[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 98 (Tuesday, June 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H3711]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN VIETNAM

  (Mrs. STEEL of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. STEEL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to 
the Communist Party of Vietnam's chilling crackdown on religious 
freedom.
  Freedom to worship is a basic human right, but with the recent 
disappearance of Buddhist leader Thich Minh Tue, Vietnam is continuing 
a pattern of religious persecution.
  Thich Minh Tue recently led a pilgrimage across Vietnam, which ended 
with Communist authorities detaining him and his followers.
  I am again calling on Secretary Blinken, as I did 3 months ago, to 
designate Vietnam as a country of particular concern. This designation 
leads to accountability for nations violating the freedom to worship.
  I represent the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, and 
we will always stand up for human rights in Vietnam. America has a 
moral obligation to stand for religious freedom, and the full power of 
the State Department should fight religious persecution and ensure the 
safety of Thich Minh Tue.

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