[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 19, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4776-H4777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUPPORTING PROUD VENEZUELAN PATRIOTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Mrs. Murphy) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House approved an amendment I 
offered to the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal 
year 2020, and I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the 
amendment.
  There is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and it is man-made. In 
my view, the people of Venezuela will not prosper as long as the regime 
of Nicolas Maduro remains in power. The regime has proven itself to be 
cruel, incompetent, and anti-democratic. It is driving what was one of 
Latin America's most vibrant nations into the ground.
  The United States cannot be passive. We must stand behind the proud 
Venezuelan patriots who are struggling to reclaim their country from 
the regime that is destroying it.
  Like last year's bill, this year's State-Foreign Operations bill 
provides $17.5 million for USAID and State Department programs to 
promote democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela. This funding is 
drawn from the nearly $2.2 billion in economic support funds that the 
bill provides for countries around the world. That is good, but we can 
and we should do better.
  Because the situation in Venezuela has significantly worsened in 
recent months, our amendment would increase the $17.5 million for 
Venezuela by $3 million for a total of $20.5 million. This enhanced 
funding will be used for five main purposes in Venezuela: to defend 
human rights, strengthen civil society, improve governance, support 
independent media, and promote fair and transparent elections.
  Currently, USAID programs in Venezuela are being conducted through 
several U.S.-based implementing partners who, in turn, work with over 
35 Venezuelan subpartners. The respected organization, Freedom House, 
ranks Venezuela as not free. According to Freedom House, conditions 
have grown sharply worse in recent years due to the continued 
concentration of power in executive and harsher crackdowns on the 
opposition.
  As a result, USAID programs to support human rights defenders in 
civil society groups are critical. U.S. support

[[Page H4777]]

enables these groups to document abuses by the regime and to keep the 
hope of democracy alive in an increasingly authoritarian country.
  Venezuela is one of the most dangerous places in Latin America and 
the Caribbean to be a human rights defender. The Maduro regime is 
currently being investigated for crimes against humanity by the U.N. 
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Organization of 
American States has similarly denounced the regime's abuses. These men 
and women on the ground in Venezuela put their lives on the line to 
expose the regime's failings, and they need our support.
  On the media front, the regime has arrested and abused journalists, 
both Venezuelan journalists and foreign journalists, operating in the 
country, including a prominent American journalist. Harassment from the 
government has led most independent radio, TV, and print outlets to 
close. Social media has, at times, been blocked, including during the 
recent uprisings against Maduro. USAID programs are critical to 
overcome government censorship and propaganda.
  On the democracy front, Maduro was reelected in May of 2018 in a snap 
election that failed to meet minimum international standards and was 
widely condemned as illegitimate. The sooner that civil society and 
international actors can weigh in on how to improve the National 
Electoral Council and reform the electoral system more broadly, the 
sooner free and fair Presidential elections can be held.
  This is the goal of the Guaido government. It is also the goal of the 
Lima Group which is composed of Latin American countries and Canada and 
which is seeking a just solution to the crisis in Venezuela. It is a 
goal that merits continued American support.
  I am proud that my colleagues voted for this amendment. It is a vote 
for the people of Venezuela who have suffered so much under this 
terrible regime.

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