[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 16, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2960-S2961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 China

  Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I have come to the floor today as part of 
my office's Expression NOT Oppression initiative, which highlights 
human rights abuses around the world and the plight of individuals 
imprisoned or oppressed for simply exercising their God-given rights.
  Earlier this month, we observed World Press Freedom Day, which serves 
as a reminder that freedom of expression is a fundamental, universal 
human right and that a free press is vital to a free society.
  We should never take for granted the freedom of the press we enjoy 
here in the United States. These rights are an integral part of the 
bedrock of any healthy democracy, and in too many parts of the world, 
they are nonexistent or under assault.
  According to Reporters Without Borders' 2017 World Press Freedom 
Index, press freedom is threatened now more than ever. Governments 
around the world continue to crack down on their citizens' access to 
information. Out of 180 countries, Burundi dropped from 156 to 160. 
Most problematic for press freedom, Egypt dropped from 159 to 161, and 
Bahrain dropped from 162 to 164.
  Additionally, Reporters Without Borders has reported that at least 
nine journalists have been killed already in 2017. Several were killed 
in Mexico, here in our own hemisphere. It is hard to believe that 
people are being thrown in jail or worse simply because government 
officials don't like what they write or publish, but that is what is 
happening, especially in countries like China, Russia, Iran, and Saudi 
Arabia, just to name a few.
  The case I come to the floor today to highlight is that of Huang Qi, 
who has long been targeted by the Chinese Government because of his 
advocacy for the rights of ordinary citizens and his coverage of the 
Chinese Government's violation of those rights. In November of last 
year, the police reportedly burst into his residence and ransacked his 
home and took him to detention. In December of last year, Chinese 
prosecutors authorized Huang's arrest for allegedly ``illegally 
providing state secrets overseas,'' a charge that can result in a 
sentence of life imprisonment. The Committee to Protect Journalists 
described his detention as part of ``an intensified crackdown on online 
journalists and bloggers who report on protests and human rights 
abuses.''
  Huang founded the 64 Tianwang human rights website in 1998. The 
Chinese Government has blocked access to 64 Tianwang since 2003, 
according to Radio Free Asia, because the site covers issues deemed 
politically sensitive by authorities, such as protests and government 
corruption.
  Authorities previously sentenced Huang to 3 years in prison in 
November 2009 for ``illegal possession of state secrets''--this in 
connection with his work assisting parents who lost children during the 
2008 Sichuan earthquake. In addition, Chinese authorities sentenced 
Huang to 5 years in prison in 2000 for ``subversion'' for his advocacy 
on behalf of the families of the 1989 Tiananmen protest victims--a 
solemn anniversary we will mark next month.
  In short, Huang, a veteran activist, is no stranger to the Chinese 
Government's silencing of dissent. His life's work is a testament to 
fearless reporting regardless of what consequences may follow. While 
his own government views him as a threat, outside of China, his work is 
widely praised and recognized. Reporters Without Borders awarded the 
2016 Press Freedom Award to his website. His case has been championed 
by Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, and others, including the 
Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which I am proud to chair. 
His case is featured in the Commission's Political Prisoner Database, 
which presently contains more than 1,400 active prisoner records--a 
staggering but far from exhaustive number.
  Huang is committed to reporting the facts--facts that describe the 
daily struggles of Chinese citizens. For this, he has suffered greatly, 
including reported torture and mistreatment in detention, unjust 
imprisonment, and deprivation of his most basic rights.
  The Chinese Government should immediately and unconditionally release 
him. The United States should make this case and the cases of many 
others like him languishing unjustly behind bars in China or tortured 
into ``confessing'' to ``crimes'' they did not commit, priorities--we 
should make these priorities in our bilateral engagement with Beijing.
  It is the second point--the torture and mistreatment of rights 
defenders--that brings to mind another troubling case, that of 
prominent rights lawyer Xie Yang. His wife, who recently arrived in the 
United States with her two young children, will testify before the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee later this week. Xie has bravely taken 
on sensitive cases, including land grab victims and advocates for 
democratic reform. Chinese security agents detained him as part of the 
709 Crackdown--a sweeping, nationwide campaign against Chinese rights 
lawyers and advocates that started on July 9, 2015.
  The plight of 45-year-old Mr. Xie burst onto the international scene 
in January 2017 when his attorneys released transcripts of their 
meetings with him. The transcripts recount the threats of his 
inquisitors. They said: ``We'll torture you to death just like an 
ant.'' Another warned: ``I'm going to torment you until you go 
insane.'' He told his lawyers: ``I wanted to end their interrogation of 
me as quickly as I could, even if it meant death. . . . Later, I wrote 
down whatever they wanted.'' As if foreshadowing the fate that awaited 
him, he had earlier written a letter in detention in which he 
cautioned, ``If one day in the future I admit guilt . . . that will not 
be a true expression of my thoughts.''
  Fast-forward to last week. He was charged with ``inciting subversion 
of state power and disrupting court order'' and pled guilty in a 
recorded video released by the court and widely reported in major media 
outlets. He said: ``I want to take this opportunity to express to other 
rights lawyers my view now that we should give up using contact with 
foreign media and independent media to hype sensitive news events, 
attack judicial institutions and smear the image of the nation's party 
organs while handling cases. . . . `'
  He continued in that same coerced statement: ``Everyone should take 
me as a warning to certainly stay within the framework of the law and 
avoid being exploited by Western anti-China forces.''
  Yet, despite these warnings and the Chinese Government's unyielding 
assault on human rights, there are still men and women committed to 
reporting on the government's abuses and steadfast in defending the 
powerless and the marginalized. Their courage is an inspiration, and it 
must summon our solidarity.
  I look forward to the day when the Chinese Government upholds rather 
than tramples the rights of its own citizens, abides by the rule of law 
at home, and respects the international rules-based system globally. 
However, that day has not yet arrived. Until it does, we must signal to 
the Chinese people that whatever our broader diplomatic and strategic 
aims may be as it relates to North Korea or any other issue, America is 
under no illusions about the iron-fisted leadership of President Xi and 
his utter disregard for the rights and dignity of his own people.
  As President Trump continues fulfilling his duty and appointing 
individuals to key positions, I will keep raising these issues with 
each and every relevant nominee whom I meet with

[[Page S2961]]

both privately, as I did with Governor Branstad, and publicly, as I did 
during his confirmation hearing. It is critical that the United States 
keep human rights for all people as a core pillar of our foreign 
policy.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Under the previous order, all postcloture time has expired.
  The question is, Will the Senate advise and consent to the Rosen 
nomination?
  Mr. GARDNER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the 
Senator from Georgia (Mr. Isakson) and the Senator from Kansas (Mr. 
Moran).
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Are there any other Senators in the 
Chamber desiring to vote?
  The result was announced--yeas 56, nays 42, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 129 Ex.]

                                YEAS--56

     Alexander
     Barrasso
     Blunt
     Boozman
     Burr
     Capito
     Cassidy
     Cochran
     Collins
     Corker
     Cornyn
     Cotton
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Donnelly
     Enzi
     Ernst
     Fischer
     Flake
     Gardner
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hatch
     Heitkamp
     Heller
     Hoeven
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kaine
     Kennedy
     Lankford
     Lee
     Manchin
     McCain
     McConnell
     Murkowski
     Paul
     Perdue
     Peters
     Portman
     Risch
     Roberts
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sasse
     Scott
     Shelby
     Strange
     Sullivan
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Warner
     Wicker
     Young

                                NAYS--42

     Baldwin
     Bennet
     Blumenthal
     Booker
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Coons
     Cortez Masto
     Duckworth
     Durbin
     Feinstein
     Franken
     Gillibrand
     Harris
     Hassan
     Heinrich
     Hirono
     King
     Klobuchar
     Leahy
     Markey
     McCaskill
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Murphy
     Murray
     Nelson
     Reed
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Shaheen
     Stabenow
     Tester
     Udall
     Van Hollen
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Isakson
     Moran
       
  The nomination was confirmed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Rubio). Under the previous order, the 
motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the 
President will be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

                          ____________________