Extensions of Remarks E1755 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS
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September 16, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E1755 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM In summary, the Administration strongly etal religious persecution are simply too un- supports the objectives of eliminating reli- stable or too weak to control extremists, in- gious persecution, but we do not believe that surgents, terrorists and those inciting soci- HON. RON KIND the bill in its current form would accomplish etal religious persecution. Imposing punitive OF WISCONSIN this goal. In fact, we believe that the current sanctions on weak governments, would only IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES draft would frustrate these and other objec- play into the hands of those elements in so- Tuesday, September 16, 1997 tives, and, for this reason, we oppose the leg- ciety that are perpetrating religious persecu- islation in its current form. tion. To deal effectively with societal reli- Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, we are now begin- In particular, we fear that the legislation: gious persecution, our laws must allow us to ning the third week of our final legislative ses- is a blunt instrument that is more likely help these weak transitional governments sion this year. And still no campaign finance to harm, rather than aid, victims of religious check extremist forces and protect victims reform vote. persecution; from further persecution. runs the risk of harming vital bilateral re- The bill would mandate a wide variety of We have heard from your office that the lations with key allies and regional powers, sanctions against governments that engage House of Representatives will stay in session and undercutting U.S. Government efforts to in officially-sponsored religious persecution this evening until final action is taken on the promote the very regional peace and rec- or that fail to combat societal religious per- Labor, Health, Human Services and Education onciliation that can foster religious toler- secution. Because our laws and policies al- appropriations bill. I appreciate the fact that ance and understanding from Europe to the ready give significant eight to human rights, the leadership is willing to do what it takes to Middle East to South Asia. the United States provides little direct as- get this important piece of legislation passed. creates a confusing bureaucratic structure sistance to such governments. The imposi- for dealing with religious persecution at the I wish we had this kind of commitment to cam- tion of automatic sanctions, therefore, would very time the Department of State is con- have little effect on government-sponsored paign finance reform. Mr. Speaker, I and many solidating its authority and expending its ef- religious persecution in most countries, but of my colleagues are ready to stay in session fectiveness on these issues; and would make a productive human rights dia- all night long to debate and vote on the var- establishes a de facto hierarchy of human logue with sanctioned governments far more ious campaign finance reform proposals cur- rights violations that would severely damage difficult or even impossible. The bill also rently pending in this Congress. US effortsÐlong supported by the religious runs the risk of harming vital bilateral rela- Every day more revelations are being made communityÐto ensure that all aspects of tions with key allies and regional powers. of abuses in the 1996 election. It is irrespon- civil and political rights are protected. Second, the bill would create a de facto hi- Before I detail these and other serious con- erarchy of human rights violations under sible for us to continue to investigate the cerns, let me again emphasize our willing- U.S. law that would severely damage our ef- abuses and not offer any legislation that ness to work with members in fashioning forts to ensure that all aspects of basic civil closes the loopholes, strengthens disclosure, workable responsesÐlegislative and other- and political rights, including religious free- or corrects the various problems in the current wiseÐto religious persecution, wherever it dom, are protected. It would differentiate be- system. Mr. Speaker, all we want is an oppor- occurs. tween acts motivated by religious discrimi- tunity to vote on this issue. Please give us the In particular, we are committed to nation and similar acts based on other forms chance. strengthening and improving our new struc- of repression or bias, such as denial of politi- tures for addressing religious freedom and cal freedom, or racial or ethnic hatred. In f persecution in our foreign policy. We are pre- doing so, the bill would legislate a hierarchy THE FREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS pared for serious discussions with the Com- of human rights into our laws. Certain de- PERSECUTION ACT OF 1997 mittee about ways to reinforce these struc- plorable acts would result in automatic sanc- tures, including by the development of legis- tions when connected to religion, but not in lation to further enhance our efforts to pro- other cases. As a consequence, our ability to HON. LEE H. HAMILTON mote religious freedom, such as by: promote the full range of basic rights and OF INDIANA further increasing the visibility of this fundamental freedoms would be com- issue in the U.S. Government, undertaking IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES promised. official fact-finding and monitoring mis- Some governments and their apologists are Tuesday, September 16, 1997 sions, and dedicating additional agency per- now engaged themselves in an insidious cam- Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, the Commit- sonnel to address religious persecution and paign to devalue human rights by creating complement the efforts of the Advisory Com- their own hierarchy, arguing that respect for tee on International Relations met earlier this mittee on Religious Freedom Abroad; economic rights should be preeminent. Those week to hear testimony on H.R. 2431, formerly acting to insure that U.S. laws that in- advancing this argument have often sought H.R. 1685, the Freedom From Religious Per- volve human rights take explicit account of to justify a government's failure to respect secution Act of 1997. religious persecution; civil and political rights (such as freedom of For those of my colleagues who have not initiating periodic public reporting on reli- expression, assembly and association) by yet had an opportunity to study this legislation, gious freedom issues in general, and increas- claiming that economic development must I am placing in the RECORD an excerpt from ing U.S. Embassy reporting and action on precede respect for civil and political rights. the statement of the Hon. John Shattuck, As- cases and situations involving religious per- The United States has long resisted these at- secution; and tempts to create a hierarchy of basic human sistant Secretary of State for Democracy, supporting measures to improve immigra- rights and fundamental freedoms. We should Human Rights and Labor. Secretary Shattuck tion and refugee processing consideration of not yield to the temptation to do so now. came before the committee on September 9 to applicants fleeing religious persecution. Third, the bill would provide no flexibility share the administration's views on the bill. Let me set forth in more detail the basis to tailor our religious freedom policies to I hope my colleagues will find the Sec- for our concerns about H.R. 1685. First, and differing circumstances in different coun- retary's comments useful in their consideration most importantly from our perspective, the tries. Following a finding of persecution by of this important legislation: bill could seriously harm the very people it the Director of Religious Persecution Mon- seeks to helpÐthose facing religious persecu- itoring, sanctions would be automatic. The STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE JOHN tion. It runs the risk of strengthening the mechanics of imposition appear designed to SHATTUCK, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE hands of governments and extremists who make sanctions more likely to be imposed, DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR ON seek to incite religious intolerance. In par- cumbersome to waive and difficult to termi- H.R. 1685 THE FREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS ticular, we fear reprisals by repressive gov- nate. Their effectiveness as a means of influ- PERSECUTION ACT OF 1997 ernments against victims, as well as an end encing policy would be sharply limited as a We are treating religious liberty as a for- to any dialogue on religious freedom, in re- consequence. The provisions of the bill, that eign policy priority and we seek to respond taliation for the sanctions that the bill authorize the President to waive sanctions to the call for action by Americans of every would automatically impose. for periods up to one year, require the Presi- faith and belief. The provision that sanctions governments dent to determine that such a waiver is in With that important background, let me for failure to take adequate action against the ``national security interests of the Unit- now turn to the ``Freedom From Religious private acts of persecution is also troubling. ed States.'' This stringent standard would Persecution Act of 1997.'' Many governments that fail to combat soci- appear to shut the door on any consideration · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. E1756 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks September 16, 1997 of U.S. foreign and domestic policy interests clear: we support procedural protections for Adams State is one of two colleges in Colo- that do not rise to the level of a direct all applicants at ports of entry. In fact, be- rado participating in the program which com- threat to our national security (e.g. regional fore passage of last year's immigration bill, bines sports instruction with meaningful edu- peacemaking and stability, environmental we urged that expedited procedures apply protection, there have been security interest only in exceptional, emergency-like cir- cational activities for girls and boys ages 10 to in the past, on occasion).