[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13750-13752]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 SENSE OF CONGRESS STRONGLY OBJECTING TO EFFORT TO EXPEL HOLY SEE FROM 
                             UNITED NATIONS

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 253) expressing the 
sense of the Congress strongly objecting to any effort to expel the 
Holy See from the United Nations as a state participant by removing its 
status as a Permanent Observer.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 253

       Whereas the Holy See is the governing authority of the 
     sovereign state of Vatican City;
       Whereas the Holy See has an internationally recognized 
     legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties as 
     the juridical equal of a state and to send and receive 
     diplomatic representatives;
       Whereas the diplomatic history of the Holy See began over 
     1,600 years ago, during the 4th century A.D., and the Holy 
     See currently has formal diplomatic relations with 169 
     nations, including the United States, and maintains 179 
     permanent diplomatic missions abroad;
       Whereas, although the Holy See was an active participant in 
     a wide range of United Nations activities since 1946 and was 
     eligible to become a member state of the United Nations, it 
     chose instead to become a nonmember state with Permanent 
     Observer status over 35 years ago, in 1964;
       Whereas, unlike the governments of other geographically 
     small countries such as Monaco, Nauru, San Marino, and 
     Liechtenstein, the Holy See does not possess a vote in the 
     General Assembly of the United Nations;
       Whereas, according to a July 1998 assessment by the United 
     States Department of State, ``[t]he United States values the 
     Holy See's significant contributions to international peace 
     and human rights'';
       Whereas during the past year certain organizations that 
     oppose the views of the Holy See regarding the sanctity of 
     human life and the value of the family as the basic unit of 
     society have initiated an organized effort to pressure the 
     United Nations to remove the Permanent Observer status of the 
     Holy See; and
       Whereas the removal of the Holy See's Permanent Observer 
     status would constitute an expulsion of the Holy See from the 
     United Nations as a state participant: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) commends the Holy See for its strong commitment to 
     fundamental human rights, including the protection of 
     innocent human life both before and after birth, during its 
     36 years as a Permanent Observer at the United Nations;
       (2) strongly objects to any effort to expel the Holy See 
     from the United Nations as a state participant by removing 
     its status as a nonmember state Permanent Observer;
       (3) believes that any degradation of the status accorded to 
     the Holy See at the United Nations would seriously damage the 
     credibility of the United Nations by demonstrating that its 
     rules of participation are manipulable for ideological 
     reasons rather than being rooted in neutral principles and 
     objective facts of sovereignty; and
       (4) expresses the concern that any such degradation of the 
     status accorded to the Holy See would seriously damage 
     relations between the United Nations and member states that 
     find in the Holy See a moral and ethical presence with which 
     they can work effectively in pursuing humanitarian approaches 
     to international problems.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 253.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that every Member of this body will join me in 
supporting House Concurrent Resolution 253, which I introduced last 
February along with 37 other cosponsors.
  This resolution puts the Congress on record as being strongly against 
the current anti-Catholic effort to expel the Holy See from the United 
Nations by depriving it of the Permanent Observer status that it has 
held for 35 years. The proponents of this effort make no secret of the 
fact that what really irritates them about the Holy See is its 
consistent position regarding the sanctity of life and family.
  Mr. Speaker, the Holy See is more than entitled to this status that 
it holds at the United Nations. It is the governing body of the 
sovereign State of Vatican City. It has an internationally-recognized 
legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties and to send and 
to receive diplomatic representatives.
  Its diplomatic history stretches back more than 1600 years, a 
millennium and a half longer than most U.N. Member states have been in 
existence.
  The Holy See currently has formal diplomatic relations with more than 
169 nations, including the United States, and it maintains 179 
permanent diplomatic missions abroad.
  If anything, the Holy See deserves a more permanent role at the 
United Nations. As our own State Department concluded and I quote, 
``the United States values the Holy See's significant contributions to 
international peace and human rights.'' The Holy See has been an active 
participant in a wide range of U.N. activities since 1946.
  Mr. Speaker, the removal of the Holy See's Permanent Observer status 
would constitute an absolutely unjustifiable expulsion of the Holy See 
from the United Nations as a State participant. Just like when there 
was an anti-Semitic effort some years back to expel Israel, if this 
anti-Catholicism succeeds, we will take all appropriate actions I am 
sure in this House, and we and the President and the Senate will to 
take a second look at our own participation in the United Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope every Member of this House will join me in 
supporting House Concurrent Resolution 253, which I introduced in 
February of this year along with Mr. Hyde, and which has 37 other 
bipartisan cosponsors. This resolution puts Congress on record as 
strongly against the current anti-Catholic effort to expel the Holy See 
from the United Nations by depriving it of the Permanent Observer 
status it has held for over 35 years.
  The proponents of this effort make no secret of the fact that what 
really irritates them about the Holy See is its consistent positions 
concerning the sanction of the family, opposition to efforts to create 
an international right to abortion. Rather than answer the arguments 
raised by the Holy See in honest and open debate, these pro-abortion 
groups want to silence the voice of dissent in the United Nations. Mr. 
Speaker, this House must take a stand in favor of the free exchange of 
ideas, and we must also stand against the thinly veiled religious 
intolerance that lurks behind this effort.
  Last year, a number of pro-abortion groups announced what they called 
the ``See Change'' campaign. This campaign is an attempt to pressure 
the U.N. into expelling the Holy See as a state participant. Frustrated 
by the success of the Holy See at cooperating with other delegations to 
defend the sanctity of life and the integrity of the family against 
radical proposals at U.N. international conferences, those 
organizations decided to try a new tack. They are now trying to subvert 
free discussion by a sovereign state on these topics in the future by 
depriving the Holy See of its rightful place at the table.
  Mr. Speaker, the ``See Change'' proposal is an ideological power 
play, motivated by pro-abortion and anti-Catholic sentiment. ``See 
Change'' supporters have attempted to justify their claim that the Holy 
See does not deserve a seat at the United Nations by comparing the Holy 
See to EuroDisney and to the Soviet Politburo. I hope and expect that 
many Members from both sides of the aisle will want to join me in 
denouncing these offensive remarks--especially in light of the amount 
of time this House has spent examining far flimsier allegations of 
anti-Catholicism in the recent past.
  In response these vicious insults against the Holy See, more than 
1,000 nongovernmental

[[Page 13751]]

organizations from 44 countries around the world have organized their 
own, much larger ``Holy See Campaign,'' which opposes the ``See 
Change'' proposal and supports the longstanding Permanent Observer 
status of the Holy See at the U.N. This effort is not just Catholic. 
Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Mormon leaders--among others--have also 
raised their voices in support.
  Even those who may disagree with the Holy See on life issues should 
support H. Con. Res. 253. This resolution is about maintaining the 
integrity of the United Nations and supporting international pluralism. 
If ideological preferences are allowed to trump neutral principles of 
sovereignty--as the See Change activists desire--it will have grave 
consequences for the U.N. and for the world.
  Who might be next on the expulsion list? Israel, or some other 
nation, with whom someone may disagree.
  The Holy See is more than entitled to the status it holds at the 
United Nations. It is the governing authority of the sovereign state of 
Vatican City. It has an internationally recognized legal personality 
that allows it to enter into treaties and to send and receive 
diplomatic representatives. Its diplomatic history stretches back more 
than 1,600 years--a millennium and a half longer than most U.N. member 
states have been in existence. The Holy See currently has formal 
diplomatic relations with 169 nations, including the United States, and 
it maintains 179 permanent diplomatic missions abroad.
  If anything, the Holy See deserves a more prominent role in the U.N. 
As the State Department has explicitly stated: ``The United States 
values the Holy See's significant contributions to international peace 
and human rights.'' The Holy See has been an active participant in a 
wide range of United Nations activities since 1946 and was eligible to 
become a full member state of the U.N. But it chose instead to become a 
nonmember state with Permanent Observer status in 1964. Because of this 
choice, unlike the governments of other geographically small countries 
such as Monaco, San Marino, and Liechtenstein, the Holy See does not 
possess a vote in the U.N. General Assembly.
  The removal of the Holy See's Permanent Observer status would 
constitute an unjustifiable explusion of the Holy See from the United 
Nations as a state participant. It is the full legal equivalent of a 
state, and its expulsion would seriously damage the credibility of the 
United Nations by demonstrating that its rules of participation are 
manipulable for ideological reasons rather than being rooted in neutral 
principles and objective facts of sovereignty. It would also seriously 
damage relations between the United Nations and member states that find 
in the Holy See a moral and ethical presence with which they can work 
effectively in pursuing humanitarian approaches to international 
problems.
  The United Nations operates largely by consensus. In the final 
analysis, the activists behind the ``See Change'' campaign would like 
to circumvent that process by silencing a voice they oppose. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in rejecting this shameful eruption of anti-
Catholic bigotry, and submit the following communication for the 
Record.

                                            National Conference of


                                             Catholic Bishops,

                                    Washington, DC, July 11, 2000.
     Hon. Christopher H. Smith
     House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Smith: I write to express our gratitude 
     for your support for maintaining the Holy See's status as a 
     Permanent Observer at the United Nations, a status it has 
     held since 1964.
       The Holy See, a state with formal diplomatic relations with 
     more countries than any other sovereign state, has long been 
     an active and valuable non-voting participant in the work of 
     the United Nations.
       Since the United Nations was founded, the Holy See has 
     offered strong moral support for this unique global 
     institution, the ideals for which it stands, and may concrete 
     ways in which it seeks to implement these ideals. The Holy 
     See has not only been a responsible participant in the 
     practical work of the United Nations, it has provided a 
     critical moral voice that has helped ensure that the United 
     Nations remains an effective means of protecting basic human 
     rights, promoting authentic development for the world's poor, 
     and encouraging peaceful resolution to violent conflicts 
     around the world.
       It is unfortunate that, despite the strong support the Holy 
     See enjoys in the international community, its status at the 
     United Nations has become a matter of ideological and 
     partisan debate. I hope that the Congressional approval of 
     the resolution you have introduced will reaffirm the strong 
     support for the Holy See's role at the United Nations that it 
     enjoys among the community of nations.
           Sincerely yours,

                                 Most Rev. Joseph A. Fiorenza,

                                      Bishop of Glaveston-Houston,
     President, NCCB/USCC.
                                  ____



                                     Archdiocese of Baltimore,

                                     Baltimore, MD, July 11, 2000.
     Hon. Chris Smith,
     Congress of the United States, Cannon Building, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Congressman Smith: I have just learned that Resolution 
     253 will be considered today by the House of Representatives. 
     I write to urge the House Members to vote in support of the 
     Resolution.
       The initiative to expel the Holy See from the United 
     Nations is one developed and supported by groups which have 
     nothing to do with member nations of the U.N.
       As I am sure you know, the Holy See currently enjoys 
     diplomatic relationships with more than 175 nations. A 
     Resolution by the United States Congress in support of the 
     Holy See's status as Permanent Observer to the United Nations 
     would be an expression of the esteem in which Congress holds 
     the Holy See for its role in promoting world peace, human 
     development and human rights.
       With every best wish, I remain.
           Sincerely yours,
                                       Cardinal William H. Keeler,
                                          Archbishop of Baltimore.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Holy See for its 
contributions to the world community in the areas of peace, human 
rights, refugees and the underprivileged. I stand in strong support of 
the right of the Holy See to conduct foreign policy, to send and 
receive official representatives and to participate in international 
organizations.
  The Holy See is the governing authority of the sovereign State of 
Vatican City and the central governing authority of the Roman Catholic 
church.
  As an internationally-recognized legal personality, the Holy See 
enters into treaties as an equal of a state and maintains its right to 
send and receive diplomatic representatives.
  The Holy See currently has formal diplomatic relations with the 169 
nations, including the United States and maintains 179 permanent 
diplomatic missions abroad.
  The Holy See is active in international organizations, including the 
United Nations in New York, the Office of the United Nations in Geneva, 
the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, and the U.N. 
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris.
  The Holy See has lent its significant moral influence to a number of 
important international issues, such as international debt relief, 
nuclear nonproliferation, human rights and ending world hunger.
  The Holy See is party to a number of important international treaties 
and organizations and conventions, including the protocol relating to 
the Status of Refugees, the Convention against All Forms of Racial 
Discrimination, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  We commend the Holy See for its role in promoting international peace 
and stability and its efforts on behalf of refugees and the poor. I 
urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 253.
  Frankly, I wish this bill had been referred to the Committee on 
International Relations so that the committee could take its normal 
deliberative process over this legislation. We found out from the 
Republican leadership at 10 p.m. last night this bill would be voted 
today, but I do vote and do urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 
253.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the distinguished chairman of the 
full Committee on International Relations.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Smith) for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H. Con. Res. 253, a 
concurrent resolution which objects to efforts to expel the Holy See 
from the United Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly object to any efforts to expel the Holy See 
from the United Nations as a state participant by removing the Holy 
See's Permanent Observer status in the United Nations for a number of 
reasons.

[[Page 13752]]

  Simply stated, to expel the Holy See from the U.N. would seriously 
damage the credibility of the United Nations and would erode the 
principles that are embodied in that international body.
  The Holy See is a governing authority of the State of Vatican City 
and has an internationally recognized legal personality which allows it 
to enter into treaties as the juridical equal of a State and to receive 
and send diplomatic representatives. Not only does the Holy See have 
every right to be represented in the U.N., but the absence of the Holy 
See in the U.N. would diminish that international body.
  Our own State Department recognized the importance of the Holy See's 
contributions and has commended the Holy See's many significant 
contributions to international peace and human rights. I join in that 
praise and much deserved recognition.
  The Holy See has been an active member of the U.N. since 1946 and 
chose to become a nonmember State with Permanent Observer status in 
1964. Although the Holy See does not possess a vote in the General 
Assembly of the U.N., it has played an important diplomatic role and 
has been a source for the promotion of diplomacy over a conflict for 
decades.
  However, I do object to the introduction of family planning language 
in this resolution. I regret its unnecessary inclusion in this 
resolution dilutes the widespread respect and support of its other 
worthy diplomatic and moral role of the Holy See. Nevertheless, because 
of the importance of the principles of human rights and diplomacy that 
have been championed by the Holy See over the many years, I support 
this resolution with the reservation that I voice concern of the 
inclusion of the unnecessary family planning language.
  Accordingly, I urge our colleagues to vote for H. Con. Res. 253.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 253.
  It is outrageous that the United Nations would even consider 
expelling the Holy See from the United Nations as a state participant 
by removing its status as a Permanent Observer.
  As the Resolution reflects and history has clearly shown, the Holy 
See has served as a vehicle for peace, cooperation, and mutual 
understanding among nations. Since 1946, the Holy See has demonstrated 
its commitment to the principles on which the United Nations was 
founded, maintaining its position as an honest broker and objective 
independent party by choosing to become a nonmember state with 
Permanent Observer status in 1964.
  The Holy See has been sought out throughout the decades to facilitate 
discussions, to build a bridge, between conflicting parties--having 
these see each other as human beings rather than as political 
adversaries. What appeared to be insurmountable obstacles were overcome 
through the intercession of the Holy See and its dedication to the idea 
of a global family of nations.
  The Holy See exemplifies the essence of the United Nations Charter 
and mission. To expel it from this international body would be to 
undermine the very foundation of the United Nations damaging this 
body's credibility and image of neutrality.
  Such degradation of the Holy See would be considered an affront, not 
only to its status as a State, but would be interpreted as a veiled 
attack on the moral and ethical principles it represents.
  I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 
253. This bill may very well be unconstitutional, is inappropriate, and 
is counter to the fundamentals I have supported since coming to 
Congress.
  The writers of the Constitution understood the importance of the 
separation of church and state. While religion plays an important role 
in our society, ``Congress shall make no law respecting the 
establishment of religion.'' This resolution recognizes the 
establishment of the government of a religious institution, the Roman 
Catholic Church, as a sovereign state. Thus this bill is 
unconstitutional and should not have even appeared on the floor of the 
House.
  This bill is also grossly inappropriate. The Majority party has 
consistently refused to pay our dues to the United Nations and has even 
called for its dissolution, while at the same time trying to tell the 
UN how to operate. this bill opposes a movement not to remove the 
Vatican from the United Nations but merely to put the Catholic Church 
in the same position that all the other non-governmental organizations 
have in the UN. This movement, if successful, would simply remove 
voting privileges from the Vatican, a right not enjoyed by any other 
non-governmental UN member today.
  And finally, this bill ``commends the Holy See for its strong 
commitment to fundamental human rights, including the protection of 
innocent human life both before and after birth.'' (emphasis added) I 
cannot vote for a bill that contains such language as I believe that it 
is a fundamental human right that a woman have the right to decide what 
happens to her body. I have fought for many years to ensure a woman's 
right to choose and I will not vote for any bill that suggests that a 
woman choosing to have an abortion is a person who violates human 
rights.
  For these reasons I urge my fellow members of Congress to vote 
against this inappropriate campaign check written to make the 
Republican Party seem even more anti-choice.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer thoughts 
regarding House Concurrent Resolution 253, which objects to any effort 
to expel the Holy See from the United Nations. First and foremost, I 
believe that it is a serious matter that this body is taking the 
historic position of public debate of the status of any non-
governmental organization or nation who may or may not be participants 
in the governing processes of the United Nations.
  Because of our nation's status as the world's sole super power, we 
should be mindful that the policies and actions of the United States 
government are not viewed favorably by many people nor their 
governments who are also members of the United Nation's participant 
based on their stance on one issue, even if I might personally disagree 
with their position, would be a move in the wrong direction for this 
nation and the global community housed under the banner of the United 
Nations.
  Personally, I see the participation of the Holy See in the United 
Nations to be an acknowledgement of past world history. Since the 
fourth century, the Holy See has participated in diplomatic missions. 
For over sixteen hundred years this body has been part of world 
history, and in 1929, the Vatican City State came into existence with 
the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and Italy. The Holy See 
represents not just Vatican City, but the global membership of the 
first Christian Church.
  In September 1997, the United States reaffirmed the view that our 
government sees the unique position held by the Holy See in global 
matters as being appropriate by appointing a former member of this body 
Corinne ``Lindy'' Claiborne Boggs to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy 
See.
  Therefore, I would ask that my fellow members of this body remember 
that as we uphold the principles of democracy, one of the most 
important tenants of our system of government is that we do agree to 
disagree in a civil and organized manner. To try to silence decent 
through threat, or sensor, or expulsion is not the way to reach our 
goal of a broader more inclusive society. If our position is valid, 
then it will weather the test of time and we will be victorious in 
moving this nation and this world to broader understanding of freedom, 
democracy and liberty.
  I encourage each of my colleagues to consider carefully their vote on 
this legislation.
  Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. 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 Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 253.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. 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 and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________

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