[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 44 (Friday, March 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING THE VALUE OF ICERD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 14, 2008

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today as Chairman of 
the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe to introduce a 
resolution which recognizes the enduring value of the International 
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 
ICERD, as a cornerstone of global efforts to combat racial 
discrimination and uphold human rights.
  To monitor the implementation of this important agreement a number of 
multinational organizations continue to cooperate as partners, 
including the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial 
Discrimination, CERD; the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR; 
the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, ECRI; and the 
European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, EUFRA.
  Recently, CERD held its 72nd session in Geneva, Switzerland to review 
anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by the Governments of Fiji, 
Italy, the United States, Belgium, Nicaragua, Moldova, and the 
Dominican Republic. At this session, the United States received a 
response to its April 2007 report it submitted to CERD detailing 
measures taken to adhere to the convention. The ``Concluding 
Observations'' which CERD responded with includes a number of important 
achievements that we should be proud of as Americans, but also a number 
of challenges we must still unite together to address. Until the 
displaced of Hurricane Katrina are housed and hate crimes are 
eliminated from our streets and workplaces, we must be vigilant in our 
quest to be the world leader in tolerance.
  Madam Speaker, I call my colleagues to join me in reaffirming the 
commitment that the United States has made in ratifying the 
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial 
Discrimination. This resolution is the first step in recognizing the 
value of this international commitment, and I look forward to working 
with my colleagues toward its expedited passage.

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