[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

  (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about 
Human Rights Day.
  This past Saturday, I was honored to speak in commemoration of Human 
Rights Day, a day chosen to honor the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights. The declaration was the world's first bill of rights.
  When many from all corners of the globe were fighting for basic 
freedoms--freedom of speech, freedom of religion, people from fear and 
repression--the declaration assured them that they were fighting the 
good fight and they were on the right side of history.
  Today I stand to recognize the men and women who are still fighting 
for these freedoms, including the seven democracy and land rights 
activists and 15 youth activists who have been illegally detained by 
the Vietnamese Government.
  All individuals deserve the right to peacefully express their 
concerns. I call on my colleagues to stand side by side with these 
brave individuals and raise their voice in demanding that the 
Government of Vietnam release all prisoners of conscience and uphold 
their commitment to human rights for all.

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