[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 67 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1934-H1937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING PEOPLE OF BELARUS AND THEIR DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS AND 
   CONDEMNING ELECTION RIGGING AND SUBSEQUENT VIOLENT CRACKDOWNS ON 
                          PEACEFUL PROTESTERS

  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 124) supporting the people of Belarus and their 
democratic aspirations and condemning the election rigging and 
subsequent violent

[[Page H1935]]

crackdowns on peaceful protesters by the illegitimate Lukashenka 
regime, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 124

       Whereas the Republic of Belarus held a presidential 
     election on August 9, 2020, that was neither free nor fair;
       Whereas the presidential election took place without 
     appropriate observation from local independent groups and 
     international delegations;
       Whereas since the presidential election, Belarusians have 
     demonstrated their strong desire and commitment to a 
     democratic future by organizing peaceful protests in Minsk 
     and across the country;
       Whereas Belarusian civil society, led by Sviatlana 
     Tsikhanouskaya, has called for the resignation of Alyaksandr 
     Lukashenka, the peaceful transition of power, the 
     organization of new, free, and fair elections and the release 
     of all political prisoners;
       Whereas Belarusian opposition leaders have faced 
     intimidation, harassment, and detention, including direct 
     threats leading to the forced exile of Sviatlana 
     Tsikhanouskaya in Lithuania as well as the kidnapping and 
     imprisonment of Maria Kalesnikava and other opposition 
     leaders;
       Whereas in the months since the election, Belarusian 
     authorities have arbitrarily detained and brutally assaulted 
     tens of thousands of peaceful protesters, journalists, and 
     opposition figures, of which hundreds remain in detention;
       Whereas human rights groups have documented hundreds of 
     horrific accounts of torture, including sexual violence and 
     rape, along with other instances ill-treatment and excessive 
     force used against detainees arrested for peaceful protest;
       Whereas on August 13 and 14, 2020, relatives of detainees 
     held in the infamous ``Akrestsina'' detention facility in 
     Minsk recorded the sounds of ``incessant beatings which were 
     clearly audible in the street, and numerous voices screaming 
     out in agony with some begging for mercy'';
       Whereas thousands of Belarusians have fled to neighboring 
     countries seeking political asylum;
       Whereas independent journalists and the free media have 
     faced intimidation, violence, mass arrests and prosecution, 
     with many foreign journalists being stripped of their 
     accreditation;
       Whereas Katsyaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsovatwo, two 
     journalists who work for Belsat, an independent Polish-based 
     satellite television station aimed at Belarus, have each been 
     sentenced to two years in prison simply for reporting live 
     from a rally in Minsk in November 2020;
       Whereas Ihar Losik, a popular Belarusian blogger on 
     Telegram, went on a hunger strike for 6 weeks to protest the 
     politically-motivated charges that he helped organize riots 
     after the fraudulent presidential election;
       Whereas member states of the Organization for Security and 
     Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), of which the United States and 
     Belarus are members, invoked paragraph 12 of the 1991 Moscow 
     Document of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the OSCE 
     (Moscow Mechanism) to establish a mission of experts to 
     review allegations of human rights violations;
       Whereas the OSCE Rapporteur's Report under the Moscow 
     Mechanism on Alleged Human Rights Violations related to the 
     presidential elections of August 9, 2020, in Belarus, 
     published November 5, 2020, concluded that there was 
     ``overwhelming evidence that the presidential elections of 9 
     August 2020 [had] been falsified and that massive and 
     systematic human rights violations [had] been committed by 
     the Belarusian security forces in response to peaceful 
     demonstrations and protests'';
       Whereas women have played a leading role in peaceful 
     demonstrations across the country, protesting the police 
     brutality and mass detentions by wearing red and white, 
     carrying flowers, and forming ``solidarity chains'';
       Whereas the information technology (IT) industry in Belarus 
     has played a prominent role in the democratic movement by 
     demanding an end to violent oppression, as well as creating 
     safe platforms for demonstrators to communicate and track 
     people who have been detained or went missing during mass 
     detentions;
       Whereas Belarusian authorities have continually disrupted 
     internet channels in an attempt to limit communication among 
     demonstrators and targeted lead technology companies and 
     their employees advocating for democracy;
       Whereas Belarusian state-owned television channels have 
     encouraged violence against peaceful demonstrators;
       Whereas a recent survey of IT specialists found that 15 
     percent of IT specialists working in Belarus have already 
     relocated to neighboring countries, and over 40 percent of IT 
     specialists no longer want to work in Belarus, resulting in a 
     devastating loss of talent for Belarus, possibly permanently 
     damaging the Belarusian technology industry along with the 
     Belarusian economy;
       Whereas hundreds of former law enforcement officers in 
     Belarus who have defected in defiance of illegal orders to 
     commit human rights violations and cover up crimes against 
     civilians and those who have assisted law enforcement 
     officers in defecting have faced harassment, financial 
     penalties, arrest, detention, and other punitive measures;
       Whereas several peaceful demonstrators have died as a 
     result of police violence, including 31-year-old Roman 
     Bondrenko who was violently beaten by plainclothes police 
     officers and, as a result, suffered head injuries that 
     resulted in his death;
       Whereas Belarusian universities continue to expel students 
     and dismiss educators and researchers for participating in 
     peaceful protests;
       Whereas child protective services have threatened multiple 
     civic activists with termination of parental rights for 
     bringing minor children to peaceful protests;
       Whereas factory workers at state-owned enterprises have 
     been continuously harassed for trying to organize independent 
     trade unions and have been forced to sign political letters 
     opposing sanctions by the European Union under threat of 
     termination of their employment;
       Whereas a transatlantic community of legislators has 
     emerged in support of uplifting the democratic aspirations of 
     the Belarusian people;
       Whereas international advocacy, including by co-host 
     Latvia, succeeded in preventing the illegitimate Government 
     of Belarus from hosting the 2021 Ice Hockey World 
     Championship;
       Whereas the United States, the European Union, the United 
     Kingdom, and Canada have enacted sanctions and other punitive 
     measures against dozens of individuals and entities found 
     responsible for the perpetration of violence against peaceful 
     demonstrators, opposition members, and journalists, among 
     others;
       Whereas Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues to undermine the 
     sovereignty and independence of Belarus through efforts to 
     integrate Belarus into a so-called ``Union States'' under the 
     control of Russia;
       Whereas the House of Representatives passed the Belarus 
     Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 with 
     unanimous consent, sending a clear message of overwhelming, 
     bipartisan support for the democratic movement in Belarus;
       Whereas the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and 
     Sovereignty Act of 2020 was signed into law via the fiscal 
     year 2021 omnibus spending bill, expanding the President's 
     authority to impose sanctions related to Belarus, including 
     on Russian individuals who have undermined Belarus' 
     sovereignty, as well as authorizing increased assistance to 
     counter internet censorship and surveillance technology, 
     support women advocating for freedom and human rights, and 
     support political refugees fleeing the crackdown in Belarus, 
     among other things; and
       Whereas the Belarusian opposition, led by Sviatlana 
     Tsikhanouskaya, organized a Day of Solidary on February 7, 
     2020, where countries, cities, and political and elected 
     leaders, as well as everyday citizens around the world 
     demonstrated their support for the six months of historic 
     peaceful protests since the fraudulent presidential election 
     that took place on August 9, 2020: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) finds that the August 9, 2020, presidential election in 
     Belarus was neither free nor fair and, therefore, does not 
     recognize the government-announced results or Alyaksandr 
     Lukashenka as the legitimate President of Belarus;
       (2) calls for new free and fair elections under 
     Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe 
     observation;
       (3) affirms that the people of Belarus have the right to 
     determine the future of Belarus without unwelcome 
     intervention from the Russian Federation or any outside 
     actors in violation of Belarusian independence and 
     sovereignty;
       (4) condemns the human rights violations committed by 
     Belarusian authorities, including against peaceful 
     demonstrators, civil society activists, opposition leaders, 
     students, educators, employees at state-owned enterprises, 
     medical personnel, and journalists, and calls for such 
     authorities to halt any further acts of violence against 
     civilians;
       (5) calls for the immediate release of all political 
     prisoners and those unlawfully detained in connection with 
     the peaceful demonstrations including independent journalists 
     and family members of United States citizens;
       (6) recognizes the sacrifices and bravery of the Belarusian 
     people and the incredible organization by Belarusian women to 
     peacefully demand a free and fair democratic process while 
     enduring the state-sponsored violence that followed the 
     August 9, 2020, election;
       (7) calls on Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Belarusian 
     authorities to engage in an open and constructive dialogue 
     with the opposition members and other stakeholders to bring 
     about a peaceful transition of power;
       (8) calls for the protection of civil society actors and 
     members of the opposition against arbitrary arrest and 
     violence while conducting peaceful discussions relating to 
     the peaceful transition of power in Belarus;
       (9) recognizes the Coordination Council established by 
     Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as a legitimate institution to 
     participate in a dialogue on a peaceful transition of power;
       (10) urges continued cooperation among the United States 
     and its transatlantic allies

[[Page H1936]]

     and partners to explore avenues in support of the democratic 
     movement in Belarus;
       (11) calls for further targeted sanctions coordinated 
     between the United States, the European Union, the United 
     Kingdom, Canada, and other allies and partners against 
     Belarusian authorities who committed human rights violations 
     and engaged in activities that resulted in the falsification 
     of the August 9, 2020, election results;
       (12) encourages when considering, in coordination with 
     transatlantic partners, the sanctioning of Belarusian state-
     owned companies that have directly violated the rights of 
     their workers as a result of their participation in or in 
     connection to the ongoing democratic movement in Belarus that 
     the Administration take into consideration the potential 
     implications of making these companies more vulnerable to 
     takeovers by Russian or Chinese state-owned companies;
       (13) calls on the transatlantic community to review and 
     consider reassessing any financial assistance that supports 
     the Lukashenka regime, including participation in state debt 
     issuances or procurement contracts;
       (14) supports increasing funds available for foreign 
     assistance to Belarusian civil society groups as well as 
     legal assistance for activists and independent journalists, 
     among others, as called for in the Belarus Democracy, Human 
     Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020;
       (15) urges the President to provide the United States 
     Agency for Global Media with a surge capacity (as such term 
     is defined in section 316 of the United States International 
     Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6216)) for programs and 
     activities in Belarus, including to protect the brave 
     independent journalists reporting from within Belarus as 
     called for in the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and 
     Sovereignty Act of 2020;
       (16) calls for an international investigation into the 
     human rights abuses committed during and after the August 9, 
     2020, presidential election; and
       (17) continues to support the aspirations of the people of 
     Belarus for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and 
     reaffirms that the fulfillment of such aspirations is 
     critical to ensuring the continued strength of Belarusian 
     sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 124.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 124.
  This resolution, introduced by the chair of the Subcommittee on 
Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber, Mr. Keating, my good friend, 
is an excellent measure that solidifies this body's already strong 
bipartisan support for the people of Belarus. I also thank the ranking 
member for his work.
  After Alyaksandr Lukashenka stole the August 9, 2020, elections, the 
Belarusian people, led by thousands of women dressed in white and 
fearless opposition leaders, including Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, 
peacefully took to the streets in historic numbers to demand the right 
to chart their own democratic future, a future free of Lukashenka's 
dictatorial grip.
  Tragically, but unsurprisingly, these peaceful protestors were met 
with the same brutal, violent tactics that have defined Lukashenka's 
nearly three-decades-long rule. In his desperate attempt to cling to 
power, thousands were beaten, injured, and illegally detained without 
due process by security forces. Meanwhile, critical access to the 
internet, international broadcasting, and other forms of communication 
and expression were cut off to suppress the dissent, control the flow 
of information, and prevent the opposition from organizing any further.
  But the resolve of the Belarusian people, the brave, peaceful 
protestors, the opposition in exile, and the vibrant Belarusian 
diaspora has not wavered. The resolve of the United States, our allies, 
and this body must not waver either.
  With the passing of this resolution, the House shines a spotlight on 
the illegitimacy of the Lukashenka regime and his abhorrent human 
rights violations.
  We must continue to build on the work of the Belarus Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020, an effort led by another 
distinguished member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and, as 
indicated by Ranking Member McCaul, a longtime champion for human 
rights in Belarus, Mr. Smith of New Jersey. We thank him for his work.
  By passing this good, bipartisan resolution, the House will 
strengthen its longstanding commitment and record on democracy and 
human rights. We will continue to demonstrate that we stand in 
solidarity with the freedom-loving Belarusians, who continue to 
struggle for their fundamental democratic and human rights every day. 
We do this hand in hand with our allies and partners across the 
Atlantic.
  Madam Speaker, I stand today not only to support this measure, but in 
support of democracy and the sanctity of the democratic process and 
solidarity with the people of Belarus.
  This is a very important resolution. I support it and I urge all of 
my colleagues to do the same.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to join my colleagues today to express 
our support for the people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations.
  There is no question that Alyaksandr Lukashenka rigged the 
presidential election in Belarus this past August. He is an 
illegitimate leader who will never be recognized by the community of 
democratic nations. The scale of the electoral fraud was unprecedented, 
as was the violent crackdown by Lukashenka's cronies afterwards.
  The reports of peaceful protestors being beaten, tortured, and 
arbitrarily detained and killed are appalling. In a cowardly attempt to 
conceal their heinous crimes, the regime has repressed independent 
media, disrupted internet access, and expelled and detained countless 
journalists.
  Given this despicable human rights situation in Belarus, I commend 
the Biden administration's decision today to renew sanctions against 
nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises.
  Despite the terror inflicted upon them, the Belarusian people have 
refused to relent. They continue to demand a free and fair vote. Their 
courage is truly inspiring.
  This resolution reminds the corrupt Lukashenka regime that the United 
States Congress supports the people of Belarus. We echo their calls for 
the immediate release of more than 300 political prisoners and all of 
those unlawfully detained by the regime. We also join them in demanding 
new, free, and fair elections to be held in Belarus.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Keating), the distinguished chair of the 
Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment and Cyber; an esteemed 
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; and the author of this 
important bill.
  Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Foreign 
Affairs Committee, my friend,   Gregory Meeks of New York, for yielding 
and for his leadership on this issue.
  I also thank the ranking member, my friend and colleague,   Michael 
McCaul of Texas, for his support and leadership. I also thank the 
longtime leader of this cause, Representative Chris Smith, for his 
support. I thank them both for their bipartisan support.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 124.
  Today marks just over 8 months since an openly fraudulent 
presidential election took place in Belarus. In that time, Belarusians 
have made it clear by marching in the street en masse, with a 
pronounced leadership of brave women, that they want and need democracy 
in Belarus.
  Despite the peaceful nature of these events, protestors have been 
beaten and arrested, and opposition leaders have either been forced out 
of the country, like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya; or jailed, like Maria 
Kalesnikava.
  This resolution, inspired by the courage of those taking to the 
streets to defend democracy, makes it clear to the people of Belarus 
and to the international community that the United

[[Page H1937]]

States House of Representatives has reviewed the facts and determined 
that the 2020 Belarus presidential election was neither free nor fair, 
and that Alyaksandr Lukashenka cannot and must not be recognized as 
Belarus's legitimate president.
  The resolution also strongly condemns the heinous human rights 
violations that have been committed by Belarusian authorities and 
underlines that Belarus is a sovereign nation, whose people have the 
right to self-determination.
  As chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, 
Energy, the Environment and Cyber, I held a hearing in March, where we 
heard firsthand from presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya 
about the unprecedented violence and verbal, physical, emotional, and 
sexual assault of peaceful protestors. In their fight for democracy, 
the Belarusian people have endured unprecedented repression and many 
protestors have been left severely wounded, and at least eight have 
been murdered by this reprehensible regime.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution is a vital signal of support for the 
democratic movement in Belarus, that their sacrifice will not be 
forgotten, and their calls for recognition will not go unanswered.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution and send 
a clear message that the United States is paying close attention to the 
human rights situation in Belarus and will continue to support the 
people of Belarus in their fight for a new, free, and fair election.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights; and 
also the author of the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty 
Act that was signed into law last year.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend for 
yielding and for his leadership, as well as Chairman Meeks. I 
especially want to thank Chairman Keating for authoring this very, very 
important resolution and for his hearing that he held in March on the 
situation in Belarus.
  Madam Speaker, the resolution condemns Alyaksandr Lukashenka's 
ongoing and ever-worsening brutality and crackdown on peaceful 
protestors.
  As my colleagues know, the leading opposition presidential candidate, 
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who almost certainly won the election in 
August and helped form the Coordination Council as a means to seek a 
peaceful transition of power, needs our consistent and robust support 
and encouragement.
  Today, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya is in exile in Lithuania, where she 
continues to rally the Belarusian people and the world and to demand 
democracy and human rights for her nation, no matter how long it takes.
  More than 8 months have passed since the stolen August presidential 
election, and about 5 months since President Trump signed the Belarus 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020, which I authored.
  Let me point out to my colleagues that I first authored the Belarus 
Democracy Act in the year 2004. It was enacted into law and 
reauthorized in 2006 and 2011. What it did was focus on denying visas 
to human rights abusers and made people who are singled out ineligible 
for participating in our economy.
  In retaliation, I was told I could not visit Belarus. I was denied a 
visa repeatedly. I finally got there twice and raised human rights 
issues with Lukashenka himself.
  Let me just say that a resolution like this has real impact. Just 
last week, as a result of an outcry from human rights organizations, 
the government released Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorska, the director of the 
Watch Docs Film Festival in Belarus, and they dropped the charges 
because of the outcry.
  Again, I want to thank Mr. Keating, the chairman, for doing this.
  Let me remind my colleagues, too, that the Russians continue to play 
a very, very destructive role in the country. This past week alone, 
Russian authorities detained Yuras Zyankovich, a Belarusian lawyer and 
U.S. citizen.
  Madam Speaker, I urge passage.
  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Meijer), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
  Mr. MEIJER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 124, a 
resolution to support the people of Belarus in their efforts against 
corruption and kleptocracy.
  On August 9, 2020, Belarus held a presidential election marred by 
credible reports of widespread election manipulation. Not surprisingly, 
the Belarusian dictator, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who has ruled with an 
iron fist for nearly three decades, commanded an authoritarian 80 
percent of the vote.
  Since August, Belarusians have taken to the streets peacefully to 
express their desire for self-determination. Instead of heeding their 
calls, the regime has responded with extreme violence, arbitrary 
detention, torture, and other systematic violations of human rights.
  This resolution sends a clear message that we in Congress support the 
Belarusian people and their aspirations for democracy, human rights, 
and the rule of law.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote from all of my colleagues. 
Passage of this resolution will send a message that we in Congress 
stand against the violent crackdown of the Lukashenka regime and stand 
with the people of Belarus.
  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close and I yield myself 
the balance of my time.
  Today, the people of Belarus know that they are not alone, that they 
have the support of the United States Congress and the American people.
  Madam Speaker, I urge passage, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.

                              {time}  1815

  Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I join with Ranking Member McCaul that this 
resolution makes it clear that the United States will not be silent on 
human rights violations as perpetrated by the illegitimate Lukashenko 
regime and we stand with the Belarusian people in their peaceful fight 
for democracy. I hope all join in supporting this resolution.
  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 New York (Mr. Meeks) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 124, as amended.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________