[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 17 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S472-S473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RESTRICTING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, on Tuesday night the Senate spoke with 
one voice expressing serious concern about ongoing attempts by China 
and other countries to restrict press and Internet freedom and 
condemning the recent cyber-attacks against Google in China.
  In a bipartisan effort, a truly bipartisan effort, we unanimously 
passed S. Res. 405, introduced by myself and Senators Brownback, Casey, 
Kyl, Feingold, Lieberman, McCain, Specter, and Webb--a broad spectrum 
of the Senate who all agree on this issue. This resolution reaffirms 
the centrality of freedom of expression and the press as cornerstones 
of U.S. foreign policy. It frames such freedoms as part of U.S. efforts 
to promote individual rights and voices concern over the ongoing 
efforts by many countries, and I mean many countries, to restrict free 
expression, highlighting the attempts to censor, restrict, and monitor 
access to the Internet.
  The impetus for this resolution was a recent cyber-attack on Google's 
corporate infrastructure and at least 34 companies, reportedly 
originating in China. Google has evidence to suggest that a primary 
goal of this attack was to access Gmail accounts of Chinese human 
rights activists, journalists, and dissidents.
  Even worse, this attack was only one of many recent attempts to 
exploit security flaws and illegally access computer networks of 
numerous individuals and institutions. These cyber-attacks are 
unconscionable violations of national security interests in addition to 
violations of intellectual property rights. With the passage of this 
resolution, countries from which such attacks originate or countries 
which take steps to restrict or monitor the Internet should consider 
themselves on notice.
  The resolution calls on the Chinese Government to conduct a thorough 
review of the recent attacks and to make this investigation and its 
results transparent.
  This is not just about cyber-warfare, and it is not just about China. 
This resolution highlights a much broader and far-reaching problem of 
state-sponsored efforts to restrict free and unfettered access to the 
Internet.
  As technology continues to develop, an increasing number of 
governments have employed repressive tactics to monitor and control the 
Internet. In countries such as Iran and China, a growing effort has 
been made to silence the voices of their citizens and restrict the free 
flow of information. According to the 2009 ``Freedom on the Net'' 
report conducted by Freedom House, the Government of China employs a 
sophisticated, multilayered, and wide-ranging apparatus to curtail 
Internet freedom. It also employs legal and economic means to coerce 
Internet service providers, Web hosting firms, and mobile phone 
companies to delete and censor online content.
  Finally, it requires domestic Chinese and foreign companies with 
subsidiaries in China--such as Google but many others--to adjust their 
business practices to allow for increased filtering and supervision by 
the Government of China, which limits the data available on search 
engines.
  This resolution urges companies to engage in responsible business 
practices in the face of such pressure from foreign governments by 
refusing to aid in the curtailment of free expression and welcomes the 
diplomatic initiative announced by Secretary Clinton in her January 21 
speech on Internet freedom to support the development of technology 
aimed at censorship circumvention.
  Finally, the resolution highlights violations of a free press in 
China, such as the ongoing jamming of Radio Free Asia, Voice of 
America, and other international broadcasters, despite the unimpeded 
broadcast in the United States of Chinese state-run medial outlets. We 
allow China to broadcast to the CCTV and the Radio China outlets into 
the United States completely unfettered. Yet they jam all of our 
broadcasts by Voice of America and Radio Free Asia into their country. 
This is not fair, this is not reciprocity, and it is not becoming of a 
nation that hopes to become one of the great nations of the world.
  It pays tribute to the professional and citizen journalists who 
persevere in their dedication to report in China despite the extremely 
high rate of imprisonment among journalists.
  The freedoms highlighted in this resolution are not just an inherent 
good, they are also a practical benefit. As Secretary Clinton recently 
said:

       . . . countries that restrict free access to information or 
     violate the basic rights of Internet users risk walling 
     themselves off from progress.

  I am grateful for the widespread support and passage of S. Res. 405, 
and I thank the other cosponsors for their leadership. The United 
States must not sit back as voices in China, Iran, and around the world 
are silenced. It is my hope this resolution will help to promote an 
environment of expanded freedoms, especially when it comes to the 
Internet and the press.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.

[[Page S473]]

  The VICE PRESIDENT. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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