
And if we don't stand with Chinese Catholics, how can we aspire to be a 
symbol and defender of freedom throughout the world?
  Madam Speaker, I call on my colleagues to pass this resolution.
  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I want to commend my good friend from Pennsylvania for his 
authorship of this most important resolution as I rise in strong 
support of it.
  Sometimes what is self-evident to civilized democratic governments is 
sadly lost on the Chinese leadership in Beijing. Such was the case in 
early May when a government-sponsored committee in Beijing elevated two 
Catholic priests to the level of bishop without the approval of the 
Vatican.
  Madam Speaker, I firmly believe that it is up to the Catholic Church 
to determine its leadership. Everywhere else in the world Pope Benedict 
the XVI selects the bishops, not communist atheists in some government 
politburo.
  But we should not be surprised by this latest intrusion into 
religious life by the Chinese government. Eleven years ago, this same 
government abducted a 6-year-old Tibetan boy who had been selected by 
the Dalai Lama as the next Panchen Lama, a title conferred on the 
second leader of Tibet. The boy and his family have never been seen 
again. He is believed to be the world's youngest political prisoner. 
Soon after the abduction of this little boy, Beijing selected its own 
Panchen Lama, without seeking approval from the spiritual head of 
Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama.
  Madam Speaker, whether it is Catholics or Tibetan Buddhists, China 
has an obligation under its own constitution and the international 
conventions to which it is a party to ensure religious freedom. It has 
failed miserably to live up to this sacred obligation. Our resolution 
highlights the latest outrage in China's systematic denial of religious 
liberty to its own citizens. I urge all of my colleagues to support 
this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume, and I thank my good friend and colleague from 
Pennsylvania, as Mr. Lantos said, for authoring this very important 
resolution, but also for his very eloquent statement moments ago 
regarding the historical context of this resolution and the ongoing 
issue of religious persecution in China, meaning the lack of freedom 
there. I appreciate his focus on the Uniform Declaration of Human 
Rights which so clearly establishes the right of conscience and the 
right of all persons to practice their faith as they see fit.
  As he so aptly pointed out, the Chinese have freely acceded to the 
Uniform Declaration, and to so many other human rights accords that 
have been promulgated by the U.N. Sometimes for international 
consumption and for PR purposes, and regrettably they do not live up to 
either the letter or the spirit of these agreements to which they have 
given their solemn word.

                              {time}  1500

  Madam Speaker, this resolution which condemns the People's Republic 
of China for its continued interference into the international efforts 
of the Catholic Church and its persecution of Catholics loyal to the 
Vatican is certainly a very timely resolution.
  The state-controlled Catholic Church in China, which does not 
represent the majority of Chinese Catholics, continues to ignore the 
Vatican's wishes by consecrating new bishops without the consent of the 
Pope. In April and May of this year, the Chinese Government-sanctioned 
Catholic Patriotic Association of China conducted two unauthorized 
ordinations of priests to the office of bishop, and the unauthorized 
installation of another bishop, despite requests from the Vatican to 
delay these actions.
  According to the Vatican, bishops and priests in China are subject to 
strong pressures and threats to take part in ordinations which have not 
been approved of by the Pope and are contrary to their faith. While I 
am saddened by these reports, I am not surprised. The United States 
Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that the China 
Government continues to systematically violate the freedom of thought, 
conscience, and religion or belief and the testimonies of so many 
persecuted individuals. For example, Bishop Su of Baoding Province, is 
a gentle and kind man who I met in the 1990s. I point out to my 
colleagues that soon after our visit, he was rearrested on false 
charges, released and rearrested again. He spent 30 years of his life, 
this brave Catholic bishop, for loving God. Even today, we do not know 
about his whereabouts, although there have been sightings from time to 
time.
  As my colleague pointed out, in defiance of the U.N. article 18 of 
the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights, the PRC continues to restrict 
religious activities to those not associated with the five officially 
sanctioned religious organizations. Men and women that attempt to 
practice their faith outside of

[[Page H3734]]

these five approved religions, such as the more than 10 million Roman 
Catholics, face harassment, imprisonment, torture and death.
  We have no wish to sanction the worshipers in the Catholic Patriotic 
Association in China; rather, we wish to offer our support to the 
Catholic population of China that is persecuted by its government for 
their faith. We condemn the Chinese Government's persecution of the 
Catholics and its refusal to permit a Vatican-sponsored Catholic church 
to operate legally in China. This is a great resolution, and I urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. 
I heard Mr. English speaking and wanted to come over to add my support 
for this resolution.
  Frankly, this whole place ought to be packed with people speaking on 
behalf of this resolution. Today in China, the Catholic Church is being 
severely persecuted. Why has the administration been silent, and other 
than this resolution, why has the Congress been relatively silent?
  There are a number of Catholic bishops that are in jail today, as 
stated in the New York Times piece the other day. There is also the 
issue of what they have done to the Vatican with regard to the Chinese 
Communist Government. Evangelical church leaders are being persecuted. 
I just wanted to put my two cents in with regard to support of this.
  For Members who just think this is another political thing, this is a 
moral issue.
  Isaiah says, ``Learn to do right, seek justice, encourage the 
oppressed.'' By passing this resolution, we encourage the oppressed.
  Isaiah goes on to say in Isaiah 59, ``The Lord looked and was 
displeased there was no justice.'' When the Lord looks at China, he has 
got to be displeased that there is no justice.
  Isaiah goes on to say, ``He saw that there was no one, he was 
appalled that there was no one to intervene.'' Fortunately, Mr. 
English, Mr. Smith and Mr. Lantos are intervening.
  But this Congress has to do more, and this administration's silence 
is becoming deafening on this issue. The condition in China with regard 
to the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, the Uighurs, the 
Buddhists is worse today after President Hu left than before President 
Hu came.
  I want to thank the gentlemen for cosponsoring this. We ought to have 
a roll call vote. Frankly, everybody ought to vote on this issue 
because this would send a message to the Chinese Communist Government 
that this Congress will become again like the Congress was during the 
1980s during the Reagan administration and will not stand for it.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 804, 
Condemning the unauthorized, inappropriate, and coerced ordination of 
Catholic bishops by the People's Republic of China. I am concerned by 
reports that on April 30, 2006, and again on May 3, 2006, bishops and 
priests in the People's Republic of China were subjected to strong 
pressures and threats to participate in episcopal ordinations against 
the wishes of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. The ordinations were 
conducted by the Catholic Patriotic Association of China and without 
the express approval and sanction of the Holy See. Such ordinations are 
illegitimate. I urge the People's Republic of China to refrain from 
pressuring or coercing.Chinese bishops and priests to support these 
ordinations.
  Freedom of religious expression is a fundamental right enshrined in 
the United States Constitution and is recognized by all civilized 
nations. Freedom of religion and conscience is also enshrined in 
Article 18 of the Uniform Declaration of Human Rights, to which the 
People's Republic of China is a signatory. Chinese law and policy, 
however, continues to restrict religious activities to those associated 
with the five officially sanctioned ``patriotic'' religious 
organizations. Additionally, the Catholic Patriotic Association of 
China does not represent the vast majority of Chinese Catholics and has 
no ecclesiastical authority to choose spiritual leaders for Catholics 
in the People's Republic of China.
  The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom 
identifies China as one of ten ``Countries of Particular Concern.'' H. 
Res. 804 sends a strong message to the People's Republic of China to 
refrain from pressuring and coercing Chinese priests. This resolution 
also sends a strong message to the Catholic Patriotic Association of 
China to discontinue the practice of ordaining priests without the 
express support of the Holy Father, the Pope. Not doing so is an insult 
to the universal Catholic Church.
  I strongly support this resolution. I urge my colleagues' support.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 804, as amended.
  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. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania. Madam 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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