Congressional Record—House H7668
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H7668 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE July 25, 2018 PERMISSION FOR MEMBER TO BE and the CPP have undertaken this crack- necessary to comply with United States obli- CONSIDERED AS FIRST SPONSOR down to consolidate power ahead of an elec- gations under the Agreement between the OF H.R. 1002 tion that may have ended their grip on United Nations and the United States of power. America regarding the Headquarters of the Mr. MCKINLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask (4) Hun Sen’s actions in late 2017 pushed United Nations, signed at Lake Success June unanimous consent that I may here- Cambodia further away from democracy. In 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, after be considered as the first sponsor late August 2017, the regime shut down the 1947, or under the Convention on Consular of H.R. 1002, a bill originally intro- National Democratic Institute and expelled Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and its entire foreign staff from the country duced by Representative DENT of Penn- entered into force March 19, 1967, or other within a week. Less than a week later, radio sylvania, for the purposes of adding co- applicable international obligations of the stations carrying Radio Free Asia and Voice United States. sponsors and requesting reprintings of America were also shut down by the re- (3) PENALTIES.—The penalties provided for pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. gime. On September 3, 2017, authorities ar- in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there rested Kem Sokha, the leader of the CNRP, International Emergency Economic Powers objection to the request of the gen- and charged him with treason, allegedly for Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person tleman from West Virginia? participating in an American plot to under- that violates, attempts to violate, conspires There was no objection. mine Hun Sen’s regime. Kem Sokha remains to violate, or causes a violation of paragraph in detention. On November 16, 2017, Cam- (1) to the same extent that such penalties f bodia’s Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP, apply to a person that commits an unlawful CAMBODIA DEMOCRACY ACT OF eliminating the most popular and viable act described in subsection (a) of such sec- 2018 challenger to Hun Sen’s regime. Subsequent tion 206. actions by Hun Sen have aimed to ‘‘cement (e) LIST OF DESIGNATED PERSONS.— Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speak- total control over Cambodian government (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days er, I ask unanimous consent that the and business’’, according to Human Rights after the date of the enactment of this Act, Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Watch. the President shall transmit to the appro- Committee on the Judiciary be dis- (5) Since the dissolution of the CNRP, both priate congressional committees a list of charged from further consideration of the Department of State and the White persons designated under subsection (a). House have issued statements condemning (2) UPDATES.—The President shall transmit the bill (H.R. 5754) to promote free and the Hun Sen regime’s actions to undermine fair elections, political freedoms, and to the appropriate congressional committees democracy and calling for Kem Sokha’s re- updated lists under paragraph (1) as new in- human rights in Cambodia, and for lease. On November 16, 2017, the White House formation becomes available. other purposes, and ask for its imme- announced that the United States would ter- (f) IMPLEMENTATION.—The President may diate consideration in the House. minate support for Cambodia’s National exercise all authorities provided under sec- The Clerk read the title of the bill. Election Committee. On December 6, 2017, tions 203 and 205 of the International Emer- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there the Department of State began imple- gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 objection to the request of the gen- menting visa restrictions for officials re- and 1704) to carry out this section. sponsible for undermining Cambodian de- (g) WAIVER.—The President may waive the tleman from California? mocracy. On February 27, 2018, the White application of sanctions described in sub- There was no objection. House announced further assistance reduc- section (b) with respect to a person described The text of the bill is as follows: tions following Cambodian Senate elections in subsection (a) if the President determines H.R. 5754 on February 25 which did not represent the and certifies to the appropriate congres- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- genuine will of the Cambodian people. sional committees that such waiver is in the resentatives of the United States of America in SEC. 3. SANCTIONS RELATING TO UNDERMINING national interest of the United States. Congress assembled, DEMOCRACY IN CAMBODIA. SEC. 4. SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION OF (a) DESIGNATION OF PERSONS RESPONSIBLE SANCTIONS. SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. FOR UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY IN CAMBODIA.— (a) SUSPENSION.—The sanctions described This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Cambodia Not later than 180 days after the date of en- in section 3 may be suspended for up to one Democracy Act of 2018’’. actment of this Act, the President shall year upon certification by the President to SEC. 2. FINDINGS. apply the sanctions described in subsection the appropriate congressional committees Congress finds the following: (b) on— that Cambodia is making meaningful (1) Cambodia’s present political system (1) each senior official of the Government, progress toward the following: was established in 1991, after decades of in- military, or security forces of Cambodia that (1) Ending government efforts to under- ternal conflict, by the United Nations-bro- the President determines has directly and mine democracy. kered Paris Peace Accords. The first na- substantially undermined democracy in (2) Ending human rights violations associ- tional elections under this system were ad- Cambodia; and ated with undermining democracy. ministered by the United Nations in 1993. (2) each senior official of the Government, (3) Conducting free and fair elections Hun Sen, the current Prime Minister of Cam- military, or security forces of Cambodia that which allow for the active participation of bodia, has been in power in Cambodia since the President determines has committed or credible opposition candidates. before this time, serving as premier from directed serious human rights violations as- (b) RENEWAL OF SUSPENSION.—The suspen- 1985 to 1993, and as Prime Minister there- sociated with undermining democracy in sion described in subsection (a) may be re- after. Hun Sen has used his position to cling Cambodia. newed for additional, consecutive 180-day pe- to the pinnacle of power in Cambodia for 32 (b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.— riods if the President certifies to the appro- years, through tactics including coup d’e´tat, (1) ASSET BLOCKING.—The President shall priate congressional committees that Cam- irregular election procedures, and the silenc- exercise all of the powers granted to the bodia is continuing to make meaningful ing of opposition voices. President under the International Emer- progress towards satisfying the conditions (2) In Cambodia’s most recent general elec- gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 described in such subsection during the pre- tions in 2013, Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and vious year. Party (CPP) maintained its parliamentary prohibit all transactions in property and in- SEC. 5. SUNSET. majority by the smallest margin to date, terests in property of a person designated This Act shall terminate on the date that while a unified opposition Cambodia Na- under subsection (a) if such property and in- is five years after the date of the enactment tional Rescue Party (CNRP) made substan- terests in property are in the United States, of this Act. tial gains. The Department of State’s Coun- come within the United States, or are or SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. try Reports on Human Rights Practices for come within the possession or control of a In this Act: 2016 described Cambodia’s 2013 elections as United States person. (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT- ‘‘largely free of intimidation, in contrast to (2) VISA RESTRICTIONS.— TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional previous national elections’’, yet also (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, committees’’ means the Committee on For- ‘‘fraught with irregularities’’. Subsequent in consultation with the Secretary of Home- eign Affairs and the Committee on Financial local elections marked similar setbacks for land Security, shall continue to implement Services of the House of Representatives, the ruling CPP. the policy announced by the Department of and the Committee on Foreign Relations and (3) Cambodia’s next general elections will State on December 6, 2017, to restrict entry the Committee on Banking, Housing, and occur in June 2018. According to the 2017 into the United States of person involved in Urban Affairs of the Senate. Freedom in the World Report issued by Free- undermining democracy in Cambodia, in- (2) UNITED STATES PERSON; PERSON.—The dom House, in the intervening period Hun cluding any person designated under sub- term ‘‘United States person’’ means— Sen has overseen ‘‘a decisive crackdown on section (a). (A) a United States citizen or an alien law- the country’s beleaguered opposition and (B) EXCEPTION FOR MULTILATERAL ACTIVI- fully admitted for permanent residence to press corps as his [CPP] prepared for na- TIES.—Persons otherwise restricted from the United States; or tional elections’’. Regional experts have entry into the United States under this sec- (B) an entity organized under the laws of reached a general consensus that Hun Sen tion may be admitted if such admission is the United States or of any jurisdiction of VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:22 Jul 26, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K25JY7.104 H25JYPT2 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with HOUSE July 25, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7669 the United States, including a foreign branch SEC.