[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 179 (Tuesday, November 13, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 686--HONORING THE LIFE, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND LEGACY 
                         OF LODI GYALTSEN GYARI

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 686

       Whereas Lodi Gyari--
       (1) was born in Nyarong, Kham, in 1949;
       (2) was recognized according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition 
     as a reincarnate lama;
       (3) began monastic studies at 4 years of age in Lumorap 
     Monastery, which was located in what is, as of 2018, Kardze 
     Prefecture, Sichuan Province; and
       (4) fled Nyarong with his family at 9 years of age 
     following the invasion and occupation of Tibet;
       Whereas, as a young man in India, Lodi Gyari began a life-
     long commitment of service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and 
     to the Tibetan people by becoming--
       (1) editor for the Tibetan Freedom Press;
       (2) founder of the Tibetan Review;
       (3) a founding member of the Tibetan Youth Congress;
       (4) a civil servant in the Central Tibetan Administration;
       (5) Chairman of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile;
       (6) Cabinet Minister for the Department of Information and 
     International Relations of the Central Tibetan 
     Administration; and
       (7) Deputy Cabinet Minister for the Department of Religious 
     Affairs and the Department of Health of the Central Tibetan 
     Administration;
       Whereas, in 1991, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed 
     Lodi Gyari as Special Envoy for the Dalai Lama in Washington, 
     D.C., and, soon thereafter, Lodi Gyari was selected to be 
     President of the International Campaign for Tibet, a 
     nonprofit organization devoted to supporting the Tibetan 
     people and the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
       Whereas, for 3 decades, Lodi Gyari met with leaders and 
     diplomats of governments around the world, including 
     successive Presidential administrations of the United States, 
     and with Members of the United States Congress and 
     parliaments of other nations--
       (1) to explain the Tibetan efforts to engage with China on 
     finding a mutually agreeable solution to the issue of Tibet;
       (2) to urge supportive strategies and policies from 
     governments;
       (3) to explain the significance of the ``Middle Way 
     Approach'' of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which seeks 
     genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the People's 
     Republic of China that contributes to harmony between the 
     Tibetan and Chinese peoples; and
       (4) to promote Tibetan statecraft as senior ambassador-at-
     large for His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
       Whereas, during the time when Lodi Gyari was Special Envoy 
     for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the United States Congress 
     approved many policy and programmatic measures related to 
     Tibet, including the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 
     6901 note; Public Law 107-228);
       Whereas, in 1999, Lodi Gyari became a United States 
     citizen;
       Whereas, in May 1998, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed 
     Special Envoy Lodi Gyari to be the principal person to 
     reestablish contact with the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China on the issue of Tibet, and between 
     September 2002 and January 2010, Lodi Gyari held 9 formal 
     rounds of meetings with Chinese officials, demonstrating 
     tireless drive and immense skill and winning the respect of 
     the international community;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari presented the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China with the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for 
     the Tibetan People and the accompanying Note, thus detailing 
     the vision of the Tibetan side for a political solution for 
     Tibet consistent with the framework of the Constitution of 
     the People's Republic of China and the laws of China 
     regarding autonomy;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari demonstrated spirit, intelligence, and 
     extraordinary tact during the difficult task of representing 
     Tibetan interests while in dialogue with the People's 
     Republic of China, and brought civility, reason and a measure 
     of mutual understanding to the Tibetan-Chinese relationship;
       Whereas, in 1999, Lodi Gyari was elected the Executive 
     Chairman of the Board of the International Campaign for Tibet 
     after resigning as President of that organization;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari resigned as Special Envoy of His 
     Holiness the Dalai Lama, effective June 1, 2012, in the 
     context of the deteriorating situation inside Tibet, 
     including increasing incidents of Tibetan self-immolations, 
     after expressing deep frustration over the lack of positive 
     developments with the People's Republic of China after nearly 
     10 years, and in respect for the process of devolution of 
     political power to the elected Tibetan leaders;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari retired from the position of Executive 
     Chairman of the Board of the International Campaign for Tibet 
     on December 31, 2014;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari has contributed significantly to 
     strengthening the relationship between the Tibetan people and 
     the people of the United States;
       Whereas, on October 29, 2018, Lodi Gyari died at the age of 
     69;
       Whereas Lodi Gyari is survived by his wife, Dawa Chokyi, 
     their 6 children, Tenzing Dechen, Tenzing Choyang, Norbu 
     Wangmo, Tashi Chodon, Tulku Penam, and Tenzing Tsering, 5 
     grandchildren, his mothers, 4 brothers, and 3 sisters;
       Whereas Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader of the House of 
     Representatives and former Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives, said that Lodi Gyari ``built deep support 
     for the Tibetan cause throughout America and around the 
     world'' and that ``Members of Congress on both sides of the 
     aisle benefitted from Lodi's insight and wisdom''; and
       Whereas the Department of State--
       (1) said that ``Mr. Gyari dedicated his life to serving as 
     a staunch advocate for the Tibetan people, democratic 
     principles, and human rights, including religious freedom'';
       (2) offered condolences to the family of Lodi Gyari; and
       (3) observed that Lodi Gyari will be missed: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Lodi 
     Gyari;
       (2) celebrates the leadership and commitment of Lodi Gyari 
     to fulfilling the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and 
     the aspirations of the Tibetan people, including promoting 
     freedom, human rights, and justice for the Tibetan people;
       (3) commends the achievements of Lodi Gyari in building an 
     international coalition of support for Tibet that 
     recognizes--
       (A) the imperative to preserve the distinct culture and 
     religious traditions of Tibet; and
       (B) that the Tibetan people are entitled to their own 
     identity and dignity and to genuine autonomy within the 
     People's Republic of China that fully preserves the rights 
     and dignity of the Tibetan people;
       (4) acknowledges the role of Lodi Gyari, as a naturalized 
     United States citizen, in promoting understanding in the 
     United States of--
       (A) the Tibetan people;
       (B) the culture and religion of the Tibetan people; and
       (C) the struggle of the Tibetan people for--
       (i) genuine autonomy;
       (ii) human rights;
       (iii) dignity; and
       (iv) the preservation of unique linguistic, cultural, and 
     religious traditions; and
       (5) strongly supports a political solution for Tibet that 
     satisfies the legitimate grievances and aspirations of the 
     Tibetan people, a cause to which Lodi Gyari devoted his 
     entire life.

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