[House Report 108-130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    108-130

======================================================================







 
REAFFIRMING SUPPORT OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT 
 OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE AND ANTICIPATING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
 ENACTMENT OF THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 1987 (THE 
                   PROXMIRE ACT) ON NOVEMBER 4, 2003

                                _______
                                

May 22, 2003.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Sensenbrenner, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 193]

                [Including the committee cost estimate]

  The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the 
resolution (H. Res. 193) reaffirming support of the Convention 
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and 
anticipating the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire 
Act) on November 4, 2003, having considered the same, report 
favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the 
resolution be agreed to.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     2
Background and Need for the Legislation..........................     2
Hearings.........................................................     4
Committee Consideration..........................................     4
Vote of the Committee............................................     4
Committee Oversight Findings.....................................     4
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................     4
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     4
Performance Goals and Objectives.................................     4
Constitutional Authority Statement...............................     4
Textual Analysis and Discussion..................................     5
Agency Views.....................................................     5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     6
Markup Transcript................................................     6

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H. Res. 193 acknowledges the 15th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 
(``the Proxmire Act'') on November 4, 2003, and encourages the 
people and Government of the United States to rededicate 
themselves to ending genocide.

                BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE LEGISLATION

    In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations 
approved the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the 
Crime of Genocide, motivated by the genocide committed by Nazi 
Germany in the Holocaust.
    The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the 
Crime of Genocide confirmed that genocide is a crime under 
international law, defined genocide as certain acts committed 
with intent to destroy a national, ethnical, racial, or 
religious group, and provided that parties to the Convention 
should undertake to enact domestic legislation to provide 
effective penalties for persons who are guilty of genocide. The 
United States was the first nation to sign the Convention on 
the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
    The Convention was submitted to the Senate for advice and 
consent to ratification in 1949. For many years, no action was 
taken on ratification in part because of unfounded fears that 
adherence to the treaty would undermine U.S. sovereignty. 
Senator William Proxmire was the leading proponent of 
ratification of the Convention. In reaction to the lack of 
movement by the Senate to give its advice and consent, Senator 
Proxmire vowed to speak every day on the need to ratify the 
Convention until the Senate took action. He made over 3,000 
statements on the Senate floor urging ratification of the 
Convention. His commitment was so crucial to the ratification 
effort that the law is known as the ``Proxmire Act.''
    On February 19, 1986, the United States Senate ratified the 
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of 
Genocide. The enabling legislation, the Genocide Convention 
Implementation Act of 1987 (``the Proxmire Act''), was signed 
into law on November 4, 1988. The Proxmire Act amended title 18 
of the United States Code to criminalize genocide under United 
States law.

                          HISTORY OF GENOCIDE

    During the 20th Century there were several recognized 
genocides throughout the world. In 1904, between 65,000 and 
80,000 Namibian Herero Tribal members were murdered by German 
colonial troops. Germany colonized Namibia in the 1880s and 
ruled it with a military governor. In January 1904, members of 
one of the two Herero tribes attacked German outposts. Germany 
sought to put down the rebellion through force. On October 2, 
1904, German troops drove masses of Herero tribal members into 
the Omaheke desert, poisoned waterholes, and caused large 
numbers to die of starvation, dehydration, and exposure. 
Remaining members were surrounded and slaughtered. The Herero 
were reduced from approximately 80,000 to 15,000. Surviving 
members were forced into slave labor.
    Beginning in 1915, the Islamic Turkish state of the Ottoman 
Empire sought to end the collective existence of the Christian 
Armenian population. From 1915 through 1918, during World War 
I, the Ottoman Empire subjected the Armenian people to 
deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and 
starvation. The atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923. 
It is estimated that one and a half million Armenians were 
killed out of over two million Armenians who had lived in the 
Ottoman Empire. It should be noted that these activities ceased 
with the institution of the new Republic of Turkey in October, 
1923.
    In 1924, the Soviets forced Ukrainians to adopt the 
Communist policy of collectivization of all production, 
including agriculture, under government control. The central 
government demanded impossibly high quotas of grain creating a 
food shortage. Finally, the borders were closed, all supplies 
were cut off, and soldiers guarded food stores. From 1932 
through 1933, this man-made famine lead to the death of 5 
million of the politically resistant Ukranian people.
    The Holocaust was Nazi Germany's systematic slaughter of 
Jews and other groups. During the Nazi campaign to rid Europe 
of Jews and other ``inferior'' people, over six million Jews 
were murdered. Throughout the existence of Nazi Germany, Jews 
were subjected to social restriction, forced to live in 
ghettos, imprisoned in concentration camps, and exterminated 
though gruesome methods. The Holocaust ended with the defeat of 
Nazi Germany in 1945.
    The Burundi genocide refers to the massive killing of Hutus 
by the Tutsi government of Burundi in 1972. After Burundi's 
independence in 1962, the Tutsi minority assumed power. In 
1972, Hutus rose up in opposition to the Tutsi government. From 
April to August of that year, the Tutsi government responded by 
killing 100,000 to 200,000 Hutus.
    After defeating Cambodian's Lon Nol government in 1975, the 
Khmer Rouge communists, under Pol Pot's leadership, sought to 
establish order through force. The Khmer Rouge imposed a strict 
collective labor model of communism and sought to eliminate all 
opposition to the policy. In the years following the 1975 
assumption of power, the Khmer Rouge forced civilians into 
labor camps working for minimum rations. In all, over two 
million civilians were killed.
    In 1983, the National Islamic Front imposed Islamic law on 
the country of Sudan. The genocide in Sudan resulted from a 
civil war between the National Islamic Front and non-Muslim 
political groups. The Islamic Front launched massive 
suppressive efforts to occupy southern villages. As a result, 
approximately two million non-Muslim people have been killed by 
the Islamic Front.
    On April 6, 1994, the president of Rwanda was assassinated. 
Hutus accused their Tutsi opposition of responsibility. The 
resulting Hutu slaughter of the Tutsi population was conducted 
entirely by hand. Civilian death squads used machetes and clubs 
to kill over a million Tutsi men, women, and children.
    The Bosnian genocide refers to an attack in 1995 by 
Serbians on the town of Srebenica, where thousands of Muslim 
civilians had found safe haven with Dutch peacekeepers. Serbian 
soldiers surrounded the U.N. compound set up to protect the 
civilians. Serb troops separated men from women and children. 
They forced the men up the nearby hills and the women were 
deported by the bus load. Thousands of bodies were found in 
mass graves after the incident. The total population of 
Srebrenica was either deported or killed as a result of the 
Serbian aggression.
    Tragically, genocides have continued since the ratification 
of the Convention became law 15 years ago. H. Res. 193 
reaffirms our commitment as a nation to the Genocide Convention 
and its principles.

                                HEARINGS

    No hearings were held in the Committee on the Judiciary on 
H. Res. 193.

                        COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

    On May 21, 2003, the Committee met in open session and 
ordered favorably reported the resolution, H. Res. 193, without 
amendment by voice vote, a quorum being present.

                         VOTE OF THE COMMITTEE

    In compliance with clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the Committee notes that there 
were no recorded votes during the committee consideration of H. 
Res. 193.

                      COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

    In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee reports that the 
findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on 
oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the 
descriptive portions of this report.

               NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable because this legislation does 
not provide new budgetary authority or increased tax 
expenditures.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    In compliance with clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives, the Committee believes that 
the resolution will have no cost for the current fiscal year 
2003, and that there will be no cost incurred in carrying out 
H. Res. 193 for the next five fiscal years.

                    PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    H. Res. 193 does not authorize funding. Therefore, clause 
3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives is inapplicable.

                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee finds the authority for 
this legislation in article I, section 8, of the Constitution.

                    TEXTUAL ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

    The Preamble states that in 1948, in the shadow of the 
Holocaust, the international community responded to Nazi 
Germany's acts of genocide by approving the Convention on the 
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It states 
that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the 
Crime of Genocide confirms that genocide is a crime under 
international law, defines genocide as certain acts committed 
with intent to destroy a national, ethnical, racial, or 
religious group, and provides that parties to the Convention 
undertake to enact domestic legislation to provide penalties 
for those guilty of genocide. The Preamble further states that 
the United States, under President Harry Truman, was the first 
nation to sign the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment 
of the Crime of Genocide. It states that the United States 
Senate ratified the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment 
of the Crime of Genocide on February 19, 1986, and that the 
Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (``the Proxmire 
Act''), signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 
4, 1988, amended title 18, United States Code, to criminalize 
genocide under United States law.
    It asserts that the enactment of the Genocide Convention 
Implementation Act marked a principled stand by the United 
States against the crime of genocide and an important step 
toward ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust, the Armenian 
Genocide, and the genocides in Cambodia and Rwanda, among 
others, will help prevent future genocides. It states, however, 
that despite the international community's consensus against 
genocide, as demonstrated by the fact that 133 nations are 
party to the Convention and through other instruments and 
actions, denial of past instances of genocide continues, and 
thousands of innocent people continue to be victims of 
genocide. Finally, it acknowledges that November 4, 2003, is 
the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the Genocide 
Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (``the Proxmire Act''). 
It is then resolved that the 15th anniversary of the enactment 
of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (``the 
Proxmire Act'') on November 4, 2003 is recognized, and 
encourages the people and Government of the United States to 
rededicate themselves to ending genocide.

                              AGENCY VIEWS

                                  U.S. Department of State,
                                       Washington, DC, May 1, 2003.
Hon. Jim Sensenbrenner,  Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to express the 
Administration's opposition to the wording of H. Res. 193 of 
April 10, 2003, ``Reaffirming support of the Convention on the 
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and 
anticipating the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire 
Act) on November 4, 2003.''
    The United States has signed, ratified and supports the 
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of 
Genocide. However, we oppose HR 193's reference to the 
``Armenian Genocide.'' Were this wording adopted, it could 
complicate our efforts to bring peace and stability to the 
Caucasus and hamper ongoing attempts to bring about Turkish-
Armenian reconciliation. We continue to believe that fostering 
a productive dialogue on these events is the best way for 
Turkey and Armenia to build a positive and productive 
relationship. Declarations such as this one, however, hinder 
rather than encourage that kind of dialogue. We want to work 
with Turkey and Armenia to achieve our common objectives, 
including improving relations between the two countries. Such 
declarations do nothing to help the process.
    As the President's April 24, 2003 statement acknowledged, 
the suffering that befell the Armenian people in 1915 was a 
tragedy for all humanity. We strongly support efforts by both 
Armenia and Turkey to improve their economic, political, and 
cultural ties.
    Specifically, we support civil society and government-to-
government dialogue to help Armenia and Turkey address their 
painful past and move toward a more peaceful future. We feel 
that legislation on the issue is counterproductive.
            Sincerely,
                                     Paul V. Kelly,
                  Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the Committee notes H. Res. 193 
makes no changes to existing law.

                           MARKUP TRANSCRIPT

    The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:01 a.m., in Room 
2141, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. F. James 
Sensenbrenner, Jr., chairman of the committee, presiding.
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. The committee will be in order. A 
working quorum is present. The Chair would like to have a 
couple of housekeeping items. First of all, it is the intention 
of the Chair to deal with the genocide resolution first, then 
the flag amendment, then the sports agent legislation, and then 
the class action bill. If we are not finished today by 12:30 or 
so, we will have a recess and come back and complete the agenda 
tomorrow, so members should be advised.
    The next item on the agenda, pursuant to notice, I now call 
up the Resolution H. Res. 193, Reaffirming support of the 
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of 
Genocide and anticipating the 15th anniversary of the enactment 
of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the 
Proxmire Act) on November 4, 2003, for purposes of markup and 
move its favorable recommendation to the full House.
    Without objection, the resolution will be considered as 
read and open for amendment at any point.
    [H. Res. 193 follows:]
    
    
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. The Chair recognizes himself for 5 
minutes.
    H. Res. 193 would acknowledge the 15th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 
1987, also known as the Proxmire Act, and encourage the United 
States Government and the people of the United States to 
rededicate themselves to ending the crime of genocide.
    It is important in the light of occurrences of genocide in 
countries such as Rwanda in the last 15 years, that we as a 
Nation recommit ourselves to this convention and its 
principles. As a result of the Holocaust, in 1949, the General 
Assembly of the United Nations unanimously approved the 
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of 
Genocide. The convention asserted that genocide is a crime 
under international law, defined genocide as intentional 
actions to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious 
group, and provided that parties to the convention undertake 
enactment of domestic legislation to ratify penalties for 
persons guilty of genocide. The United States was the first 
Nation to sign that convention.
    The convention was submitted to the Senate for advice and 
consent to ratification in 1949. The Senate's advice and 
consent occurred on February 19th, 1986, and the legislation 
necessary to ratify the convention was signed into law on 
November 4, 1988.
    I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that 
Senator William Proxmire, from my State of Wisconsin, was the 
leading proponent in the movement to ratify the convention. His 
involvement was so important to the ratification effort that 
the law is known as the Proxmire Act. The record reflects that 
Senator Proxmire made over 3,000 statements on the Senate floor 
urging ratification of the convention. Had it not been for his 
efforts, the convention might still not be ratified.
    The enactment of the Implementation Act almost 15 years 
ago, made it clear that the commitment of the United States to 
the provisions of the convention of this country's 
acknowledgement of the lessons of the Holocaust and other 
genocides throughout history and our promise to do all that we 
can to prevent future genocides.
    I urge my colleagues to support the resolution and 
recognize the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Conyers.
    Mr. Conyers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members. I join 
with Chairman Sensenbrenner in supporting the Schiff amendment 
proposal, and I am very proud to go on record. I will put my 
statement in the record as well.
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. Without objection.
    [The statement of Mr. Conyers follows:]

                  Statement of Hon. John Conyers, Jr.

    I am pleased to have the opportunity to voice my support for this 
resolution which reaffirms the American people's condemnation of 
genocide and recognizes the critical leadership Senator William 
Proxmire provided to ensure that our country enacted the Genocide 
Convention by making genocide a punishable crime in America in 1988. I 
have joined over 98 members of the House as co-sponsors of this 
resolution, including the Chairman of this committee and at least 6 
other committee members.
    In the 20th Century our world made vast advances in technological 
development, human rights, and political unification within global and 
regional international frameworks. Yet, we were unable to avoid or 
prevent repeated onslaughts of genocide in nations around the world, 
beginning with the Armenian genocide in 1915, and followed by the 
Holocaust, and genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, the Balkans and Iraq, 
among others. Unfortunately, great debates persist about the history 
surrounding each of these incidents. We do know, however, that 
systematic mass murder of a specific people occurred in each case.
    For years, Members of Congress and people within the Administration 
have shied away from recognizing the Armenian genocide in particular. 
Yet there is ample historical evidence--including that of American 
eyewitnesses--that Armenians were forced from their homes on short 
notice, we sent on death marches across the country, were massacred 
along the way, and were starved because they were provided no food or 
water on the march or in the inadequate relocation camps in the Syrian 
desert. If that is not intentional infliction of death or harm upon a 
group of people, I don't know what is.
    Approximately a million or more people died. Before these events, 
the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire was between 1 and 2 
million. By 1923, only about 40,000 Armenians were left. Most had been 
killed under the relocation plans or had fled as refugees to other 
nations, including our own. This is a reality we cannot ignore or shirk 
away from for political expediency.
    In this resolution, we seek to do a simple thing: to rededicate our 
nation's commitment to opposing and eradicating genocide. Though our 
moral compass may waver at times, we have learned from the lessons of 
the 20th Century and there can be no doubt that we must continue to 
stand strong against genocide and do all in our power to prevent it 
from occurring again--to any people, in any nation.
    If we intend to prevent genocide, we must begin by identifying 
genocide for what it is. If we fail to recognize historical genocidal 
events, we not only do a disservice to those who died and the 
survivors, but we also create conditions where genocide can continue 
with impunity.
    In recognizing this important day in November when the Proxmire Act 
was signed into law, we must recognize the global horrors of the past 
and continue to move towards reconciliation. We must fervently seek to 
enforce our law on genocide by prosecuting U.S. nationals who have 
engaged in such acts. And we must continue working with the 
international community to bring other perpetrators to justice through 
international and foreign courts. With strong enforcement of our laws 
and this Convention, we can eradicate genocide and prevent its 
recurrence in the 21st Century.

    Mr. Conyers. Let's be clear about it. What we're meeting 
about this morning in connection with this event is whether or 
not we're going to allow maybe the millions of Armenians that 
have been the victims of the same genocide of which we 
complain, whether they will be included or not. And so I don't 
think we should try to have it both ways. The historical 
evidence and--of the activities that took place involving the 
Armenians is pretty well known, and I hope that any amendments 
that are directed toward excluding them specifically from the 
efforts of this resolution would be rejected.
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. Will the gentleman yield?
    Mr. Conyers. Of course.
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. Let me say that I share the ranking 
member's hope, and would strongly oppose any amendment that 
would strike mention of the Armenian genocide from this 
resolution.
    Mr. Conyers. I thank my chairman.
    And I would like to yield to the gentleman from California, 
Adam Schiff.
    Mr. Schiff. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. 
Radanovich and I and Mr. Pallone and Mr. Knollenberg, 
introduced this resolution for several purposes, not only to 
commemorate the ratification of the convention, but as the 
ranking member has pointed out, for the also essential purpose 
of recognizing the Armenian genocide among others, the loss of 
a million and a half people beginning in 1915, the first 
genocide of the 20th century. I would be I think incredibly 
wrongheaded and we would lose the moral clarity that I think we 
enjoy to exclude the first genocide of the 20th century.
    So I want to thank the Chair for scheduling this bill. I 
want to thank the Chair for his comments today, and I want to 
thank the committee members for taking this up in such an 
expeditious way. This is extraordinarily important, not only 
for the Armenian community, but it's important for the 
international community, that we do not equivocate about the 
loss of 1.5 million lives, 1.5 million people who loved life as 
much as we do, who perished, many of them, in the desert, and 
here is an opportunity to speak with a clear voice about the 
historic facts. So I want to thank the Chair again, and I want 
to thank the ranking member, and I want to urge all our 
members' support for this resolution in this unaltered form. I 
yield back the balance of my time.
    Mr. Conyers. I return the time, Mr. Chairman.
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. Without objection, all members' 
opening statements will be included in the record at this 
point.
    [The statement of Ms. Jackson-Lee follows:]

                  Statement of Hon. Sheila Jackson-Lee

    Thank you Chairman Sensenbrenner and Ranking Member Conyers for 
convening this markup today. I support H. Res. 193 because we must 
condemn the crime of genocide and this resolution is a needed step in 
that direction.
    If we as a Nation fail to learn the lessons of past genocides we 
will be doomed to repeat those genocides in the future. The Genocide 
Convention's universal values are designed to prevent future 
atrocities.
    Under international legal principles, genocide is a crime. This 
crime is defined as the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, 
or religious group. The Genocide Convention urged members to enact 
legislation to establish stern penalties for persons guilty of 
genocide.
    By supporting H. Res. 193 we voice our belief that the United 
States is one of 133 nations who are committed to standing up against 
the crime of genocide. H. Res. 193 also acknowledges that genocide 
still plagues our planet in places like Rwanda, which provides a 
chilling example of the death, devastation, and gruesomeness of 
genocide.
    The genocide in Rwanda was sparked by the death of the Rwandan 
president Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu. Juvenal Habyarimana's airplane 
was shot down above Kigali airport on April 6, 1994. Within a few short 
hours, a campaign of violence and murder spread from the capital 
throughout the country, and did not subside for over three months. Even 
for a country with such a turbulent history as Rwanda, the scale and 
speed of the slaughter left the Rwandan people reeling. It is estimated 
that between April and June 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were 
killed in the space of 100 days. The vast majority of the dead were 
Tutsis. The vast majority of the perpetrators the violence were Hutus.
    The story of a survivor of the Rwandan genocide graphically 
illustrates the brutality of this genocide. Hamis Kamuhanda, who is now 
20, was a normal 11-year-old in Rwanda when he heard news of the 
President's plane being shot down.
    Hamis said, ``The following day we had rumors that Hutus were out 
to kill every Tutsi in the country, claiming that we, the Tutsis had 
killed the Hutu president. We were advised to stay indoors. I had never 
seen my parents so agitated and terrified all my life.''
    That very same night Hamis's family began to hear screams and the 
sounds of gunshots from their neighbors' homes.
    ``Then there was a knock at the door and before we could even 
respond, the door fell in and about four or so people came in and 
dragged my father out by his legs. That was the last we saw of him,'' 
said Hamis.
    ``We were hiding under the bed but we could see everything. Mother 
told us to keep quiet. Then the shooting began.
    ``The bullets came in and hit everything in the way. Yet no one 
dared scream. Mother could not cover all four of us.
    ``I could feel blood coming from under my right shoulder and I did 
not know whether I was hit or not. I could not feel any pain then. My 
mind was occupied with the terror of being hacked to death.''
    Hamis's family all played dead, praying that the killers would 
disappear.
    ``Suddenly the door burst open and they came in praising themselves 
for a good job done. I was closer to the door and they kicked me in my 
belly. It was painful but the thought of being severed alive with their 
machetes, made me stay as quiet as a mouse.''
    ``One of them said: `Let's make sure that he is dead with this''. I 
didn't move an inch, nor did I make any noise. They must have thought 
that I was dead.
    ``I just felt a very sharp pain on my leg and I must have passed 
out. I don't know for how long. But when I woke up, my mother was 
nursing my wounded leg. I was trying to look at the wound when I lost 
consciousness again.''
    Later, Hamis learned that he had fainted after realizing that the 
Hutu soldiers had severed half of his right leg. But despite all of the 
brutality Kamuhandas somehow felt lucky.
    Hamis's mother and his siblings had superficial bullet wounds which 
healed quickly. ``God spared us. Pity I cannot say the same for my 
father.''
    I support H. Res. 193 because the atrocities that befell the Tutsis 
of Rwanda, and families like Hamis Kamuhanda must never happen again. I 
urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

    Are there amendments?
    [No response.]
    Chairman Sensenbrenner. There are no amendments. A 
reporting quorum is not present, and without objection, the 
previous question will be ordered on the motion to report the 
resolution favorably, and the vote will take place once a 
reporting quorum appears.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    Chairman Sensenbrenner. A reporting quorum is now present. 
The Chair will put the question on reporting favorably House 
Resolution 193, reaffirming support of the Convention on the 
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and 
anticipating the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987, the Proxmire 
Act, on November 4th, 2003.
    Those in favor of reporting the resolution favorably will 
say aye.
    Opposed, no.
    The ayes appear to have it. The ayes have it, and the 
motion to report favorably is agreed to.
    Without objection, the staff is allowed to make technical 
and conforming corrections, and all members will be given two 
days, as provided by the rules, in which to submit additional 
dissenting supplemental or minority views.

                                
