[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6804-6805]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                VIETNAM

  Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I know President Obama is visiting 
Vietnam. I want to speak briefly about that, but I also want to comment 
about the contribution many Vietnamese Americans are making in the 
United States and particularly back home in Texas. They demonstrate the 
vividness and the life of the pursuit of the American dream because 
these are some of the most accomplished people in our communities back 
in Texas.
  Many people don't realize how big of a Vietnamese community Texas 
has. Many are surprised when I tell them that Vietnamese is the third 
most commonly spoken language in Texas. Admittedly, English, even Texas 
English, is No. 1 and then obviously Spanish, with 38 percent of our 
population of Hispanic origin--but it is still a sizable, vibrant part 
of our State and our communities.
  I have been particularly impressed by the passion and drive of those 
from Vietnam who have now made America their home--how passionate they 
are about things we perhaps take for granted, such as the same freedoms 
we enjoy here that folks back in Vietnam do not enjoy.
  As a matter of fact, it is important to remember, even as President 
Obama is traveling to Vietnam, that Vietnam is a brutal Communist 
regime that continues to disregard basic human rights. Sure, our 
economic relationships could bear fruit--and in fact I am encouraged by 
that and would encourage that--but we cannot forget that, at bottom, 
the regime is Communist, and it disregards basic human rights.
  I expect a lot of the conversations the President is having with the 
government will focus on our common threats in the Pacific, 
particularly the rise and belligerence of China, particularly in the 
South China Sea. I am sure it will focus on the need for more robust 
economic relationships and perhaps the benefits of trade agreements 
like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
  I agree economics and trade are important, but we can't let the 
prospect of greater economic ties dampen our convictions as a 
democratic nation to encourage greater freedoms for the Vietnamese 
people. Recently, Reporters Without Borders ranked Vietnam 175th out of 
180 countries worldwide when it comes to freedom of the media--175th 
out of 180.
  Unfortunately, the regime does not fare any better when it comes to 
religious liberty either. The truth is, our two countries will never 
achieve the kind of close relationship that I know many in Vietnam and 
many in the United States aspire to until Vietnam releases all 
political prisoners, demonstrates basic respect for human rights, and 
embraces self-government ideals that we again take for granted in 
America.
  I believe that until that happens, the United States has no choice 
but to continue to hold Vietnam at arm's length. That means we must do 
all we can to put pressure on the regime to strengthen freedoms for the 
Vietnamese people. I am hopeful, in moving forward, the United States 
will do a better job of making clear that the Communist regime in Hanoi 
must improve its human rights record.
  Fortunately, we in the Congress can play a role. Earlier this year, I 
reintroduced a piece of legislation called the Vietnam Human Rights 
Sanctions Act, legislation that would impose travel restrictions and 
other sanctions on Vietnamese nationals who are complicit in human 
rights abuses against their follow people. I intend to offer this 
legislation, the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, as an amendment to 
the national defense authorization bill we will be debating this week.
  The United States simply must do more to support the rights of the 
Vietnamese people and freedom-loving people everywhere. We simply can't 
give a pass to the Vietnamese regime and a pass to their oppressive 
government because, frankly, it is a little inconvenient to bring up 
during the time we are talking about trade and better economic 
relationships.

[[Page 6805]]

  This bill is a step forward in the fight for their civil, religious, 
and political liberties.

                          ____________________