[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H594-H601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TIBETAN POLICY AND SUPPORT ACT OF 2019

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4331) to modify and reauthorize the Tibetan Policy Act of 
2002, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4331

       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 ``Tibetan Policy and Support 
     Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. MODIFICATIONS TO AND REAUTHORIZATION OF TIBETAN 
                   POLICY ACT OF 2002.

       (a) Tibetan Negotiations.--Section 613 of the Tibetan 
     Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by inserting ``without preconditions'' after ``a 
     dialogue'';
       (ii) by inserting ``or democratically-elected leaders of 
     the Tibetan community'' after ``his representatives''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end before the period the following: 
     ``and should coordinate with other governments in 
     multilateral efforts toward this goal'';
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) Policy communication.--The President shall direct the 
     Secretary of State to ensure that, in accordance with this 
     Act, United States policy on Tibet, as coordinated by the 
     United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, is 
     communicated to all Federal departments and agencies in 
     contact with the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China.'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``until December 31, 2021''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``and direct the Department of State to 
     make public on its website'' after ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'';
       (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and'' ; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) the steps taken by the United States Government to 
     promote the human rights and distinct religious, cultural, 
     linguistic, and historical identity of the Tibetan people, 
     including the right of the Tibetan people to select, educate, 
     and venerate their own religious leaders in accordance with 
     their established religious practice and system.''.
       (b) Tibet Project Principles.--Section 616 of such Act (22 
     U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (d), by striking paragraphs (1) through 
     (9) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) neither provide incentive for, nor facilitate the 
     migration and settlement of, non-Tibetans into Tibet;
       ``(2) neither provide incentive for, nor facilitate the 
     transfer of ownership of, Tibetan land or natural resources 
     to non-Tibetans;
       ``(3) neither provide incentive for, nor facilitate the 
     involuntary or coerced relocation of, Tibetan nomads from 
     their traditional pasture lands into concentrated 
     settlements;
       ``(4) be implemented in consultation with the Tibetan 
     people and, as appropriate, after the conduct of cultural and 
     environmental impact assessments;
       ``(5) foster self-sufficiency and self-reliance of 
     Tibetans;
       ``(6) respect human rights and Tibetan culture and 
     traditions;
       ``(7) be subject to ongoing monitoring and evaluation; and
       ``(8) be conducted, as much as possible, in the Tibetan 
     language.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) United States Assistance.--The President shall 
     provide funds to nongovernmental organizations to support 
     sustainable development, cultural and historical 
     preservation, health care, education, and environmental 
     sustainability projects for Tibetan communities in Tibet, in 
     accordance with the principles specified in subsection (d) 
     and with the concurrence of the United States Special 
     Coordinator for Tibetan Issues under section 621(d).''.
       (c) Diplomatic Representation Relating to Tibet.--Section 
     618 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended to read as 
     follows:

     ``SEC. 618. DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION RELATING TO TIBET.

       ``(a) United States Consulate in Lhasa, Tibet.--The 
     Secretary should seek to establish a United States consulate 
     in Lhasa, Tibet--
       ``(1) to provide consular services to United States 
     citizens traveling in Tibet; and
       ``(2) to monitor political, economic, and cultural 
     developments in Tibet.
       ``(b) Policy.--The Secretary may not authorize the 
     establishment in the United States of any additional 
     consulate of the People's Republic of China until such time 
     as a United States consulate in Lhasa, Tibet, is established 
     under subsection (a).''.
       (d) Religious Persecution in Tibet.--Section 620(b) of such 
     Act (22 U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended by adding at the end 
     before the period the following: ``, including with respect

[[Page H595]]

     to the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism''.
       (e) United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.--
     Section 621 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c) to read as follows:
       ``(c) Objectives.--The objectives of the Special 
     Coordinator are to--
       ``(1) promote substantive dialogue without preconditions 
     between the Government of the People's Republic of China and 
     the Dalai Lama or his representatives or democratically-
     elected leaders of the Tibetan community leading to a 
     negotiated agreement on Tibet and coordinate with other 
     governments in multilateral efforts toward this goal;
       ``(2) encourage the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China to address the aspirations of the Tibetan people with 
     regard to their distinct historical, cultural, religious, and 
     linguistic identity;
       ``(3) promote the human rights of the Tibetan people;
       ``(4) promote activities to preserve environment and water 
     resources of the Tibetan plateau;
       ``(5) encourage sustainable development in accordance with 
     section 616(d), cultural and historical preservation, health 
     care, education, and environmental sustainability projects 
     for Tibetan communities in Tibet; and
       ``(6) promote access to Tibet in accordance with the 
     Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
     330).'';
       (2) in subsection (d)--
       (A) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (8); and
       (C) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) provide concurrence with respect to all projects 
     carried out pursuant to assistance provided under section 
     616(e);
       ``(7) seek to establish international diplomatic coalitions 
     to--
       ``(A) oppose any effort by the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China to select, educate, and venerate Tibetan 
     Buddhist religious leaders in a manner inconsistent with 
     Tibetan Buddhism in which the succession or identification of 
     Tibetan Buddhist lamas, including the Dalai Lama, should 
     occur without interference, in a manner consistent with 
     Tibetan Buddhists' beliefs; and
       ``(B) ensure that the identification and installation of 
     Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders, including any future 
     Dalai Lama, is determined solely within the Tibetan Buddhist 
     faith community, in accordance with the universally-
     recognized right to religious freedom; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Personnel.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
     Office of the Special Coordinator is adequately staffed at 
     all times to assist in the management of the responsibilities 
     of this section.''.

     SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY REGARDING THE SUCCESSION OR 
                   REINCARNATION OF THE DALAI LAMA.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Notwithstanding that Tibetan Buddhism is practiced in 
     many countries including Bhutan, India, Mongolia, Nepal, the 
     People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and the 
     United States, the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China has repeatedly insisted on its role in managing the 
     selection of Tibet's next spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, 
     through actions such as those described in the ``Measures on 
     the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas'' in 
     2007.
       (2) On March 19, 2019, Chinese Ministry of Affairs 
     spokesperson reiterated that the ``reincarnation of living 
     Buddhas including the Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese 
     laws and regulations and follow religious rituals and 
     historical conventions''.
       (3) The Government of the People's Republic of China has 
     interfered in the process of recognizing a successor or 
     reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including in 1995 
     by arbitrarily detaining Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a 6-year old 
     boy who was identified as the 11th Panchen Lama, and 
     purporting to install its own candidate as the Panchen Lama.
       (4) The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, issued a statement 
     on September 24, 2011, explaining the traditions and 
     spiritual precepts of the selection of Dalai Lamas, setting 
     forth his views on the considerations and process for 
     selecting his successor, and providing a response to the 
     Chinese government's claims that only the Chinese government 
     has the ultimate authority in the selection process of the 
     Dalai Lama.
       (5) The 14th Dalai Lama said in his statement that the 
     person who reincarnates has sole legitimate authority over 
     where and how he or she takes rebirth and how that 
     reincarnation is to be recognized and if there is a need for 
     a 15th Dalai Lama to be recognized, then the responsibility 
     shall primarily rest with the officers of the Dalai Lama's 
     Gaden Phodrang Trust, who will be informed by the written 
     instructions of the 14th Dalai Lama.
       (6) Since 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama has reiterated publicly 
     on numerous occasions that decisions on the successions, 
     emanations, or reincarnations of the Dalai Lama belongs to 
     the Tibetan Buddhist faith community alone.
       (7) On June 8, 2015, the United States House of 
     Representatives unanimously approved House Resolution 337 
     which calls on the United States Government to ``underscore 
     that government interference in the Tibetan reincarnation 
     process is a violation of the internationally recognized 
     right to religious freedom . . . and to highlight the fact 
     that other countries besides China have long Tibetan Buddhist 
     traditions and that matters related to reincarnations in 
     Tibetan Buddhism are of keen interest to Tibetan Buddhist 
     populations worldwide''.
       (8) On April 25, 2018, the United States Senate unanimously 
     approved Senate Resolution 429 which ``expresses its sense 
     that the identification and installation of Tibetan Buddhist 
     religious leaders, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, is a 
     matter that should be determined solely within the Tibetan 
     Buddhist faith community, in accordance with the inalienable 
     right to religious freedom''.
       (9) The Department of State's Report on International 
     Religious Freedom for 2018 reported on policies and efforts 
     of the Government of the People's Republic of China to exert 
     control over the selection of Tibetan Buddhist religious 
     leaders, including reincarnate lamas, and stated that ``U.S. 
     officials underscored that decisions on the reincarnation of 
     the Dalai Lama should be made solely by faith leaders.''.
       (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States that--
       (1) decisions regarding the selection, education, and 
     veneration of Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders are 
     exclusively spiritual matters that should be made by the 
     appropriate religious authorities within the Tibetan Buddhist 
     tradition and in the context of the will of practitioners of 
     Tibetan Buddhism;
       (2) the wishes of the 14th Dalai Lama, including any 
     written instructions, should play a determinative role in the 
     selection, education, and veneration of a future 15th Dalai 
     Lama; and
       (3) interference by the Government of the People's Republic 
     of China or any other government in the process of 
     recognizing a successor or reincarnation of the 14th Dalai 
     Lama and any future Dalai Lamas would represent a clear 
     violation of the fundamental religious freedoms of Tibetan 
     Buddhists and the Tibetan people.
       (c) Holding Chinese Officials Responsible for Religious 
     Freedom Abuses Targeting Tibetan Buddhists.--It is the policy 
     of the United States to consider senior officials of the 
     Government of the People's Republic of China who are 
     responsible for, complicit in, or have directly or indirectly 
     engaged in the identification or installation of a candidate 
     chosen by China as the future 15th Dalai Lama of Tibetan 
     Buddhism to have committed--
       (1) a gross violation of internationally recognized human 
     rights for purposes of imposing sanctions with respect to 
     such officials under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights 
     Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note); and
       (2) a particularly severe violation of religious freedom 
     for purposes of applying section 212(a)(2)(G) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)(G)) with 
     respect to such officials.
       (d) Department of State Programming To Promote Religious 
     Freedom for Tibetan Buddhists.--Consistent with section 401 
     of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act 
     (Public Law 114-281; 130 Stat. 1436), of the funds available 
     to the Department of State for international religious 
     freedom programs, the Ambassador-at-Large for International 
     Religious Freedom should support efforts to protect and 
     promote international religious freedom in China and for 
     programs to protect Tibetan Buddhism in China and elsewhere.

     SEC. 4. POLICY REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES 
                   ON THE TIBETAN PLATEAU.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Tibetan Plateau contains glaciers, rivers, 
     grasslands, and other geographical and ecological features 
     that are crucial for supporting vegetation growth and 
     biodiversity, regulating water flow and supply for an 
     estimated 1.8 billion people. Global warming threatens the 
     glaciers in Tibet that feed the major rivers of South and 
     East Asia, which supply freshwater to an estimated 1.8 
     billion people.
       (2) Rising global temperatures--especially in the Tibetan 
     Plateau where the average temperature has increased at twice 
     the global average--will result in variable water flows in 
     the future.
       (3) The construction in Tibet of large hydroelectric power 
     dams intended to be used in part to transmit power to Chinese 
     provinces outside of Tibet, as well as other infrastructure 
     projects, including the Sichuan-Tibet railroad, may also lead 
     to the resettlement of thousands of Tibetans and transform 
     the environment.
       (4) The grasslands of Tibet play a significant role in 
     carbon production and sequestration and Tibet's rivers 
     support wetlands that play a key role in water storage, water 
     quality, and the regulation of water flow, support 
     biodiversity, foster vegetation growth, and act as carbon 
     sinks.
       (5) Rising temperatures and intensifying evaporation, can 
     affect the water supply, cause desertification, and 
     destabilize infrastructure on the Tibetan Plateau and beyond.
       (6) Traditional Tibetan grassland stewardship practices, 
     which can be key to mitigating the negative effects of 
     warming on the Tibetan Plateau, are undermined by the

[[Page H596]]

     resettlement of nomads from Tibetan grasslands.
       (7) The People's Republic of China has approximately 20 
     percent of the world's population but only around 7 percent 
     of the world's water supply, while many countries in South 
     and Southeast Asia rely on the rivers flowing from the 
     Himalayas of the Tibetan Plateau.
       (8) The People's Republic of China has already completed 
     water transfer programs diverting billions of cubic meters of 
     water yearly and has plans to divert more waters from the 
     Tibetan plateau in China.
       (b) Water Resources in Tibet and the Tibetan Watershed.--
     The Secretary of State, in coordination with relevant 
     agencies of the United States Government, should--
       (1) pursue collaborative efforts with Chinese and 
     international scientific institutions, as appropriate, to 
     monitor the environment on the Tibetan Plateau, including 
     glacial retreat, temperature rise, and carbon levels, in 
     order to promote a greater understanding of the effects on 
     permafrost, river flows, grasslands and desertification, and 
     the monsoon cycle;
       (2) engage with the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China, the Tibetan people, and nongovernmental organizations 
     to encourage the participation of Tibetan nomads and other 
     Tibetan stakeholders in the development and implementation of 
     grassland management policies, in order to utilize their 
     indigenous experience in mitigation and stewardship of the 
     land and to assess policies on the forced resettlement of 
     nomads; and
       (3) encourage a regional framework on water security, or 
     use existing frameworks, such as the Lower Mekong Initiative, 
     to facilitate cooperative agreements among all riparian 
     nations that would promote transparency, sharing of 
     information, pollution regulation, and arrangements on 
     impounding and diversion of waters that originate on the 
     Tibetan Plateau.

     SEC. 5. DEMOCRACY IN THE TIBETAN EXILE COMMUNITY.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The 14th Dalai Lama advocates the Middle Way Approach, 
     which seeks genuine autonomy for the six million Tibetans in 
     Tibet.
       (2) The 14th Dalai Lama has overseen a process of 
     democratization within the Tibetan polity, beginning in Tibet 
     in the 1950s and continuing in exile from the 1960s to the 
     present and to address the needs of the Tibetan people until 
     such time as genuine autonomy in Tibet is realized, the 14th 
     Dalai Lama devolved his political responsibilities to the 
     elected representatives of the Tibetan people in exile in 
     2011.
       (3) In 2011 and again in 2016, members of the Tibetan exile 
     community across some 30 countries held elections to select 
     political leaders to serve in the Central Tibetan 
     Administration parliament and as chief executive, elections 
     which were monitored by international observers and assessed 
     to be free and fair.
       (4) The Dalai Lama has said that the Central Tibetan 
     Administration will cease to exist once a negotiated 
     settlement has been achieved that allows Tibetans to freely 
     enjoy their culture, religion and language in Tibet.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) Tibetan exile communities around the world should be 
     commended for the adoption of a system of self-governance 
     with democratic institutions to choose their leaders;
       (2) the Dalai Lama should be commended for his decision to 
     devolve political authority to elected leaders in accordance 
     with democratic principles; and
       (3) as consistent with section 621(d)(3) of the Tibetan 
     Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note), the United States 
     Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues should continue to 
     maintain close contact with the religious, cultural, and 
     political leaders of the Tibetan people.

     SEC. 6. SUSTAINABILITY IN TIBETAN COMMUNITIES SEEKING TO 
                   PRESERVE THEIR CULTURE, RELIGION, AND LANGUAGE.

       The Secretary of State should urge the Government of Nepal 
     to honor the Gentleman's Agreement with the United Nations 
     High Commissioner for Refugees and to provide legal 
     documentation to long-staying Tibetan residents in Nepal who 
     fled a credible threat of persecution in Tibet in order to 
     allow them to more fully participate in the economy and 
     society of Nepal.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Office of the United States Special Coordinator for 
     Tibetan Issues.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 for 
     the Office of the United States Special Coordinator for 
     Tibetan Issues.
       (b) Tibetan Scholarship Program and Ngawang Choephel 
     Exchange Programs.--
       (1) Tibetan scholarship program.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $675,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 
     through 2025 to carry out the Tibetan scholarship program 
     established under section 103(b)(1) of the Human Rights, 
     Refugee, and Other Foreign Relations Provisions Act of 1996 
     (Public Law 104-319; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note).
       (2) Ngawang choephel exchange programs.--There is 
     authorized to be appropriated $575,000 for each of the fiscal 
     years 2021 through 2025 to carry out the ``Ngwang Choepel 
     Exchange Programs'' (formerly known as ``programs of 
     educational and cultural exchange between the United States 
     and the people of Tibet'') under section 103(a) of the Human 
     Rights, Refugee, and Other Foreign Relations Provisions Act 
     of 1996.
       (c) Humanitarian Assistance and Support to Tibetan Refugees 
     in South Asia.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out chapter 9 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act 
     of 1961 and the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 
     for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 are authorized 
     to be made available for humanitarian assistance, including 
     food, medicine, clothing, and medical and vocational 
     training, for Tibetan refugees in South Asia who have fled 
     facing a credible threat of persecution in the People's 
     Republic of China.
       (d) Tibetan Autonomous Region and Tibetan Communities in 
     China.--There is authorized to be appropriated $8,000,000 for 
     each year of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 under chapter 
     4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
     2346 et seq.) to support activities which preserve cultural 
     traditions and promote sustainable development, education, 
     and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities in the 
     Tibet Autonomous Region and in other Tibetan communities in 
     China.
       (e) Assistance for Tibetans in India and Nepal.--There is 
     authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for each of the 
     fiscal years 2021 through 2025 under part I of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) for programs 
     to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and language 
     development, and the resilience of Tibetan communities in 
     India and Nepal, and to assist in the education and 
     development of the next generation of Tibetan leaders from 
     such communities.
       (f) Tibetan Governance.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 
     through 2025 for programs to strengthen the capacity of 
     Tibetan institutions and strengthen democracy, governance, 
     information and international outreach, and research.
       (g) Voice of America and Radio Free Asia.--
       (1) Voice of america.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $3,344,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 
     through 2025 to Voice of America for broadcasts described in 
     paragraph (3).
       (2) Radio free asia.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $4,060,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 
     through 2025 to Radio Free Asia for broadcasts described in 
     paragraph (3).
       (3) Broadcasts described.--Broadcasts described in this 
     paragraph are broadcasts to provide uncensored news and 
     information in the Tibetan language to Tibetans, including 
     Tibetans in Tibet.

     SEC. 8. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4331.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McGovern, along with Mr. Smith, Mr. 
Suozzi, and Mr. Meadows, for authoring this very important bill to 
update U.S. policies that support the preservation of Tibetan culture 
and faith as well as the environment of the Tibetan Plateau, which is 
vital not just to the Tibetan people, but also to the Himalayan 
ecosystem.
  I also thank Speaker Pelosi, who has been a tireless champion of the 
Tibetan people for many years. She has a long history of shining a 
spotlight on human rights abuses in China and has ensured that this 
Chamber does its part to defend our values.
  The Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019 updates existing 
legislation from 2002 to make sure our policies keep pace with the 
challenges facing Tibet today. This legislation comes at a very 
critical time for the Tibetan people as they seek to preserve their 
cultural and religious identity.
  The Chinese Government has repeatedly asserted that it has a role to 
play in the selection of the next Dalai

[[Page H597]]

Lama. This is analogous to the Government of Italy announcing that it 
can ignore Catholic tradition and unilaterally decide who the next Pope 
should be. Such disregard for the Tibetan faith is an undue violation 
of international religious freedoms.
  This bill sends a very clear message to Chinese officials that, if 
they interfere in the selection process for a future Dalai Lama or 
other Tibetan Buddhist leader, they can be sanctioned by the United 
States for violating human rights.
  The Tibetan Policy and Support Act also reauthorizes programs to 
preserve Tibetan culture and environment.
  The Tibetan Plateau is home to 10 major Asian river systems feeding 
10 different Asian states, and these resources are being threatened by 
large-scale hydroelectric projects. These rivers are of immense 
importance to the livelihood of not only Tibetan communities, but also 
the nearly 2 billion people in South and East Asia.
  I urge all Members to join me in supporting this very good measure to 
continue underscoring our support for the Tibetan people.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                 Washington, DC, January 10, 2020.
     Hon. Eliot L. Engel,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Engel: This is to advise you that the 
     Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to 
     review the provisions in H.R. 4331, the ``Tibetan Policy and 
     Support Act of 2019'' that fall within our Rule X 
     jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those 
     provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your 
     including them in the bill for consideration on the House 
     floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo 
     action on H.R. 4331, with the understanding that we do not 
     thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those 
     provisions or their subject matters.
       In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the 
     right to request an appropriate number of conferees to 
     address any concerns with these or similar provisions that 
     may arise in conference.
       Please place this letter into the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank 
     you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked 
     regarding this matter and others between our committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jerrold Nadler,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, January 24, 2020.
     Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
     Chairman, Committee on Judiciary,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 
     4331, the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019. I 
     appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     legislation.
       I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Judiciary under House Rule 
     X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 4331 to 
     expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that the 
     inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not 
     waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters 
     contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I 
     will also support the appointment of Committee on Judiciary 
     conferees during any House-Senate conference convened on this 
     legislation.
       Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your 
     cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to 
     continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Eliot L. Engel,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4331, the 
Tibetan Policy and Support Act.
  The Chinese Communist Party's, or CCP's, crusade against faith is the 
greatest threat to religious freedom in the world today. This bill 
reminds us that the religious persecution didn't begin under Chairman 
Xi. The CCP has always hated and feared religion.
  Since China invaded Tibet in 1950, the CCP has tried to dismantle 
Tibetan Buddhism. In 1995, Chinese authorities kidnapped the second 
highest Tibetan faith leader and replaced him with a fraud.
  The Chinese Communist Party wants to ensure Tibetan leaders are 
chosen according to their political agenda, not according to Tibetan 
Buddhist religious practices.
  This bill states that the United States will not accept the CCP's 
destruction of Tibetan Buddhism, we will not accept fraudulent 
religious leaders appointed by Beijing, and we will not accept the 
CCP's control of deeply spiritual beliefs.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the author of this important bill and the 
chairman of the Rules Committee.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and 
for his advocacy on behalf of this issue.
  And the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I am 
delighted to be here with him, and I want to thank him for his work on 
this.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4331, the Tibetan 
Policy and Support Act. I am proud to have introduced this legislation 
with Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey and with Senators Rubio and 
Cardin in the Senate.
  I thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their strong 
support of this bill and, more importantly, for their tireless 
leadership in support of the human rights of the Tibetan people.

                              {time}  1430

  Madam Speaker, our bill updates and strengthens the Tibetan Policy 
Act of 2002 to address the challenges facing the Tibetan people. 
Perhaps as importantly, it reaffirms America's commitment to the idea 
that human rights matter, that we care about those who are oppressed, 
that we stand with those who are struggling for freedom, and that we 
have a moral obligation to do something when we see something that is 
not right.
  It should be clear that we support a positive and productive U.S.-
China relationship, but it is essential that the human rights of all 
the people of China are respected by their government.
  Unfortunately, the human rights situation in Tibet has gotten much 
worse. The Chinese Government has refused to enter into genuine 
dialogue with Tibetan leaders. Restrictions on access to Tibet, both 
for Tibetans and foreigners, have been tightened. International 
journalists have stated that the isolation of Tibet is as bad as North 
Korea, allowing human rights abuses and environmental degradation to be 
concealed from the outside world.
  Last year, the Congress passed the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act to 
demand that American journalists, diplomats, and tourists be given the 
same freedom to travel to Tibet that Chinese officials have to travel 
freely in America. I hope to see a report from the State Department, 
which was due in December, describing the steps that the administration 
has taken to implement this policy over the last year.
  In addition, the Chinese Government has used advanced technology to 
intensify security and surveillance.
  It has ratcheted up its so-called anti-crime and vice campaign 
targeting Tibetans.
  Religious freedom continues to be severely curtailed, including 
through mandatory political education for religious leaders and arrests 
of Tibetans who display a photo of the Dalai Lama.
  The Panchen Lama turned 30 years old this year, but he and his family 
remain incommunicado since being kidnapped by Chinese authorities in 
1995, making him the world's longest-serving prisoner of conscience.
  Finally, Chinese officials have intervened to select Tibetan Buddhist 
leaders and threatened to choose the successor to the 14th Dalai Lama. 
These actions are in clear violation of China's international 
obligations to protect religious freedom.
  It is essential that U.S. policy toward Tibet be updated and 
strengthened. The bill we are considering today would establish as U.S. 
policy that the succession or reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist 
leaders, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, is an exclusively 
religious matter that should be decided solely by the Tibetan Buddhist 
community.
  Send a clear message that Chinese officials who interfere in the 
succession or reincarnation process will be subject

[[Page H598]]

to targeted financial, economic, and visa-related sanctions, including 
those contained in the Global Magnitsky Act.
  Strengthen the role of the State Department Special Coordinator for 
Tibetan Issues by including a mandate to work multilaterally to promote 
a genuine dialogue.
  Mandate that no new Chinese consulates should be established in the 
United States until a U.S. consulate is established in Tibet's 
historical capital of Lhasa.
  Direct the State Department to begin collaborative, multinational 
efforts to protect the environment and water resources of the Tibetan 
Plateau.
  Support democratic governance in the Tibetan exile community.
  The Dalai Lama should be commended for his decision to devolve 
political authority to elected leaders.
  The Tibetan exile community is also to be commended for adopting a 
system of self-governance with democratic institutions to choose their 
own leaders, including holding multiple free and fair elections to 
select its parliament and chief executive.
  The adoption of democracy within the Tibetan exile community ensures 
that the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India, 
legitimately represents and reflects the aspirations of the Tibetan 
people around the world.
  Standing together, the American people will remain steadfast partners 
of the Tibetan people. For 60 years, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and so 
many Tibetans have remained separated from their land and their home, 
while the people in Tibet endure some of the harshest human rights 
abuses in the world.
  I am proud that today the House of Representatives is taking this 
important step to strengthen U.S. policy in support of the Tibetan 
people.
  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their support, and I urge 
all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, let me first commend the Congressman from 
Massachusetts and his great work on this issue. He has been a really 
strong fighter for democracy and freedom-loving peoples around the 
world, whether it be the Hong Kong Democracy Act or the Tibetan people 
and their persecution in China. I thank Chairman McGovern so much, from 
the bottom of my heart.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Yoho), the Republican leader of the Asia, the Pacific, and 
Nonproliferation Subcommittee.
  Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman McCaul and Mr. Phillips for 
their leadership on this. Also, Mr. McGovern has been a strong leader 
on this, and I appreciate it.
  This is the way Congress should work. We come together on a common 
goal; we get things passed; and it makes a significant difference.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4331, the Tibetan 
Policy and Support Act of 2019.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Representative McGovern for his work on this 
important and timely legislation, which would reauthorize the Tibetan 
Policy Act of 2002 and reaffirm our commitment to the Tibetan people.
  Since the 1950 invasion of the Chinese PLA forces, Tibet has been a 
land of occupation and oppression. For too long, the Chinese Government 
has utilized campaigns of aggression and intimidation in trying to 
silence and bully its neighbor and territories.

  In that regard, the people of Tibet have not been spared. The number 
of displaced Tibetans number in the hundreds of thousands, with 110,000 
taking refuge just in India alone.
  I join my colleagues in Congress in reiterating our support for 
Tibet, the Tibetan people, and the protection of their distinct 
cultural identity.
  I also believe that as one of Tibet's strongest partners, the U.S. 
Congress should hear from Tibet's political and spiritual leaders, 
which is why I introduced legislation last year to invite the Dalai 
Lama to address a Joint Meeting of Congress via teleconference to 
discuss the peaceful solutions to international conflicts.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation has wide bipartisan support in the 
House. To the people of Tibet, know that we support your fight against 
adversity and for religious freedom.
  This legislation makes it clear that the U.S. Congress will not sit 
on the sidelines and watch as a spectator but, rather, advocate 
strongly for increased protections for the Tibetan people.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
thank him and my colleague on the other side of the aisle for this 
resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I had the honor and the privilege of visiting the 
Dalai Lama, and I welcome this opportunity to speak of his work and the 
danger he and his people face.
  H.R. 4331 is a bipartisan and bicameral bill to update and strengthen 
the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 in light of new human rights, religious, 
and environmental challenges the Tibetan people face today.
  In the 18 years since the original Tibetan Policy Act became law, 
human rights in Tibet has grown worse. The Chinese Government has 
refused any discussions with Tibetan leaders and has threatened to 
select Tibetan Buddhist leaders, in clear violation of international 
religious freedom and Tibetan Buddhist practices.
  The new Tibet Policy and Support Act before us today writes into law 
U.S. policy that the succession or reincarnation of Buddhist leaders is 
a religious matter to be determined by the Tibetan Buddhist community 
alone.
  Among other provisions, interference in the process of recognizing a 
successor or reincarnation of the Dalai Lama would result in targeted 
financial, economic, and visa-related sanctions.
  When the Dalai Lama visited the Nation's capital in 2011, I 
introduced a resolution welcoming Tibet's spiritual leader and 
recognizing his lifelong commitment to world peace and human rights.
  The Dalai Lama welcomed me into his home in 2008 as part of a 
congressional delegation led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Houlahan). The time of the gentlewoman 
has expired.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman.
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the additional time.
  Tibetan children, monks, and exiles lined the streets to greet our 
delegation in 2008.
  Our congressional visit heightened attention to continuing cultural 
genocide and brutality in Tibet. Our delegation had a meeting and lunch 
with the Nobel Prize-winning Dalai Lama and his government in exile.
  The Dalai Lama and his people have nothing to fight with except their 
own nonviolent determination and the willingness of free people 
everywhere to raise their voices.
  The Tibet Policy and Support Act before us today is important to 
convey and reinforce the understanding that the United States will 
never cease working to assure complete freedom for the Dalai Lama and 
his people.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Suozzi), my friend.
  Mr. SUOZZI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4331, the 
bipartisan Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019.
  By voting for this legislation, we are standing with the Tibetans and 
their religious and cultural way of life that the Chinese Government is 
seeking to eliminate.
  Since President Nixon went to China in 1971, most Americans have 
believed that with increased exposure to our economic system and to our 
system of democracy, the Chinese Government would become more like us. 
That simply hasn't happened.
  Whether it is the Hong Kong students, Uighur Muslims, Christians, or 
Tibetan Buddhists, China does not support our way of life. It does not 
support religious liberty.
  Freedom of religion is a fundamental freedom. We must raise our 
voices loud and clear for all that are harassed, imprisoned, tortured, 
persecuted, or killed seeking to live out their faith. An attack on 
religious freedom anywhere is an attack on religious freedom 
everywhere.

[[Page H599]]

  Chinese officials in Tibet continue to severely restrict religious 
freedom, speech, movement, and assembly. They continue to restrict 
access to the unique cultural environment of Tibet.
  In July 2018, authorities displaced over 200 under-18-year-old monks 
from at least two monasteries in Tibet and forced them to attend 
government-run schools.
  In October 2018, Chinese Communist Party officials opened a new 
political education camp to train Tibetans in Chinese Communist Party 
ideology, particularly grassroots party-building and antiseparatism.
  International journalists have said that the isolation of Tibet is 
worse than that of North Korea, allowing the Chinese Government to 
conceal human rights abuses.
  The aspirations of the Tibetan people for dignity and freedom are 
viewed by the Chinese Government as a direct threat to their existence 
as an authoritarian state.
  Reeducation and surveillance methods pioneered in Tibet are being 
used to target the Uighurs in Xinjiang, where the Chinese Government 
has created a surveillance state unlike anything the world has ever 
seen.
  The Chinese Communist Party's repugnant campaign to destroy the 
cultural and religious identities of Tibetans and Uighurs requires more 
than just words of condemnation. We must stand up to any country that 
restricts individual liberty and religious freedom.
  This legislation would urge the administration to place economic or 
visa sanctions against Chinese officials who interfere with the process 
of recognizing the next Dalai Lama.
  Chairman McGovern and I hosted a townhall in Queens, New York, this 
past summer with the largest Tibetan diaspora community, and we learned 
of their inability to visit their families in Tibet.
  This legislation will also direct the Department of State to 
establish a United States consulate in Lhasa, Tibet, to enable U.S. 
citizens better access to Tibet.
  I am proud to be part of a legislative body that continues to 
advocate for Tibetans, for Uighurs, and for human rights and the rule 
of law in China.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the 
gentleman.
  Mr. SUOZZI. To quote the Dalai Lama: ``Tragedy should be utilized as 
a source of strength. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful 
experience is, if we lose hope, that's our real disaster.''
  The United States' strength is in our values, and our policies should 
not be separated from them. We must not lose hope.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The United States has a longstanding record of bipartisan support for 
the Tibetan people. Religious tolerance is an American principle, an 
American value, and one that we must express around the entire world.
  I am pleased that we are moving forward with a measure today that 
updates United States policy so that we are not just continuing, but we 
are strengthening this support.
  I hope all Members will join me today in supporting this important 
measure that shows our commitment to preserving Tibet's unique culture, 
lands, language, and religion.
  I am also proud of the bipartisan work that this Chamber has passed 
on China human rights. This is the third bill this Chamber has passed 
in recent months, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and now 
this bill on Tibet.
  I urge support for this bill and passage in the Senate of each of 
these terribly important measures.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Again, I want to thank Chairman McGovern for strengthening U.S. 
support for Tibet at this critical moment.
  As the Tibetan community prepares for the Dalai Lama's succession, we 
must rein in the Communist Party's attempts to destroy the autonomy of 
Tibetan Buddhism.
  I also want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota, and Speaker Pelosi 
for her strong support for human rights and religious liberties. The 
gentlewoman stood on the floor when we debated the Hong Kong Human 
Rights and Democracy Act. That is what we do as Americans: We defend 
freedom and we defend democracy. This Nation was formed upon the idea 
of religious freedom and religious liberty.
  Under the Communist Party of China's rule, religion really doesn't 
exist. In fact, it almost prohibits religious freedom. It persecutes 
religious freedom. It kills religious freedom.
  The Dalai Lama himself was exiled to India where he is today. The 
Communist Party of China is brutally murdering and oppressing the 
Tibetan people; oppressing religious freedom and liberty, oppressing 
the Uighurs where they sit in camps, as I speak, with no voice, and, 
yes, they suppress the Christian community as well.
  So, again, I want to thank my friends on the other side of the aisle, 
and I thank Speaker Pelosi so much for supporting this legislation as 
we stood together to support Hong Kong and the people of Hong Kong.
  We spoke earlier today about supporting the people of Iran against 
theocracy and oppression, and we support the Tibetan people in their 
effort to exercise their religious freedom and liberty.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McCaul for his 
important words.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our distinguished Speaker 
of the House.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for 
bringing this legislation to the floor.
  I am pleased to follow the distinguished ranking member of the 
Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. McCaul. One of the joys of my service in 
Congress is to work in a bipartisan way on issues that relate to 
respecting human rights and religious freedom throughout the world.
  I thank Mr. McCaul for his leadership and Chairman Eliot Engel for 
his leadership in facilitating this all through the committee. I thank 
Mr. Phillips for giving us access to the floor today.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Tibetan Policy and Support 
Act of 2019, a strong, bipartisan and urgently needed legislation to 
strengthen America's commitment to the Tibetan people and their right 
to safeguard their distinct identity.
  I salute Chairman  Jim McGovern, the chair of the Congressional-
Executive Commission on China and chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights 
Commission. I thank Mr. McGovern for being a leading voice in Congress 
and in the country for human rights.
  I thank Congressman Chris Smith--the gentleman and I go back decades. 
He is the ranking member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on 
China, and also the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. 
I have worked with the gentleman for three decades to hold China 
accountable for its oppression, as well as for promoting human rights 
throughout the world. I thank Mr. Smith for his leadership.
  I also want to acknowledge Senator Marco Rubio for his leadership in 
the United States Senate. As we discussed, he has been on some of the 
issues we have talked about, supporting the people of Hong Kong, the 
Uighurs, and now this important legislation. I thank Senator Marco 
Rubio for his leadership and courage in facilitating some of this 
legislation through the Senate.
  For many of us, the fight to protect human rights in China has been a 
long-term commitment, as I acknowledged with Mr. Smith, as well as 
Frank Wolf, our former Member who worked with Chris Smith so closely.
  In 1987 when I first came to Congress, I heard Tom Lantos--we 
mentioned the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission--he invited me to meet 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be in a small meeting with him. I heard 
His Holiness first describe his ``Middle Way Approach'' for Tibet. It 
was an approach about autonomy, not about independence.

[[Page H600]]

  So, when the Chinese say that it is about independence, that is not 
what it ever has been about as far as His Holiness' presentation on 
Capitol Hill or to the world.
  Among other priorities, the Dalai Lama proposed that Tibet be allowed 
to be a zone of peace; that the Tibetan people's human rights be 
respected; and Tibet's natural environment be safeguarded.
  He said: ``The Tibetan people must once again be free to develop 
culturally, intellectually, economically and spiritually and to 
exercise basic democratic freedoms.''
  I just wanted to acknowledge that because he talks about Tibet's 
natural environment.
  His Holiness was the first Nobel Laureate, the first winner of the 
Nobel Peace Prize to have presented in the testimonial his protection 
for the environment. It has been there for a long time. For many of us, 
the fight, again, has been a long time.
  Twenty years after that meeting, in 2007, and in 2008, as Speaker of 
the House, I had the privilege of visiting Dharamshala. Our delegation 
was blessed to be received by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and we had 
the opportunity to see the aspirations of the Tibetan people firsthand, 
especially in the eyes of the Tibetan schoolchildren we met.
  It was a bipartisan delegation. We spoke to big crowds waving 
American flags. It was a beautiful thing. But it is important to note 
the children, the beautiful Tibetan children. In order for their 
children to be raised in the tradition of the Tibetan language, 
culture, and religion, parents had to send them from Tibet to India 
because, sadly, Tibetan aspirations of observing their culture are 
under threat because of brutal repression in Beijing. That was in 2008.
  Then in 2015, along with Chairman McGovern, the gentleman and I led 
the first congressional delegation in decades to enter Tibet. In 
Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and Sera Monastery, we again witnessed 
the deep faith of the Tibetan people and the beauty of their culture.
  We also saw the Potemkin Village-like posturing of the Chinese 
regime. For example, they said: We are going to invite you to a 
family's home so you can see how Tibetan families thrive in their own 
culture, language, and religion.
  So we go to the home--and you probably have never seen this in 
anybody's home--but they had a gigantic picture of President Xi in the 
living room. And then they talked about their grandchildren and that 
the daughter had taken them to school, and that is why they weren't 
there.
  So, when the daughter then came back from so-called taking them to 
school, we said: Well, how are the children?
  And she said: Children? What children?
  They had these fake visits to homes to show us how they were 
respecting Tibetan culture.
  And then years later in 2017, I led another bipartisan delegation, 
this time to Nepal in India, where we were blessed to be received by 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama again. We saw once more the beautiful 
children again waving American flags, but no closer to an autonomous 
Tibet.
  Today, we are here to pass the Tibetan Policy and Support Act. In 
2002, Congress passed the Tibetan Policy Act to support the aspirations 
of the Tibetan people to safeguard their distinct identity, as His 
Holiness had suggested.
  But in the years since, China has cruelly accelerated its outrageous 
aggression against the Tibetan people. As the CECC, the Congressional-
Executive Commission on China concluded in its most recent report, 
Beijing is increasing Sinicization efforts and restricting the 
religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists, including with mandatory 
political education for religious leaders, large-scale evictions from 
Buddhist monasteries, and by replacing images of the His Holiness the 
Dalai Lama with past and current party leaders.
  The report also concludes that Beijing is expanding a massive 
surveillance regime to intimidate Tibetans and prevent them from 
practicing their culture or observing their religion. We could see the 
cameras every place we went, especially near the monasteries.
  Pursuing massive infrastructure projects--I have seen that over the 
years. And we fought some of this in the World Bank then with Chris Cox 
and others here then on the Republican side of the aisle, working 
together--pursuing massive infrastructure projects that violate the 
social, economic, and cultural rights of Tibetans, forcing scores of 
families from their homes and even detaining monks for peaceful 
protest.
  And tightening access to Tibet for international visitors. 
International journalists have stated that the isolation of Tibet is 
worse than North Korea, allowing the Chinese Government to conceal 
human rights abuses and environmentally damaging large-scale projects.
  Today, the House is taking action to update and strengthen the 
Tibetan Policy Act to address these growing threats.
  We are supporting the Tibetan people's right to religious freedom and 
genuine autonomy by formally establishing a U.S. policy that the 
Tibetan Buddhist community has exclusive right to choose its religious 
leaders, including a future 15th Dalai Lama.
  Imagine that the Chinese Government should think that they should be 
choosing the next Dalai Lama of the Tibetan Buddhists.
  We are sending Beijing a clear signal that they will be held 
accountable for interfering in Tibet's religious and cultural affairs, 
making it clear that Chinese officials who meddle in the process of 
recognizing the new Dalai Lama will be subject to targeted sanctions, 
including those in the Global Magnitsky Act.
  We are protecting Tibet's environmental and cultural rights, working 
with international governments and the business community to ensure the 
self-sufficiency of the Tibetan people and protect the environment and 
water resources of the Tibetan Plateau. This is really very important 
to the sustainability of our planet.
  This legislation also deploys America's diplomatic weight to 
encourage a genuine dialogue between Tibetan leaders and Beijing. It is 
unacceptable that the Chinese Government still refuses to enter into a 
dialogue with Tibetan leaders.

                              {time}  1500

  Congress will--and must--continue to take action to hold China 
accountable for its many abuses which sadly target so many, including 
the Uighur community--which Mr. McCaul and Mr. Rubio in a bipartisan 
way had acted upon--which faces horrific human rights abuses, including 
forced sterilizations and the mass incarceration of millions. This is 
happening as we speak. Millions of people are subjected to this in 
China.
  And, as we know, the current party chairman of the Uighur Autonomous 
Region, Secretary Chen, previously served as the top party official of 
the Tibetan Autonomous Region. So oppressive was he, they rewarded him 
by sending him to the Uighur Autonomous Region. That is so sad.
  We also see human rights abuses, as we know, in Hong Kong, where 
millions are fighting for the democratic freedoms they were promised 
and, on the mainland, where journalists, human rights lawyers, 
Christians, and democracy advocates languish in jail cells.
  Today, in the face of rising oppression in China, Congress has an 
urgent responsibility to act. Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the President 
of the Central Tibetan Administration, has said that, ``The very 
survival of Tibetan culture and identity is in peril.''
  Madam Speaker, if we don't speak out for human rights in China 
because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to 
speak out for human rights anyplace in the world.
  As I have said on this floor to those who take the repressive Chinese 
Government's side, we ask: What does it profit a man to have gained the 
whole world and suffers the loss of his soul?
  Madam Speaker, I urge a strong vote for this legislation and support 
the Tibetan people as they seek to defend their culture and their 
identity and to pursue a future of freedom of religion and dignity.
  I thank, again, the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee for 
giving us the opportunity to talk about Tibet on the floor of the House 
today.
  Repression in Tibet by the Chinese Government is a challenge to the 
conscience of the world. Let's take this step to address that 
challenge.

[[Page H601]]

  

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4331, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________