[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 150 (Wednesday, December 10, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H9020-H9023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VENEZUELA DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ACT OF 2014
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (S. 2142) to impose targeted sanctions on persons responsible
for violations of human rights of antigovernment protesters in
Venezuela, to strengthen civil society in Venezuela, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 2142
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Venezuela Defense of Human
Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Central Bank of Venezuela and the National
Statistical Institute of Venezuela stated that the annual
inflation rate in Venezuela in 2013 was 56.30, the highest
level of inflation in the Western Hemisphere and the third
highest level of inflation in the world behind South Sudan
and Syria.
(2) The Central Bank of Venezuela and the Government of
Venezuela have imposed a series of currency controls that has
exacerbated economic problems and, according to the World
Economic Forum, has become the most problematic factor for
doing business in Venezuela.
(3) The Central Bank of Venezuela declared that the
scarcity index of Venezuela reached 29.4 percent in March
2014, which signifies that fewer than one in 4 basic goods is
unavailable at any given time. The Central Bank has not
released any information on the scarcity index since that
time.
(4) Since 1999, violent crime in Venezuela has risen
sharply and the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, an
independent nongovernmental organization, found the national
per capita murder rate to be 79 per 100,000 people in 2013.
(5) The international nongovernmental organization Human
Rights Watch recently stated, ``Under the leadership of
President Chavez and now President Maduro, the accumulation
of power in the executive branch and the erosion of human
rights guarantees have enabled the government to intimidate,
censor, and prosecute its critics.''.
(6) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013
of the Department of State maintained that in Venezuela ``the
government did not respect judicial independence or permit
judges to act according to the law without fear of
retaliation'' and ``the government used the judiciary to
intimidate and selectively prosecute political, union,
business, and civil society leaders who were critical of
government policies or actions''.
(7) The Government of Venezuela has detained foreign
journalists and threatened and expelled international media
outlets operating in Venezuela, and the international
nongovernmental organization Freedom House declared that
Venezuela's ``media climate is permeated by intimidation,
sometimes including physical attacks, and strong antimedia
rhetoric by the government is common''.
(8) Since February 4, 2014, the Government of Venezuela has
responded to antigovernment protests with violence and
killings perpetrated by its public security forces.
(9) In May 2014, Human Rights Watch found that the unlawful
use of force perpetrated against antigovernment protesters
was ``part of a systematic practice by the Venezuelan
security forces''.
(10) As of September 1, 2014, 41 people had been killed,
approximately 3,000 had been arrested unjustly, and more than
150 remained in prison and faced criminal charges as a result
of antigovernment demonstrations throughout Venezuela.
(11) Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was arrested on
February 18, 2014, in relation to the protests and was
unjustly charged with criminal incitement, conspiracy, arson,
and property damage. Since his arrest, Lopez has been held in
solitary confinement and has been denied 58 out of 60 of his
proposed witnesses at his ongoing trial.
(12) As of September 1, 2014, not a single member of the
public security forces of the Government of Venezuela had
been held accountable for acts of violence perpetrated
against antigovernment protesters.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ANTIGOVERNMENT PROTESTS
IN VENEZUELA AND THE NEED TO PREVENT FURTHER
VIOLENCE IN VENEZUELA.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States aspires to a mutually beneficial
relationship with Venezuela based on respect for human rights
and the rule of law and a functional and productive
relationship on issues of public security, including
counternarcotics and counterterrorism;
(2) the United States supports the people of Venezuela in
their efforts to realize their full economic potential and to
advance representative democracy, human rights, and the rule
of law within their country;
(3) the chronic mismanagement by the Government of
Venezuela of its economy has produced conditions of economic
hardship and scarcity of basic goods and foodstuffs for the
people of Venezuela;
(4) the failure of the Government of Venezuela to guarantee
minimal standards of public security for its citizens has led
the country to become one of the most violent and corrupt in
the world;
(5) the Government of Venezuela continues to take steps to
remove checks and balances on the executive, politicize the
judiciary, undermine the independence of the legislature
through use of executive decree powers, persecute and
prosecute its political opponents, curtail freedom of the
press, and limit the free expression of its citizens;
(6) Venezuelans, responding to ongoing economic hardship,
high levels of crime and violence, and the lack of basic
political rights and individual freedoms, have turned out in
demonstrations in Caracas and throughout the country to
protest the failure of the Government of Venezuela to protect
the political and economic well-being of its citizens; and
(7) the repeated use of violence perpetrated by the
National Guard and security personnel of Venezuela, as well
as persons acting on behalf of the Government of Venezuela,
against antigovernment protesters that began on February 4,
2014, is intolerable and the use of unprovoked violence by
protesters is also a matter of serious concern.
SEC. 4. UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD VENEZUELA.
It is the policy of the United States--
(1) to support the people of Venezuela in their aspiration
to live under conditions of peace and representative
democracy as defined by the Inter-American Democratic Charter
of the Organization of American States;
(2) to work in concert with the other member states within
the Organization of American States, as well as the countries
of the European Union, to ensure the peaceful resolution of
the current situation in Venezuela
[[Page H9021]]
and the immediate cessation of violence against
antigovernment protestors;
(3) to hold accountable government and security officials
in Venezuela responsible for or complicit in the use of force
in relation to antigovernment protests and similar future
acts of violence; and
(4) to continue to support the development of democratic
political processes and independent civil society in
Venezuela.
SEC. 5. SANCTIONS ON PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLENCE IN
VENEZUELA.
(a) In General.--The President shall impose the sanctions
described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign
person, including any current or former official of the
Government of Venezuela or any person acting on behalf of
that Government, that the President determines--
(1) has perpetrated, or is responsible for ordering or
otherwise directing, significant acts of violence or serious
human rights abuses in Venezuela against persons associated
with the antigovernment protests in Venezuela that began on
February 4, 2014;
(2) has ordered or otherwise directed the arrest or
prosecution of a person in Venezuela primarily because of the
person's legitimate exercise of freedom of expression or
assembly; or
(3) has knowingly materially assisted, sponsored, or
provided significant financial, material, or technological
support for, or goods or services in support of, the
commission of acts described in paragraph (1) or (2).
(b) Sanctions Described.--
(1) In general.--The sanctions described in this subsection
are the following:
(A) Asset blocking.--The exercise of all powers granted to
the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block
and prohibit all transactions in all property and interests
in property of a person determined by the President to be
subject to subsection (a) if such property and interests in
property are in the United States, come within the United
States, or are or come within the possession or control of a
United States person.
(B) Exclusion from the united states and revocation of visa
or other documentation.--In the case of an alien determined
by the President to be subject to subsection (a), denial of a
visa to, and exclusion from the United States of, the alien,
and revocation in accordance with section 221(i) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), of any
visa or other documentation of the alien.
(2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to
violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of
paragraph (1)(A) or any regulation, license, or order issued
to carry out paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the
penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206
of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C.
1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful
act described in subsection (a) of that section.
(3) Exception relating to importation of goods.--The
requirement to block and prohibit all transactions in all
property and interests in property under paragraph (1)(A)
shall not include the authority to impose sanctions on the
importation of goods.
(4) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters
agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply
to an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is
necessary to permit the United States to comply with the
Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations,
signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force
November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United
States, or other applicable international obligations.
(c) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of
sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to a person if
the President--
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the national
interest of the United States; and
(2) on or before the date on which the waiver takes effect,
submits to the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Banking Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Financial Services of the House of Representatives a notice
of and justification for the waiver.
(d) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall issue such
regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry
out this section.
(e) Termination.--The requirement to impose sanctions under
this section shall terminate on December 31, 2016.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Admitted; alien.--The terms ``admitted'' and ``alien''
have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Financial institution.--The term ``financial
institution'' has the meaning given that term in section 5312
of title 31, United States Code.
(3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means a
person that is not a United States person.
(4) Good.--The term ``good'' has the meaning given that
term in section 16 of the Export Administration Act of 1979
(50 U.S.C. App. 2415) (as continued in effect pursuant to the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701
et seq.)).
(5) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'', with respect to
conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has
actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the
circumstance, or the result.
(6) Materially assisted.--The term ``materially assisted''
means the provision of assistance that is significant and of
a kind directly relevant to acts described in paragraph (1)
or (2) of subsection (a).
(7) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence to the United States; or
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States
or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a
foreign branch of such an entity.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON BROADCASTING, INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION, AND
CIRCUMVENTION TECHNOLOGY DISTRIBUTION IN
VENEZUELA.
(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of the Broadcasting
Board of Governors (in this section referred to as the
``Board'') shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
(1) a thorough evaluation of the governmental, political,
and technological obstacles faced by the people of Venezuela
in their efforts to obtain accurate, objective, and
comprehensive news and information about domestic and
international affairs;
(2) an assessment of current efforts relating to
broadcasting, information distribution, and circumvention
technology distribution in Venezuela, by the United States
Government and otherwise; and
(3) a strategy for expanding such efforts in Venezuela,
including recommendations for additional measures to expand
upon current efforts.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include--
(1) an assessment of the current level of Federal funding
dedicated to broadcasting, information distribution, and
circumvention technology distribution in Venezuela by the
Board before the date of the enactment of this Act;
(2) an assessment of the extent to which the current level
and type of news and related programming and content provided
by the Voice of America and other sources is addressing the
informational needs of the people of Venezuela; and
(3) recommendations for increasing broadcasting,
information distribution, and circumvention technology
distribution in Venezuela.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Vargas) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that today, International Human Rights
Day, we consider and debate the bill before us: the Venezuela Defense
of Human Rights and Civil Society Act. The House unanimously passed a
similar measure that I authored and introduced earlier this year, and I
urge passage of this measure before us presented by Senators Menendez
and Rubio.
The people of Venezuela, Mr. Speaker, have been crying out for help.
They have been begging the United States and all responsible nations to
help protect them against the tyranny and brutality under the Maduro
regime, the puppets of the oppressive Castro regime in Cuba. I should
point out that today, International Human Rights Day, the Castro thugs
rounded up and imprisoned 52 human rights activists.
Today, Congress speaks in a unified and bipartisan voice. The human
rights situation in Venezuela has actually gotten worse under Maduro
since the death of that other Castro sycophant, Hugo Chavez. In fact,
since February 12, 2014, also known as National Youth Day in Venezuela,
the freedom-seeking people of Venezuela have risen up to challenge the
abuses and undemocratic actions being committed by Nicolas Maduro and
his lackeys, demanding their most basic and fundamental rights.
Naturally, oppressors have but one option which they never fail to
resort to; and Maduro, as we knew he would, responded with a violent
crackdown against those who had the courage to challenge his
authoritarian rule.
Ever since the peaceful demonstrations against the regime began on
National Youth Day, 42 people have been
[[Page H9022]]
killed, there have been nearly 60 reported cases of torture, and 72
students remain jailed to this day.
Pro-democracy leaders have raised their voices against the abuses of
the regime, and they have been persecuted with politically-motivated
charges, and those arrested face indescribable cruelty in prison.
{time} 1830
Leopoldo Lopez, one of the faces of the democratic opposition,
continues to be imprisoned in a military facility. Leopoldo is
continuously denied visitors, and his legal proceedings, such as they
are, are plagued with irregularities.
Daniel Ceballos, the mayor of the city of San Cristobal, was
impeached and arrested by the Maduro thugs earlier this year. Daniel's
only crime was to defend his constituents from the repressive abuses of
the National Guard deployed to violently quash them.
But these cases, sadly, Mr. Speaker, are not isolated. Earlier this
year, Maria Corina Machado, a courageous woman and vocal opposition
leader, came to Washington, D.C., came to the United States to speak in
front of the Organization of American States on the tragic situation in
her homeland of Venezuela. The OAS, the Organization of American
States, is a body that is supposed to uphold and protect the democratic
charter and human rights in the Americas.
Maria Corina was blocked by Castro sympathizers, Maduro sympathizers,
and their cronies, and she was prevented from even addressing this
body. And when she returned home, what happened to Maria Corina
Machado? She was illegally stripped of her position in the Venezuelan
National Assembly because she dared to speak out against the regime and
in favor of human rights.
But the problems of Venezuela go beyond these democratic abuses.
Nicolas Maduro's inability to contain a spiraling hyperinflationary
economy, marked by shortages of consumer goods, along with a
skyrocketing crime rate creates a difficult, almost unbearable
situation for Venezuelans to endure.
The legislation before us targets Venezuelan officials responsible
for the perpetration of human rights abuses against the citizens of
Venezuela. And how do we do that? We deny them visas. We block their
property. We freeze their assets here in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, the distress signal sent to us by the people of
Venezuela did not just start in February. For years, the Venezuelan
people have been calling out for help, asking us for our assistance,
for us to do something, anything that will help stop the terrible human
rights abuses of the authoritarian thug Chavez, and now his Mini-Me,
Maduro.
Sadly, our administration has been deafeningly silent, embarrassingly
silent. It has turned a blind eye to the harsh and brutal reality in
Venezuela, has been afraid to speak out and take action against Chavez,
and, until now, has been far too afraid to challenge Maduro.
But the United States Congress will act, Mr. Speaker. Let's send a
strong signal tonight--not only to the administration, but to the
people of Venezuela--that the United States Congress hears, sees, and
feels their suffering, and we will not allow their anguish to go
unobstructed.
The United States cannot ignore its responsibilities, and we must
answer the calls for freedom, for democracy around the globe. We must
be the voice for those who are being silenced by their oppressive
regimes, and we must stand for the values that we believe in--not just
here at home, but everywhere.
Mr. Speaker, by passing this bill and sending it to the President's
desk, we will do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, December 10, 2014.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for agreeing to forgo a
referral request and committee consideration of S. 2142, the
Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of
2014, so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to the
Floor.
I agree that your forgoing action on this measure does not
in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the
Committee on the Judiciary, or prejudice its jurisdictional
prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the
future.
I will seek to place this letter into the Congressional
Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate
your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward
to continuing to work with the Committee on the Judiciary as
this measure moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Royce,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, December 10, 2014.
Hon. Jeb Hensarling,
Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Hensarling: Thank you for agreeing to forgo a
referral request and committee consideration of S. 2142, the
Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of
2014, so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to the
Floor.
I agree that your forgoing action on this measure does not
in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the
Committee on Financial Services, or prejudice its
jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar
legislation in the future.
I will seek to place this letter into the Congressional
Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate
your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward
to continuing to work with the Committee on Financial
Services as this measure moves through the legislative
process.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Royce,
Chairman.
Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2142, the Venezuelan
Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014, and yield myself
as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking Congresswoman Ros-
Lehtinen--thank you for your leadership on this--and also Senator
Menendez for his leadership on this legislation. I also want to thank,
once again, Chairman Royce, who has approached this issue in a
bipartisan way, as he always does.
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's bill passed the House unanimously in
May, and I am pleased that we are now ready to send this bill to the
President's desk.
The world has watched closely over the last year as Venezuela's
President Nicolas Maduro has stifled the democratic aspirations of the
Venezuelan people. Peaceful protesters seeking basic rights and dignity
have been met with violence. Forty-two people were tragically killed
and 800 were injured on both sides of the conflict. We mourn all of
their losses. At the same time, the Maduro government has arrested
political opponents and stood in the way of a free press.
Nearly 10 minutes after his arrest, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez
remains in jail on trumped-up charges. The U.N. Committee Against
Torture, seven former Latin American Presidents, and the leaders around
the world have called for Leopoldo's release.
Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader and former National Assembly
Deputy Maria Corina Machado was charged for conspiring to assassinate
President Maduro, another desperate move by a desperate government.
Maduro's government even considers the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia in
on this bizarre conspiracy. It would be humorous if it wasn't so sad
and dangerous.
The legislation that we are considering today makes it clear that
Congress will not turn a blind eye to the human rights violations in
Venezuela. By stripping human rights violators of their visas, we are
saying that those responsible for abuses in Venezuela are not welcome
in the United States. By freezing their assets, we are making it clear
that those who violate human rights in Venezuela won't have access to
financial institutions in the United States.
Venezuela's leaders will say this bill is going to hurt the average
Venezuelan citizen. That is nonsense. These sanctions won't touch the
oil sector or other vital parts of the Venezuelan economy. They only
affect those complicit in the recent crackdowns.
Finally, I will note that this bill gives President Obama needed
flexibility to respond to events on the ground in Venezuela. Each and
every sanction in this bill can be waived by the President at any time.
[[Page H9023]]
Let's stand with the people of Venezuela and support the immediate
passage of S. 2142.
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, at this time, I would like to thank and congratulate the
vibrant Venezuelan American community in our area in south Florida and,
indeed, throughout our great Nation for never forgetting the suffering
of their native lands. They have many family members in Venezuela, and
they care deeply about what happens in their homeland.
Now they have adopted America as their homeland and they are proud
Americans, but they are also very proud of their traditions. It is
because of their desire to go back to a Venezuela one day--that will be
free, that will be democratic, that will respect the human rights--that
we are here today fighting on their behalf. So thanks to our
constituents for making this day a reality.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank my
colleague and the gentlewoman from south Florida, who has really been a
passionate advocate and whom I have stood in solidarity with on this
and so many other issues.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Venezuela Defense of
Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014. I do so as the proud
representative of Westonzuela, my hometown, and one in which we have an
incredibly rich and vibrant community of Venezuelans and Venezuelan
Americans. As the representative of one of the largest communities of
Venezuelans and Venezuelan Americans in the United States, I am here to
strongly speak out against the continued, unconscionable abuses of the
Maduro government against innocent citizens.
Earlier this year, facing a repressive government and crushing
economic conditions, thousands of Venezuelans peacefully protested to
demand their basic human rights and dignity. In response, President
Maduro and his security forces brutally suppressed their own citizens
in the streets and used the judiciary to squash voices championing
freedom of expression and democracy. Although President Maduro has
tried to further silence these voices by limiting media coverage of the
ongoing oppression and repression and terrible economic conditions of
his country, we can still hear the demands for justice and for dignity.
This bill would impose sanctions on those individuals in Maduro's
regime who have ordered the arrest or prosecution of anyone exercising
their right to peacefully assemble or protest, or those who supported
those actions. Through our action here today, we signify the
determination of the American people to stand for freedom and
democracy, and this bill reinforces the sentiments and actions of the
U.S. Congress and the Obama administration.
Along with my colleagues, I stand in solidarity with those brave
Venezuelans continuing to advocate for their rights, including
opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who outrageously remains in prison. I
look forward to this measure's passage and to President Obama's
signature, and working with the Obama administration and our allies to
hold these perpetrators of the injustice accountable for their crimes.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
In closing, I would like to emphasize, once again, that today's
legislation is consistent with our treatment of human rights violators
throughout the world.
Will this legislation all of a sudden turn President Maduro and his
government into great respecters of human rights? None of us are naive
enough to believe this, but what it will do is it will send a message
to human rights violators in Venezuela and throughout the world that
your visas and your assets in U.S. financial institutions are in peril
if you abuse individuals' human rights.
I once again urge my colleagues to support the immediate passage of
S. 2142.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to thank our entire south
Florida congressional delegation. All of us worked together in a
bipartisan way to get this bill to this moment.
I would especially like to thank Senator Bob Menendez, the chairman
of the Foreign Relations Committee, along with our own Florida Senator
whom we are so proud of, Marco Rubio, for their hard work on this bill
and, really, for their work on the broader issues of the lack of
democracy in our hemisphere, the disrespect for human rights, the lack
of the rule of law.
Sadly, in our Western Hemisphere, instead of seeing advances of human
rights and advances of democracy, we have seen a sad erosion in these
years. We thank all of the Members for always using these esteemed
floors to talk about our basic values that we share with our
hemispheric neighbors, and that is respect for human rights, respect
for democracy, respect for the rule of law, and always to continue to
do everything we can to make sure that all of our oppressed brothers
and sisters will live in freedom, the freedom that we enjoy so much.
I thank very much our chairman of our Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr.
Royce, for his help and his leadership in this fight.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 2142.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________