[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  GENOCIDE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 5, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 888, Genocide 
Accountability Act of 2007, which ensures that U.S. laws provide 
adequate authority to prosecute acts of genocide. Genocide, despite its 
being such a heinous and atrocious crime, has taken place too 
frequently, it needs to stop and the perpetrators need to be held 
accountable for their actions. This systematic destruction of a group 
of people based on religion, ethnicity or nationality is one of the 
most horrifying acts that a person can imagine.
  Genocidal tendencies can be traced back to the Armenian Genocide that 
occurred more than seventy years ago and again during the Holocaust. 
But the end of those conflicts did nothing to prevent genocide from 
being committed again. Acts of genocide occurred again in Cambodia, 
Bosnia and Rwanda and are currently taking place in Darfur. Too many 
have died and continue to die as we stand by and watch. It is our job 
to do whatever is in our power to end these conflicts.
  Individuals who have committed acts of genocide have been identified 
as seeking refuge in the United States. The constitution of the United 
States does not allow them to be prosecuted here because they are not 
U.S. nationals. The Genocide Accountability Act of 2007 will give the 
U.S. the authority to prosecute the perpetrators in the U.S. as opposed 
to just deporting them and not knowing if they will ever be held 
accountable for their actions. This bill will assure that justice is 
served for their acts of torture and murder.
  By passing this bill we are contributing to the welfare of the world. 
Genocide affects people around the world and not only the direct 
victims; therefore, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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