[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H8849-H8853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECIPROCAL ACCESS TO TIBET ACT OF 2018
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1872) to promote access for United States officials,
journalists, and other citizens to Tibetan areas of the People's
Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1872
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 ``Reciprocal Access to Tibet
Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Government of the People's Republic of China does
not grant United States diplomats and other officials,
journalists, and other citizens access to China on a basis
that is reciprocal to the access that the Government of the
United States grants Chinese diplomats and other officials,
journalists, and citizens.
(2) The Government of China imposes greater restrictions on
travel to Tibetan areas than to other areas of China.
(3) Officials of China have stated that Tibet is open to
foreign visitors.
(4) The Government of China is promoting tourism in Tibetan
areas, and at the Sixth Tibet Work Forum in August 2015,
Premier Li Keqiang called for Tibet to build ``major world
tourism destinations''.
(5) The Government of China requires foreigners to obtain
permission from the Tibet Foreign and Overseas Affairs Office
or from the Tibet Tourism Bureau to enter the Tibet
Autonomous Region, a restriction that is not imposed on
travel to any other provincial-level jurisdiction in China.
(6) The Department of State reports that--
(A) officials of the Government of the United States
submitted 39 requests for diplomatic access to the Tibet
Autonomous Region between May 2011 and July 2015, but only
four were granted; and
(B) when such requests are granted, diplomatic personnel
are closely supervised and given few opportunities to meet
local residents not approved by authorities.
(7) The Government of China delayed United States consular
access for more than 48 hours after an October 28, 2013, bus
crash in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in which three citizens
of the United States died and more than a dozen others, all
from Walnut, California, were injured, undermining the
ability of the Government of the United States to provide
consular services to the victims and their families, and
failing to meet China's obligations under the Convention on
Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963 (21 UST
77).
(8) Following a 2015 earthquake that trapped dozens of
citizens of the United States in the Tibet Autonomous Region,
the United States Consulate General in Chengdu faced
significant challenges in providing emergency consular
assistance due to a lack of consular access.
(9) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015
of the Department of State stated ``With the exception of a
few highly controlled trips, the Chinese government also
denied multiple requests by foreign diplomats for permission
to visit the TAR.''.
(10) Tibetan-Americans, attempting to visit their homeland,
report having to undergo a discriminatory visa application
process, different from what is typically required, at the
Chinese embassy and consulates in the United States, and
often find their requests to travel denied.
(11) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016
of the Department of State stated ``The few visits to the TAR
by diplomats and journalists that were allowed were tightly
controlled by local authorities.''.
(12) A September 2016 article in the Washington Post
reported that ``The Tibet Autonomous Region . . . is harder
to visit as a journalist than North Korea.''.
(13) The Government of China has failed to respond
positively to requests from the Government of the United
States to open a consulate in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.
(14) The Foreign Correspondents Club of China reports
that--
(A) 2008 rules prevent foreign reporters from visiting the
Tibet Autonomous Region without prior permission from the
Government of such Region;
(B) such permission has only rarely been granted; and
(C) although the 2008 rules allow journalists to travel
freely in other parts of China, Tibetan areas outside such
Region remain ``effectively off-limits to foreign
reporters''.
(15) The Department of State reports that in addition to
having to obtain permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous
Region, foreign tourists--
(A) must be accompanied at all times by a government-
designated tour guide;
(B) are rarely granted permission to enter the region by
road;
(C) are largely barred from visiting around the March
anniversary of a 1959 Tibetan uprising; and
(D) are banned from visiting the area where Larung Gar, the
world's largest center for the study of Tibetan Buddhism, and
the site of a large-scale campaign to expel students and
demolish living quarters, is located.
(16) Foreign visitors also face restrictions in their
ability to travel freely in Tibetan areas outside the Tibet
Autonomous Region.
(17) The Government of the United States generally allows
journalists and other citizens of China to travel freely
within the United States. The Government of the United States
requires diplomats from China to notify the Department of
State of their travel plans, and in certain situations, the
Government of the United States requires such diplomats to
obtain approval from the Department of State before travel.
However, where approval is required, it is almost always
granted expeditiously.
(18) The United States regularly grants visas to Chinese
diplomats and other officials, scholars, and others who
travel to the United States to discuss, promote, and display
the perspective of the Government of China on the situation
in Tibetan areas, even as the Government of China restricts
the ability of citizens of the United States to travel to
Tibetan areas to gain their own perspective.
(19) Chinese diplomats based in the United States generally
avail themselves of the freedom to travel to United States
cities and lobby city councils, mayors, and governors to
refrain from passing resolutions, issuing proclamations, or
making statements of concern on Tibet.
(20) The Government of China characterizes statements made
by officials of the United States about the situation in
Tibetan areas as inappropriate interference in the internal
affairs of China.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
the Judiciary of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
(2) Tibetan areas.--The term ``Tibetan areas'' includes--
(A) the Tibet Autonomous Region; and
(B) the areas that the Chinese Government designates as
Tibetan Autonomous, as follows:
(i) Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Pari
(Tianzhu) Tibetan Autonomous County located in Gansu
Province.
(ii) Golog (Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Malho
(Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsojang (Haibei)
Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan
Autonomous Prefecture, Tsonub (Haixi) Mongolian and Tibetan
Autonomous Prefecture, and Yulshul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous
Prefecture, located in Qinghai Province.
(iii) Garze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Ngawa
(Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, and Muli
(Mili) Tibetan Autonomous County, located in Sichuan
Province.
(iv) Dechen (Diqing) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, located
in Yunnan Province.
SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT ON ACCESS TO TIBETAN AREAS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the
following five years, the Secretary of State shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees, and make available
to the public on the website of the Department of State, a
report that includes an assessment of the level of access
Chinese authorities granted diplomats and other officials,
journalists, and tourists from the United States to Tibetan
areas, including--
(1) a comparison with the level of access granted to other
areas of China;
(2) a comparison between the levels of access granted to
Tibetan and non-Tibetan areas in relevant provinces;
(3) a comparison of the level of access in the reporting
year and the previous reporting year; and
(4) a description of the required permits and other
measures that impede the freedom to travel in Tibetan areas.
(b) Consolidation.--After the issuance of the first report
required by subsection (a),
[[Page H8850]]
the Secretary of State is authorized to incorporate
subsequent reports required by subsection (a) into other
publicly available, annual reports produced by the Department
of State, provided they are submitted to the appropriate
congressional committees in a manner specifying that they are
being submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of this
Act.
SEC. 5. INADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN ALIENS.
(a) Ineligibility for Visas.--No individual whom the
Secretary of State has determined to be substantially
involved in the formulation or execution of policies related
to access for foreigners to Tibetan areas may be eligible to
receive a visa to enter the United States or be admitted to
the United States if the Secretary of State determines that--
(1)(A) the requirement for specific official permission for
foreigners to enter the Tibetan Autonomous Region remains in
effect; or
(B) such requirement has been replaced by a regulation that
has a similar effect and requires foreign travelers to gain a
level of permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region that
is not required for travel to other provinces in China; and
(2) restrictions on travel by diplomats and other
officials, journalists, and citizens of the United States to
areas designated as ``Tibetan Autonomous'' in the provinces
of Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan, and Gansu of China are greater
than any restrictions on travel by such officials and
citizens to areas in such provinces that are not so
designated.
(b) Current Visas Revoked.--The Secretary of State shall
revoke, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), the visa or other
documentation to enter or be present in the United States
issued for an alien who would be ineligible to receive such a
visa or documentation under subsection (a).
(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter
for the following five years, the Secretary of State shall
provide to the appropriate congressional committees a report
identifying the individuals who have had visas denied or
revoked pursuant to this section during the preceding year
and, to the extent practicable, a list of Chinese officials
who were substantially involved in the formulation or
execution of policies to restrict access of United States
diplomats and other officials, journalists, and citizens of
the United States to Tibetan areas. The report required by
this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, but
may include a classified annex.
(d) Waiver for National Interest.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State may waive the
application of subsection (a) or (b) in the case of an alien
if the Secretary determines that such a waiver--
(A) 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 (TIAS 1676), or any other
applicable international obligation of the United States; or
(B) is in the national interest of the United States.
(2) Notification.--Upon granting a waiver under paragraph
(1), the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a document detailing the evidence
and justification for the necessity of such waiver,
including, if such waiver is granted pursuant to paragraph
(1)(B), how such waiver relates to the national interest of
the United States.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State,
when granting diplomats and other officials from China access
to parts of the United States, including consular access,
should take into account the extent to which the Government
of China grants diplomats and other officials from the United
States access to parts of China, including the level of
access afforded to such diplomats and other officials to
Tibetan areas.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Rutherford) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms.
Jayapal) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous materials on H.R. 1872, currently under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1872, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018,
addresses an issue of longstanding and increasing concern regarding
China's treatment of Tibetans living in the Tibet Autonomous Region,
also known as TAR, and other Tibetan areas controlled by China.
In 1950, the Chinese People's Liberation Army went into Tibet in
order to establish control over the region. In the years since then, as
noted by the U.S. Department of State, the Chinese Government has
``imposed severe restrictions on Tibetans' ability to exercise their
human rights and fundamental freedoms.'' Such restrictions occur with
regard to religious practice, freedom of travel, freedom to practice
cultural and language preferences, and other aspects of everyday life.
In addition, the Chinese Government routinely engages in human rights
abuses, such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest.
In fact, the Chinese Government's actions are so severe that, in recent
years, over 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in a last-ditch effort to
get the rest of the world to focus on this problem.
In order to prevent documentation of the religious freedom
restrictions and other human rights abuses to the outside world, the
Government of China has severely limited access by foreign nationals to
these Tibetan regions. Such limitations prevent access to U.S.
officials seeking diplomatic and consular access, journalists, human
rights workers, and even tourists. When rare access is granted,
activities are closely monitored by the PRC and information
dissemination is restricted.
Matteo Mecacci, the president of the International Campaign for
Tibet, has stated that the Chinese leadership is seeking to enforce
complete isolation of Tibet, often described as being worse than in
North Korea, where at least some foreign media are based. Independent
international observers are shut out of Tibet or allowed to visit only
under strictly controlled circumstances, while numerous delegations of
party officials face no obstacles in traveling to Western democracies
to spread their propaganda.
In fact, travel by Chinese nationals, including those with direct and
substantial involvement in the formulation of policies to restrict
access to Tibet, is routinely allowed by governments all over the
world, including the United States. During fiscal year 2017, for
instance, nearly 1.5 million tourist visas were issued by the United
States to Chinese nationals. Those visas are valid for 10 years, during
which the Chinese nationals can visit the United States multiple times.
During that same period, the United States issued nearly 4,500
diplomatic visas to Chinese officials.
H.R. 1872 prohibits an individual who is ``substantially involved in
the formulation or execution of policies related to access for
foreigners to Tibetan areas'' from being granted a U.S. visa if the
Secretary determines that: one, the requirement for specific official
permission for foreigners to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region remains
in effect; or, two, such requirement has been replaced by a regulation
that has a similar effect and requires foreign travelers to gain a
level of permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region that is not
required for travel to other provinces in China; and, three,
restrictions on travel by officials, journalists, and citizens of the
United States to areas designated as ``Tibetan Autonomous'' in the
provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan, Gansu of China are greater than
any restrictions on travel by such officials and citizens to areas in
such provinces that are not so designated. Any visas currently held by
such individuals will be revoked under the bill.
The bill then requires the State Department to report annually to the
House and Senate Judiciary Committees as well as the House Foreign
Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the
number of actions taken regarding visas pursuant to this legislation.
According to the State Department, in recent years, there have been
very small inroads made with regard to access to the Tibetan areas. And
while some have expressed the concern that maybe this bill could make
the Chinese Government roll back some of those inroads, moving this
bill is the right thing to do. It is time that Congress takes a stand
with regard to access by foreign nationals to the Tibetan regions.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman McGovern for his work on
this issue.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
[[Page H8851]]
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, August 31, 2018.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for consulting with the
Foreign Affairs Committee regarding H.R. 1872, the Reciprocal
Access to Tibet Act, and for considering our input during
your markup of the bill. I agree that the Foreign Affairs
Committee may be discharged from further consideration of
that measure, so that it may proceed expeditiously to the
House floor.
I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding that
forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way
diminish, alter, or prejudice the jurisdiction of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this bill or similar legislation, or its right to seek an
appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this bill.
I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter
be included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of H.R. 1872.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Royce,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, September 20, 2018.
Hon. Edward R. Royce,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Royce: Thank you for consulting with the
Committee on the Judiciary and agreeing to be discharged from
further consideration of H.R. 1872, the ``Reciprocal Access
to Tibet Act,'' so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to
the House floor.
I agree that your foregoing further action on this measure
does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of
your committee or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would
support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate
number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate
conference on this legislation.
I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 1872 into the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill.
I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and
look forward to continuing to work together as this measure
moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman.
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Reciprocal Access
to Tibet bill, introduced by my colleague Jim McGovern, who has been
working on this issue for such a long time as our ranking member on the
Rules Committee and the co-chair of the Lantos Human Rights Commission.
I would like to thank him for his hard work and dedication to this
issue and on this bill.
The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act is about fairness, human rights,
and careful U.S. diplomacy at its core. For too long, China has
restricted access to Tibet, preventing U.S. diplomats and journalists
from observing human rights abuses in Tibet and preventing Tibetan
Americans from visiting their home country. This bill seeks to reset
that table.
H.R. 1872 is premised on the idea that reciprocity forms the basis of
diplomatic law and the practice of mutual exchanges between countries.
This bill simply requires that, if Chinese officials, journalists, and
other citizens are able to travel freely in the United States, it is
only fair that their American counterparts are also able to do the
same; and if Americans are not granted the same access to Tibet that
the Chinese enjoy in the United States, then there should be
consequences.
This is more than reasonable and long overdue. Tibet is so difficult
to visit that a Washington Post journalist said in 2016, Tibet ``is
harder to visit as a journalist than North Korea.''
Mr. Speaker, I had the great honor last year of traveling with our
minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, and Congressman McGovern to Dharamsala
last year to visit with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. It was a deeply,
deeply moving meeting with him, with the Tibetan Government in exile,
and the 10,000-plus people who came to a public celebration event while
we were there.
The world knows that His Holiness is a man of peace and tremendous
integrity. He has laid out a 5-year roadmap for negotiations with
China, and he is willing to work with China to find a way forward. For
any peace plan to get a footing, we have to work closely with our
global partners to push this issue at this time because, if His
Holiness should die, and he will eventually do so, a period of greater
instability is likely to ensure making the human rights issues and the
possible solutions still more intractable. The timing of U.S. actions
here is extremely important.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, my colleague from
Florida, for the time.
Mr. Speaker, when the Dalai Lama was awarded the Congressional Gold
Medal in the year 2007--and this was through legislation that I had the
privilege of authoring with Tom Lantos, our esteemed late chairman of
the Foreign Affairs Committee and the only Holocaust survivor to have
served in this body--when we passed that in the House and we had the
celebration of the Dalai Lama right down the hall, the plight of the
people of Tibet was at the forefront of U.S. policy toward China.
{time} 2030
But in the years since, as China has gained both in strength and in
power, I have grown increasingly worried that Tibet has been pushed to
the periphery, to the edges. It is an afterthought.
I was worried that China's bullying and intimidation tactics, on
display throughout the world, had extended so far that our United
States Congress no longer had the will, no longer had the desire, to
speak out in support of Tibet.
But with this bill, Mr. Speaker, authored by my good friend and my
colleague, Congressman Jim McGovern, we are finally reversing that
trend. We are sending a clear message, a true signal, to the regime in
Beijing that the United States has indeed not forgotten about the
people of Tibet, that Congress will not accept Beijing's bullying and
its intimidation, and that we will stand up in support of human rights
for the people of Tibet.
From demolishing Buddhist temples to jailing more and more prisoners
of conscience, Beijing's policies in Tibet are not only immoral and
unjust, but are threatening the stability of a crucial area for U.S.
interests. We must put pressure on China to stop its repression.
This bill demonstrates that Tibetan human rights continue to be an
important factor in our relations with Beijing, and I encourage all of
my colleagues to give Mr. McGovern full support for this bill.
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), my
colleague, the sponsor of this bill, and a great fighter for human
rights.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Washington for
yielding me the time and for her leadership on this legislation. I
appreciate it very much. And I am grateful to my colleagues from
Florida, as well, for their support and for their leadership.
Mr. Speaker, today is a great day for human rights. The House is
about to approve our bipartisan bill, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet
Act, that will impose real consequences for China's bad behavior in
Tibet.
America's foreign policy ought to send a message that we value human
rights, that we stand with those working for freedom, that those values
compel us to speak out when we see something that is wrong, and that we
will hold accountable those who violate the basic human rights we all
are entitled to. That is exactly what this bill today is all about.
The basis of diplomatic law is mutual access and reciprocity. But
while Chinese diplomats, journalists, and tourists travel freely within
the United States, the Government of the People's Republic of China has
erected many barriers to travel in areas of China inhabited by ethnic
Tibetans.
U.S. diplomats, journalists, and tourists must obtain permission to
enter the Tibet Autonomous Region, a requirement that does not exist
for any other provincial-level entity of China. Visitors also face
obstacles to their ability to travel to Tibetan areas outside the TAR.
But under this bill, Chinese authorities who are involved in the
design and implementation of policies that restrict travel to Tibetan
areas become
[[Page H8852]]
ineligible to receive a visa or be admitted to the United States. This
is a victory for human rights of Tibetans and Americans.
Restricted access to Tibet has many negative consequences for
Tibetans in China and for citizens of the United States. Tibetans are
left isolated from the rest of the world. Their well-documented
suffering under Chinese rule--arbitrary detention, torture and ill-
treatment, extensive government surveillance, restrictions on the use
of their language and their religious and cultural practices--all these
violations of fundamental human rights are hidden from sight.
Preventing diplomats, journalists, and tourists from traveling to Tibet
makes it much harder to assess the full scope of these abuses.
I know firsthand how important access to Tibet is because I had the
opportunity to join Leader Pelosi and several other Members of Congress
for a visit there in November of 2015. I saw the tight control the
government exercises over virtually all aspects of the daily lives of
Tibetans. And I had people thank me for being there, remembering them,
and fighting for their rights.
On the other side, China's travel restrictions deny Americans the
right to visit one of the most beautiful places on Earth and to
experience Tibetan culture in all its richness. In emergencies,
Americans may be denied help, due to China's restrictive policies.
I am reminded that in an October 2013 bus crash in the TAR, which
left three Americans dead and many others injured, U.S. consular
officers faced a delay in obtaining permission to travel to the region.
This severely hindered their ability to serve American citizens in
distress.
Following a 2015 earthquake that trapped dozens of U.S. citizens in
the TAR, the U.S. consulate general faced significant challenges in
providing emergency consular assistance. This is simply unacceptable.
If China wants its citizens and officials to continue to travel
freely in the U.S., Americans, including Tibetan Americans, must be
able to travel freely in China, including Tibet, beginning now. This
bill will move us in the right direction on this basic but very
important issue.
Let me also take a moment to recognize several organizations with
which I have had the privilege to work on behalf of the human rights of
all Tibetans. I thank Human Rights Watch, the Office of Tibet, Students
for a Free Tibet, and most especially the International Campaign on
Tibet. Without their commitment and persistence, this bill would not be
on the floor today.
With this bill, we are taking an important step forward on behalf of
the human rights of Tibetans; we are reaffirming our support for the
leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; and we are sending a message
to the Government of China that human rights are not negotiable.
Supporting human rights is the moral thing to do; it is the right thing
to do; and it is the American thing to do for Tibetans in China and
everywhere else in the world.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the actions called for in this bill are measured and
calibrated, measured in that they follow the line of traditional
diplomacy of taking careful steps without the dangers of over-
escalation, but calibrated to achieve a real opening, to wisely use
U.S. power to open up an opportunity for the two sides to take their
next steps.
There are many Tibetan Americans throughout the United States whose
family members still reside within Tibet, and they are watching this
Chamber closely for signs that the United States is willing to help,
willing to allow them to return to visit their families, and hoping
fervently for a solution to the pain and suffering in Tibet and with
the diaspora that has been experienced by generations.
This is the time for bold U.S. leadership, and I do believe that is
what this bill offers tonight. Our timely consideration of this bill
takes an important step forward in leveling the global playing field.
This bill seeks to make simple policy changes to enforce reciprocity
between our two countries, to make clear that China cannot bar our
people from Tibet and continue to expect open access to our country.
Allowing for the freedom of movement for people in both of our nations
sets an important precedent going forward.
Mr. Speaker, let me just say that this has been an incredibly
important bipartisan collaboration that we have had. I am very grateful
to my colleague from Florida for her work on this, and I am also very
grateful to Chairman Goodlatte and to Ranking Member Nadler for their
work on this.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi), the minority leader, who has been a tireless
champion on this issue for decades, has led many of us to meet with His
Holiness, has worked with His Holiness to come here, and has been a
champion for human rights around the world.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Washington
State who, from day one, has been a champion for human rights in our
country and throughout the world. I was proud to travel with her to
visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where this issue has been on
the forefront for many years and currently.
I thank Mr. Hultgren for his leadership and for being part of this
legislation, and also Chris Smith and Frank Wolf before him. We have
been working on this for a long time.
On a previous trip, we visited Tibet, and we called Mr. McGovern the
spiritual leader of our trip because everywhere he went in Tibet, and
then also in the rest of China, he brought up this issue of
reciprocity. It has a human rights aspect to it, but it also is a
practical matter that if we want to improve communication and
relationships and the rest, if the Tibetan--it is the Chinese
Government, but in the form of the Tibetan--local government there
wants more people to go to school and visit Tibet and all, as a
practical matter, it would be very important for us to have a
diplomatic presence in Lhasa.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act
as a strong, bipartisan bill. We are very proud of that. It takes an
important step forward to advance the future of freedom, dignity, and
prosperity for the Tibetan people.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and acknowledge the leadership of
Congressman Jim McGovern, as I mentioned, who is co-chair of the Tom
Lantos Human Rights Commission. Ten years ago, he became the chair of
that commission. He was working on this issue even before then.
His leadership honors the legacy of Tom Lantos, our colleague, and
the responsibility of Congress to defend human rights and dignity
around the world. That has always been not only bipartisan, but
bicameral on this issue.
This bill holds China officials accountable for their repressive
campaign to cut off Tibet from America and the world. It promotes free,
unfettered travel for American diplomats, journalists, and tourists to
Tibet, and fosters strong bonds between our peoples. And it sends a
clear signal that China's meddling in Tibet's affairs is unacceptable
and cannot continue.
For six decades, the Tibetan people have stood defiant in the face of
oppression and brutality from an authoritarian China. The people of
Tibet have courageously spoken out for their freedom, and the rest of
the world has been stirred to action by their clarion call for justice
and dignity. All freedom-loving people must continue to speak out until
every Tibetan can learn, worship, and live free from persecution and
abuse.
I might add, sadly, that we would hope that there would be respect
for the dignity and the faith of the Uighurs in China as well.
In November 2015, I led a congressional delegation--as I mentioned,
the first congressional delegation in a long time to enter Tibet--with
Congressman McGovern in Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and Sera
Monastery, and witnessed the strength of the Tibetan people and the
beauty of their culture.
Last year, again, I led another bipartisan delegation to Nepal and
India, where we were blessed to be received by His Holiness the Dalai
Lama, and Congresswoman Jayapal was part of that. We had the
opportunity to see the aspirations of the Tibetan people firsthand, now
living in India, especially in the eyes of the Tibetan schoolchildren
in Dharamshala.
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These people are there, separated from their parents for the most
part, because they are not allowed to practice their faith, speak their
language, or enjoy their culture in Tibet because that is suppressed.
Today, those aspirations remain in peril as China continues to
silence the voices crying out for freedom in Tibet and across the
region. Every day, Tibetans, Uighurs--again, the Uighurs are the
Muslims in the western areas of China--and the people of Hong Kong and
all throughout China are subjected to the threat of oppression and
persecution simply for wishing to practice their faith and pursue a
more democratic future.
{time} 2045
Mr. Speaker, if we don't speak out for human rights in China because
of our commercial relationship with them, we lose all moral authority
to speak out for human rights anyplace in the world. As Members of
Congress, we have a responsibility to stand with the Tibetan people as
they fight to be free to practice their faith traditions, speak their
language, and celebrate their cultures. This bill takes a strong step
toward that mission, and I urge my colleagues to join in a strong
bipartisan ``yes'' on this vote.
Again, I want to commend my colleagues on the other side of the aisle
who have for a very long time been such leaders on the issues of human
rights throughout the world, including in China, and for whom this
particular bill has emerged as one manifestation of where we can make a
reasonable, measured difference in our relationship.
So I thank Mr. Hultgren and Mr. McGovern for their leadership in
bringing this forth. I thank the Judiciary Committee and my colleague
who was so important on our trip. So it is really a joy to see the
gentleman on the floor leading this debate. I thank the gentleman for
bringing his eloquence, his compassion, his concern, and his leadership
to this important issue.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.
Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I have no further
speakers.
Mr. Speaker, I would just say that we are incredibly proud to be,
hopefully, passing this legislation tonight with such bipartisan
support and reminding the world that the United States stands for human
rights. We stand for the human rights of Tibetans, and I thank my
colleagues on the other side for their work on this.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the minority leader for her
comments on this issue and strong bipartisan support for human rights,
not only in Tibet but all over the globe. Really, this is a great
moment, I think, for this body.
I will repeat again that it is time that Congress takes a stand with
regard to access by foreign nationals to the Tibetan regions. Again, I
want to thank Congressman McGovern for his work on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1872, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1872, the
``Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017,'' which promotes access for
United States officials, journalists, and other citizens to Tibetan
areas of the People's Republic of China.
As a co-sponsor of this bill, I am acutely aware of the importance of
this legislation.
The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017,'' is the first step in
opening access to Tibet because it would restrict access to China as
long as the government of China restricts access to Tibet.
The act requires the State Department to submit an annual, publicly
available report to Congress that includes a list of individuals
holding specified senior Chinese leadership positions and an assessment
of the level of access Chinese authorities granted U.S. diplomats,
journalists, and tourists to Tibetan areas in China.
In turn, the listed persons shall be ineligible to enter or to be
present in the United States if specified restrictions on foreign
travelers entering Tibetan areas remain in effect.
When we grant Chinese diplomats' access to parts of the United
States, we should take into account the extent to which China grants
U.S. diplomats access to parts of China, including the Tibetan areas.
For far too long have we allowed Chinese officials to enjoy our
freedoms of movement and expression while we condoned with our silence
their draconian restrictions on those very freedoms.
China considers any evidence of Chinese or Tibetans showing loyalty
to or being in communication with the Tibetan government in exile to be
illegal and subject to harsh punishment.
Chinese authorities tightly restrict travel and news media in Tibet.
Individuals who use the internet, social media, or other means to
disseminate dissenting views or share politically sensitive content
face arrest and harsh penalties.
Tibetan cultural expression, which the authorities associate with
separatism, is subject to especially harsh restrictions; those
incarcerated in recent years have included scores of Tibetan writers,
intellectuals, and musicians.
As a nation that stands for basic freedoms of faith and expression,
it is imperative that we do not remain bystanders in the perpetual
struggle for justice and human rights.
This bill is created for the benefit of not only U.S. officials and
workers in human rights who have no access into Tibet, but also
Tibetans living in oppression and in exile who desperately hope every
day for a breath of freedom in the Chinese security apparatus.
For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to stand with me in the
support of H.R. 1872.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1872, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to promote
access for United States diplomats and other officials, journalists,
and other citizens to Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of China,
and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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