[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 19, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS SINCE THE COUP IN CHILE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, this month we observe the 50th anniversary 
of the coup in Chile. It is important to note the role that the House 
played in declassifying documents relating to the United States' role 
in the coup of Allende and the Presidency of Pinochet.
  I rise to pay tribute to our former colleague, Maurice Hinchey, who 
in 1999 introduced legislation to declassify documents related to the 
coup in Chile. Following his leadership, I took his legislation to the 
House Intelligence Committee conference.
  In our markup of the conference report of the Intelligence 
Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000, I was successful in getting an 
amendment passed in committee that mirrored the Hinchey legislation. 
This language was sustained on the floor and when the FY 2000 
Intelligence bill was signed by President Clinton, it became law.
  The legislation stated that no longer than 270 days following 
enactment--we wanted a shorter period of time, they wanted a longer 
period of time. This was the compromise--270 days following the 
enactment, the CIA had to submit a report on all of its activities in 
various events in Chile in three categories: the assassination of 
President Salvador Allende; the ascension of Pinochet to the 
Presidency; and the violation of human rights committed by the henchman 
of President Pinochet.
  In 2001, therefore, the CIA prepared 16,000 documents for 
declassification. Since then, thousands more documents--maybe up around 
23,000 documents--have been declassified.
  During the debate on the FY 2000 legislation, it was argued that the 
search for documents related to human rights violations in Chile--now, 
we are talking about murder, disappearances, imprisonment, torture; 
that is what we are talking about--directed by the National Security 
Council was sufficient. They said we did that. It is sufficient. They 
said nothing further was needed and raised the question of how much 
money will this cost and how much time will it take for the Director of 
Central Intelligence to produce an adequate report.
  However, Maurice Hinchey argued, in these words: ``It is time that 
the Central Intelligence Agency accounted for its role in the military 
coup that toppled the democratically elected government of Salvador 
Allende and led to his death. The American people need to know how our 
government supported the rise of Augusto Pinochet, a ruthless dictator 
who systematically murdered and tortured his enemies.''
  In May 2016, I had the privilege of leading a strongly bipartisan 
congressional delegation to Chile. When we visited the Museum of Memory 
and Human Rights--and I would recommend that if you get to Chile you 
certainly see that--it was emotional and gratifying for some of us to 
see the documents that we had declassified under Maurice Hinchey's 
leadership helping bring the truth to light.
  To this day in Chile there is still great sadness about the loss of 
life and other crimes against humanity perpetrated by Pinochet's 
henchman. Last week was the 50th anniversary, and at the observance--an 
event marking 50 years since the coup--President Gabriel Boric spoke 
eloquently about the importance of reconciliation and democracy. 
Democracy--he said it again and again. Thankfully, the President had 
also called for a plan to find the nearly 1,500 people who are still 
missing or unaccounted for, for their families.
  It is my hope that this spirit will lead to more revelations and 
accountability.
  As we mark 50 years since the coup, I salute the leadership of 
Maurice Hinchey. He was a champion of justice; not only in Chile but in 
Argentina and in other countries suffering under similar despotic 
regimes, including those affected by Operation Condor.
  Operation Condor was how all these vicious dictators coordinated 
their activities. Maurice Hinchey saw the connection and coordination 
among the dictatorships in the death and violence in their countries, 
and in relentlessly speaking out against it, he made a difference.
  His family is still active in the civic life of New York State. He 
passed away on November 22, 2017, but his leadership in the fight for 
truth and justice continues to be an inspiration to us all.

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