[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17595-17596]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 AMERICAN EMBASSY SECURITY ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. JOHN EDWARD PORTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 21, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2415) to 
     enhance security of United States missions and personnel 
     overseas, to authorize appropriations for the Department of 
     State for fiscal year 2000, and for other purposes.

             Support for H.R. 2415 and for Radio Free Asia

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the authorizing 
committee in their commitment to fully authorize Radio Free Asia at 
$30,000,000 and to lift the sunset provision of Radio Free Asia.
  I have had a longstanding interest in U.S. international broadcasting 
and I am proud and delighted that Radio Free Asia is running so 
strongly and delivering accurate and timely news to those who would not 
otherwise receive it. In its fourth year of existence, RFA has been 
able to expand its service to provide information in nine languages to 
listeners in Asia who do not have access to full and free news media 
reaching countless people living in China, Tibet, Burma, Vietnam, North 
Korea, Laos and Cambodia.
  I want to congratulate the Chairman and the committee on lifting the 
sunset on Radio Free Asia and call on the other body do to the same. 
RFA is the only U.S. international broadcaster to have a sunset 
provision. It is time to bring RFA in line with the rest of the 
international broadcasters.
  As we continue to fight communism, dictatorships and human rights 
abusers in Asia, it is important democracy, freedom and the truth have 
a voice. RFA provides that voice.
  This year the U.S. suffered first hand from the lack of free press in 
China in the wake of the Embassy bombing in Belgrade. RFA was one of 
the few news broadcasts to reach the Chinese people that provided the 
truth following the incident. And according to RFA call-in shows 
following the bombing, over half of the callers were critical of the 
way the Chinese government handled the situation. RFA also broadcasted 
a special series this summer commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the 
Tiananmen Square Crackdown and providing a voice for family members to 
remember their loved ones.
  China is not the only country where Radio Free Asia is reaching out 
to people. In Burma, Radio Free Asia regularly interviews Aung San Suu 
Kyi, keeping the hope of her party alive. A series was also conducted 
this year on AIDS in the country which included medical information 
about the disease. In Korean, stories ran on North Koreans defecting to 
China

[[Page 17596]]

due to its famine and on the South Korean/North Korean engagement 
policy.
  In several of these repressive countries with closed or weak media 
institutions, the Chinese government--through the Xinhua News Agency 
and other means--has an impact on the way events are reported within 
the country. RFA provides an important counterweight to this creeping 
influence.
  As these countries struggle with democracy, human rights and freedom, 
the importance of independent media sources cannot be underestimated. 
Governments are less likely to commit abuses if Radio Free Asia is 
shining light on their injustices while promoting democracy and U.S. 
interests. I am proud Radio Free Asia is available to provide this 
service. I look forward to its continued and expanded service to create 
an even greater audience to bring democracy and freedom to Asia.

                          ____________________