December 20, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S8251 is absolutely right—you did not seek Gyongyosi, a member of the notorious Court have ruled against the mass dis- the headlines on that legislation, but it extremist party Jobbik and also vice missal of judges in Hungary’s court- could not have been done without your chairman of the Parliament’s Foreign packing scheme, there is still no rem- direction and your help. Affairs Committee, suggested that edy for any of the dismissed judges? I just want to thank you for what Hungarian Jews are a threat to Hun- What is the status of media freedom you have done to advance the reputa- gary’s national security and those in in Hungary, let alone the fight against tion of the Senate and public service, government and Parliament should be anti-Semitism, if a journalist who standing by your convictions, yet registered. The ink was barely dry on writes about anti-Semitism faces pos- doing so in a way that we could work letters protesting those comments sible sanction before the courts for together, respecting everyone’s right when another Hungarian member of doing so? to be heard and our right to work to- Parliament, Balazs Lenhardt, partici- What are we to make of Hungary’s gether. You are indeed a model Sen- pated in a public demonstration last new election framework, which in- ator, and it has been an honor to serve week where he burned an Israeli flag. cludes many troubling provisions, in- with you in the Senate. The fact is that these are only the cluding a prohibition on campaign ads The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- latest extremist scandals to erupt in on commercial radio and TV, onerous ator from Arizona. Budapest over the course of this year. new voter registration provisions, and Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I would re- In April, for example, just before Pass- limits on local election committees, spond by saying thank you very, very over, a Jobbik MP gave a speech in which oversee elections? much. I would just add one other thing. Parliament weaving together subtle I find it hard to imagine that Jews, In this Senate family, although we anti-Roma propaganda with overt anti- Roma, and other minorities will be safe may be of different parties, we make Semitism blood libel. After that, if freedom of the media and religion, good friendships, and it should not go Jobbik was in the news when it was re- the rule of law, the independence of the unnoticed that our spouses also make ported that one of its members in Par- Judiciary, and the checks and balances good friendships. This is a case where liament had requested and received essential for democracy are not also my wife and Senator CARDIN’s wife are certification from a DNA testing com- safeguarded. With that in mind, I will very good friends, which necessarily pany that his or her blood was free of continue to follow the overall trends in draws us closer together, and for that Jewish or Romani ancestry. Hungary and the implications for the we should both be grateful as well. At issue in the face of these anti-Se- region as a whole. I thank my colleague. Mr. President, I suggest the absence The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- mitic and racist phenomena is the suf- ficiency of the Hungarian Govern- of a quorum. ator from Maryland. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. CARDIN. Senator KYL is abso- ment’s response and its role in ensur- ing respect for human rights and the clerk will call the roll. lutely right. I get my best information The legislative clerk proceeded to from Myrna as to what is going on in rule of law. And the government’s re- sponse has been, to say the least, want- call the roll. the Senate. So I appreciate his com- Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask ments. ing. First, it has been a hallmark of this unanimous consent that the order for HUNGARY government to focus on blood identity the quorum call be rescinded. Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, as the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Senate chair of the Helsinki Commis- through the extension of Hungarian citizenship on a purely ethnic basis. objection, it is so ordered. sion, I have a longstanding interest in (The Remarks of Mr. DURBIN are Central Europe. For many years the The same Hungarian officials have played fast and loose with questions re- printed in today’s RECORD under Helsinki Commission was one of the ‘‘Morning Business.’’) loudest and clearest voices to speak on lating to its wartime responsibilities, f behalf of those oppressed by com- prompting the U.S. Holocaust Memo- munism and to call for democracy, rial Museum to issue a public state- ESTABLISHING THE DATE FOR human rights, and freedom from Soviet ment of concern regarding the rehabili- THE COUNTING OF ELECTORAL oppression. It has been a great triumph tation of fascist ideologues and polit- VOTES and joy to see the peoples of this region ical leaders from World War II. Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask I am perhaps most alarmed by the free from dictatorship. unanimous consent the Senate proceed government’s failure to stand against Over the past two decades I have to the consideration of H.J. Res. 122, the organized threats from Jobbik. For been profoundly heartened as newly received from the House and at the example, in late August a mob esti- freed countries of Central Europe have desk. joined the United States and NATO and mated at 1,000 people terrorized a The PRESIDING OFFICER. The joint have become our partners in advo- Roma neighborhood in Devecser, taunt- resolution will be stated by title. cating for human rights and democracy ing the Romani families to come out The legislative clerk read as follows: around the globe. Leadership on those and face the crowd. There were report- A joint resolution (H.J. Res 122) estab- issues may be especially important edly three members of Parliament lishing the date for the counting of the elec- now as some countries in the Middle from the Jobbik party participating in toral votes for President and Vice President East undertake transition, the out- that mob, and some people were filmed cast by the electors in December 2012. come of which is far from certain. Even throwing bricks or stones at the There being no objection, the Senate in Europe, in the western Balkans, Romani homes. The failure to inves- proceeded to consider the joint resolu- there is a crying need for exemplary tigate, let alone condemn such acts of tion. leadership, not backsliding. intimidation, makes Prime Minister Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous con- Americans know from our own his- Orban’s recent pledge to protect ‘‘his sent the joint resolution be read three tory that maintaining democracy and compatriots’’ ring hollow. times and passed, the motion to recon- promoting human rights are never jobs Of course, all this takes place in the sider be laid upon the table, with no in- that are finished. As my friend and context of fundamental questions tervening action or debate, and any former colleague Tom Lantos said, about democracy itself in Hungary. statements be printed in the RECORD. ‘‘The veneer of civilization is paper What are we to make of democracy in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without thin. We are its guardians, and we can Hungary when more than 360 religious objection, it is so ordered. never rest.’’ organizations are stripped of their reg- The joint resolution (H.J. Res. 122) For some time I have been concerned istration overnight and when all faiths was ordered to a third reading, was about the trajectory of developments must now depend on the politicized de- read the third time, and passed. in Hungary, where the scope and na- cisionmaking of the Parliament to re- f ture of systemic changes introduced ceive the rights that come with reg- after April 2010 have been the focus of istration? DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE considerable international attention. What are we to make of the fact that APPROPRIATIONS ACT Continued At the end of November, Hungary even after the European Commission The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- was back in the headlines when Marton and Hungary’s own Constitutional ator from Alabama. VerDate Mar 15 2010 00:39 Jan 03, 2013 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD12\RECFILES\DEC 2012\S20DE2.REC S20DE2 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with S8252 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 20, 2012 REMEMBERING DANIEL K. INOUYE recall a time when he did not deliver doesn’t really come from a failure of Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, earlier for the people of Hawaii. While he the Senate’s rules but, rather, a desire today a lot of us, Members of the Sen- never lost focus on the interests of his by some to see that an agenda can be ate, joined the family and friends of State, he also maintained eternal vigi- pushed through by ignoring that mi- our great colleague who passed away lance on matters of national security. nority right, by overriding the objec- earlier in the week, as they brought his As a war hero, his attention to veteran tions of an individual Senator on be- body into the U.S. Capitol. I rise here affairs and military needs was unsur- half of his or her constituents. this afternoon to extend some of the passed. The rules of the Senate should not be tributes that we have made to the In addition, Senator Inouye served as targeted for change until we look at memory and to the life of Senator the first chairman of the Select Com- what the problems are in the way we Inouye.