[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H8630-H8632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  UNITED STATES COMMITMENT TO PRESERVATION OF RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL 
                                 SITES

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 255) expressing the sense of 
Congress regarding the United States commitment to preservation of 
religious and cultural sites and condemning instances where sites are 
desecrated, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 255

       Whereas the Congress is committed to protecting and 
     preserving the cultural heritage of all national, religious, 
     and ethnic groups, including sacred sites of such groups, 
     including cemeteries in the United States and abroad;
       Whereas the Holocaust annihilated much of Europe's Jewish 
     population and in many countries, none were left to care for 
     the communal properties that represent a historic culture in 
     the area and constitute an integral part of the Jewish 
     religion;
       Whereas the Holocaust and 45 years of atheistic, Communist 
     governments created a critical need that led to the 
     establishment of the United States Commission for the 
     Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad;
       Whereas the United States Commission for the Preservation 
     of America's Heritage Abroad is tasked with identifying and 
     reporting on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in 
     Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the 
     heritage of United States citizens and obtaining assurances 
     from the governments of those regions that the properties 
     will be protected and preserved;
       Whereas the United States Commission for the Preservation 
     of America's Heritage Abroad has in effect over 20 bilateral 
     agreements between the United States and foreign governments 
     assuring the protection and preservation of cultural 
     property;
       Whereas many properties continue to be endangered and many 
     governments and communities continue to face fundamental and 
     compelling challenges in the preservation of these 
     properties;
       Whereas Congress is outraged by the construction that 
     occurred within the perceived boundaries of the historic 
     Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, 
     Lithuania;
       Whereas cemeteries are sacred sites and are established to 
     remain undisturbed in perpetuity, and the sanctity of a 
     cemetery is determined by the bodies buried therein;
       Whereas construction of a commercial building on the site 
     disgraces the cemetery, it does not change its status;
       Whereas experts within Lithuania and from around the world 
     community believe that the cemetery located in the Snipiskes 
     area of Vilnius, Lithuania, is a Jewish cemetery and is 
     therefore sacred ground;
       Whereas the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area 
     of Vilnius, Lithuania, is known by scholars within Lithuania 
     and from around the world as the first Jewish cemetery in 
     Vilnius and dates back to the 15th century, and it is 
     believed that before the government closed the cemetery in 
     the early 1800s, more than 50,000 Jews were buried there;
       Whereas the fact that the Government of Lithuania has 
     allowed construction to take place within the perceived 
     boundaries of the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes 
     area of Vilnius, Lithuania, and that desecration continues 
     into the 21st century is an affront to the international 
     Jewish community, the American people, and everyone who 
     values religious freedom and ethnic diversity around the 
     world;
       Whereas the failure of the Government of Lithuania to 
     protect the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of 
     Vilnius, Lithuania, violates the October 15, 2002, bilateral 
     agreement between Lithuania and the United States on the 
     protection and preservation of certain cultural properties, 
     including cemeteries;
       Whereas specifically, Article 1 of the bilateral agreement 
     states: ``[E]ach party will take appropriate steps to protect 
     and preserve the cultural heritage of all national, 
     religious, or ethnic groups that reside or resided in its 
     territory, including victims of genocide during the Second 
     World War. The term `cultural heritage' for purposes of this 
     agreement means `. . . cemeteries, and memorials to the dead. 
     . .' ''; and
       Whereas Congress welcomed the decision by the Government of 
     Lithuania to conduct a geophysical survey of the Jewish 
     cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, 
     in the summer of 2008 to establish definitively the 
     boundaries of the cemetery, as well as to designate the land 
     as a cultural heritage site: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) expresses strong support for the work of the United 
     States Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage 
     Abroad and for the European countries that continue to work 
     to preserve sacred historical sites, despite ongoing 
     challenges;
       (2) expresses strong sentiments to the Government of 
     Lithuania that the people of the United States believe the 
     Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, 
     Lithuania, must not be desecrated;
       (3) calls on the Government of Lithuania to give serious 
     consideration to the recommendations being prepared by the 
     international experts group on the basis of the geophysical 
     survey of the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area 
     of Vilnius, Lithuania, and to take steps that guarantee the 
     permanent preservation of the cemetery site, including the 
     possibility of placing the land under government ownership; 
     and
       (4) declares that constructive bilateral relations between 
     Lithuania and the United States are important to the 
     governments, citizens, and shared agendas of both countries.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days 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 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution 
and yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  I want to thank our colleague, Mr. Ferguson of New Jersey, for 
introducing this resolution that draws congressional attention to an 
ongoing dispute in Lithuania about construction on the grounds of a 
former Jewish cemetery in that country. I would also like to thank my 
good friend, Representative Ros-Lehtinen, for her leadership on this 
issue, and recognize the efforts of Representative Shimkus in seeking 
to find a constructive solution to this problem.
  One of many tragic consequences of the Holocaust was the decimation 
of Jewish populations that would otherwise have cared for communal 
property that represents an important part of Europe's history. The 
Jewish cemetery in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, is just 
one example. Archival documents suggest it was established as Vilnius's 
first Jewish cemetery in the 15th century, served as the burial place 
for more than 50,000 Jews, and was closed by Czarist Russia in 1831.
  As part of our ongoing dialogue with Lithuania regarding the 2002 
U.S.-Lithuanian agreement on the preservation of the cultural property 
of the victims of the Nazi regime, Congress has been concerned about 
construction on perceived boundary lines of this cemetery.

[[Page H8631]]

Despite repeated requests by the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius and Jewish 
organizations to the Lithuanian Government to address this issue, there 
has been little movement in recent years.
  Congress welcomed the decision by the Government of Lithuania to 
conduct a geological survey and archaeological investigation of the 
site this past summer to establish these cemetery boundaries. While the 
Government's designation of the area as a cultural heritage site is 
also a helpful step, the fact that the entire site remains in the hands 
of a private developer raises concerns about the prospects of future 
construction on the site.
  Congress feels very strongly that the Lithuanian Government should 
take steps to guarantee the permanent preservation of the Snipiskes 
cemetery, including the possibility of placing the land under 
government ownership. The government should also consider the 
recommendations of the International Experts Commission regarding the 
preservation of these sacred grounds.
  The United States greatly values its long friendship with Lithuania, 
which could be further enhanced by a prompt and sensitive resolution to 
this difficult situation.
  I strongly support this resolution and encourage my colleagues to do 
the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for House Concurrent 
Resolution 255, which deals with the preservation of the historic 
Jewish cemetery in Lithuania. I thank our colleague, Congressman 
Ferguson, for introducing this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us speaks to the preservation of a 
historic Jewish cemetery located in Vilnius, Lithuania, a city that was 
once a major center of Jewish culture in all of Europe. That cemetery 
has been in existence since the 13th century and is considered by 
religious experts around the globe and those of the Jewish faith to be 
sacred ground.
  In 2002, the Government of Lithuania entered into a bilateral 
agreement with the United States to ensure the protection and the 
preservation of certain historical, cultural and sacred properties, 
including cemeteries such as the one in Vilnius. Regrettably, despite 
that bilateral agreement, construction of a condominium building took 
place within the perceived boundaries of the Jewish cemetery in 
Lithuania.
  The resolution before us expresses the view that the Jewish cemetery 
in Vilnius must not be desecrated. It urges the Lithuanian Government 
to protect the cemetery site from future construction and desecration.
  I want to note at this point, Mr. Speaker, that Lithuania has indeed 
been our ally in NATO since 2004. Indeed, the United States and 
Lithuania have had a strong relationship. And I believe that bilateral 
cooperation on issues of importance such as this issue that is 
addressed by the measure before us today will strengthen that 
relationship.
  This resolution simply calls on the Lithuanian Government to do more 
to protect and preserve this cemetery site. Such action by the 
Government of Lithuania would indeed reaffirm the values shared by our 
two nations, and in so doing, enhance the broader relationship between 
the United States and Lithuania.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CROWLEY. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Ferguson), the author of this resolution and a 
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank my friend and 
colleague, Mr. Crowley, for working with me on this resolution, and I 
appreciate his leadership on the floor today. I want to thank Chairman 
Berman of the committee and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their 
strong support in helping us bring this resolution to the floor today.
  This Congress is committed to protecting and preserving the cultural 
heritage of all national, religious, and ethnic groups, including 
sacred sites such as the cemeteries here in the United States and 
around the world.
  There are over 20 bilateral agreements between the United States and 
foreign governments assuring the protection and preservation of 
cultural property. However, in recent months, the bilateral agreement 
between the United States and Lithuania has, unfortunately, been 
broken.
  We're disappointed that there has been a lack of meaningful action by 
the Lithuanian Government in preserving the Jewish cemetery in the 
Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania. Instead of preserving this site, 
the government in Lithuania has allowed an apartment complex to be 
built over the assumed boundaries of this particular cemetery.
  Now, cemeteries are sacred sites and are established to remain 
undisturbed in perpetuity, and the sanctity of a cemetery is determined 
by the bodies and the families of those bodies that are buried in them. 
This resolution expresses this body's deep commitment to preserving 
these sacred cultural sites. Those buried there and their families 
deserve nothing less than that.
  As I close, I just want to again thank the chairman of the committee, 
my friend from New York (Mr. Crowley) and the ranking member of the 
committee, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. I also want to thank my legislative 
director, Mandy Tharpe, who worked very hard on drafting this 
legislation, and all the members of the staff for helping us with this 
important resolution.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my 
support for House Concurrent Resolution 255, expressing the sense of 
Congress regarding the United States commitment to preservation of 
religious and cultural sites and condemning instances where sites are 
desecrated. The heart of this bill is protecting the memory and beliefs 
of those around the world. Protecting the beliefs of others allows me 
to rest easy that my beliefs and the beliefs of those in the 18th 
Congressional District of Texas are kept safe.
  Protecting religious freedoms isn't just about allowing anyone to 
pray to whatever God they believe in, it is also about allowing them to 
have religious sites that are safe from molestation by people who 
disagree with what those places symbolize and embody. These sites are 
more than Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques; they are gardens, statues, 
and cemeteries.
  Before 9/11 happened, the Taliban was still in the midst of wreaking 
havoc on all those who believed in things different from them. In March 
2001, Supreme Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar issued an edict 
against un-Islamic graven images. This edict made two mountain sized, 
1,500 year old sandstone statues of Buddha against the law. Through 
hand placed dynamite and tank shells fired from below, these two 
majestic monuments of sixth century ingenuity were reduced to rubble. 
As if this wasn't bad enough, the culprits of this despicable deed went 
through local museums with sledge hammers finding anything that was 
related to other religions. After it was over, 2,500 artifacts from 
centuries passed were lost forever to what can only be described as 
petty, but effective, vandalism.
  Mr. Speaker, destruction like this should not be allowed. This does 
not just hurt those who follow the teachings of Buddha; this hurts 
those who have their own beliefs shared by people around the world. 
Christian burial grounds, Jewish monuments to the Holocaust, and 
Islamic mosques need to be protected to assure that every man, woman, 
and child has the right to practice whatever religion they want.
  Second only to personal safety, in regard to defending religious 
rights, is safeguarding the sites that are sacred to a religion. 
Buddhists around the world were gravely hurt by the destruction of 
their statues. Before the Taliban had come to power, these 15 story 
tall monuments had served as a beacon for Buddhists everywhere. They 
could come and view the proof that people just like them 15 centuries 
ago had the same basic beliefs that they did. This was proof that this 
faith could endure and in fact, had for generations.
  This bill will express to the world, in a clear and unwavering voice, 
that the United States of America will not tolerate such brutal attacks 
on religion. Residents of my district know that if anyone in the world 
was attacking their most tightly held beliefs and religious ideals that 
the Federal Government would not sit idly by and watch as a repeat of 
the destruction on the mountainside of Bamiyan, Afghanistan, occurred.
  Sites from Jerusalem's Wailing Wall to the supreme holy city of Mecca 
to the Vatican City should remain protected from those who don't 
believe what these places represent. In the end, the right to practice 
any religion you

[[Page H8632]]

choose doesn't just protect those who practice; it protects those who 
don't practice. Religion, like speech, is such an engrained belief in 
our country, since the time of the founding of the country, that it 
must be protected at all costs.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. 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 York (Mr. Crowley) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 255, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. FERGUSON. 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 motion will be 
postponed.

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