[House Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
BELARUS DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2011; AND A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF THE IVORIAN PEOPLE AND CALLING ON THE UNITED
STATES TO APPLY INTENSE DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE AND PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN
SUPPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HEALTH,
AND HUMAN RIGHTS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H.R. 515 and H. Res. 85
__________
APRIL 13, 2011
__________
Serial No. 112-53
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
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Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DAN BURTON, Indiana GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
ELTON GALLEGLY, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California BRAD SHERMAN, California
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
RON PAUL, Texas GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
MIKE PENCE, Indiana RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
JOE WILSON, South Carolina ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
CONNIE MACK, Florida GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas DENNIS CARDOZA, California
TED POE, Texas BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio ALLYSON SCHWARTZ, Pennsylvania
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut
DAVID RIVERA, Florida FREDERICA WILSON, Florida
MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania KAREN BASS, California
TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York
RENEE ELLMERS, North Carolina
VACANT
Yleem D.S. Poblete, Staff Director
Richard J. Kessler, Democratic Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas KAREN BASS, California
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York
C O N T E N T S
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Page
MARKUP OF
H.R. 515, To reauthorize the Belarus Democracy Act of 2004....... 2
Amendment to H.R. 515 offered by the Honorable Christopher H.
Smith, a Representative in Congress from the State of New
Jersey, and chairman, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health,
and Human Rights............................................. 16
H. Res. 85, A resolution supporting the democratic aspirations of
the Ivoirian people and calling on the United States to apply
intense diplomatic pressure and provide humanitarian support in
response to the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.............. 24
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 85 offered
by the Honorable Donald M. Payne, a Representative in
Congress from the State of New Jersey........................ 31
LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE HEARING
The Honorable Christopher H. Smith:
Prepared statement on H.R. 515................................. 21
Prepared statement on H. Res. 85............................... 40
APPENDIX
Hearing notice................................................... 44
Hearing minutes.................................................. 45
BELARUS DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2011; AND A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF THE IVORIAN PEOPLE AND CALLING ON THE UNITED
STATES TO APPLY INTENSE DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE AND PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN
SUPPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN COTE D'IVOIRE
----------
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health,
and Human Rights
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:28 a.m., in
room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Christopher H.
Smith (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Smith. The subcommittee will now come to order for a
markup on two pieces of legislation. Pursuant to notice, for
purposes of markup, I call up the bill H.R. 515, the Belarus
Democracy Act of 2011.
[H.R. 515 follows:]
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Mr. Smith. And then following that, we will then be calling
up H. Res. 85, authored by Mr. Payne, which concerns all
relevant issues with Cote d'Ivoire.
Without objection, H.R. 515, the Belarus Democracy Act,
will be considered as read and open for amendment at any point.
I have a bipartisan amendment that members have in front of
them in their packets, which was provided previously to your
offices as well, and it is available online as well. The clerk
will report the amendment.
Mr. Kearney. Amendment to H.R. 515, offered by Mr. Smith of
New Jersey. Page 1, line 5, strike ``Reauthorization'' and
insert ``and Human Rights.'' Page 3, line 14, insert at the end
before the period, the following: ``, sometimes by--''
[The amendment offered by Mr. Smith of New Jersey follows:]
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Mr. Smith. Without objection, the amendment will be
considered as read. And I recognize myself to speak. I will not
read my entire statement.
We did have an extensive hearing on Belarus just the other
day, at which we focused on the despicable actions of Alekandr
Lukashenka, who is the dictator, especially as relates to the
fraudulent December 19th election in Belarus, and the ongoing
crackdown on democracy activists and independent journalists by
the Lukashenka dictatorship.
Immediately after the election, the government responded to
peaceful protests against electoral fraud with savage mass
beatings and large-scale detentions. Over 700 people were hurt.
Some of those jailed have been abused, and even tortured. A
number of them have already received harsh sentences of up to 4
years. Nearly 30 remain in detention.
Their families, lawyers, journalists, and democratic
activists continue to be harassed and intimidated. The
crackdown follows the pattern of repression that has
characterized Lukashenka's nearly 17-year rule. Through a
series of rigged elections, large-scale intimidation, and
suppression of independent media and civil society, the
dictator has long since consolidated his control over virtually
all national institutions.
Lukashenka's dictatorship has the worst democracy and human
rights record of any government in Europe. Several years ago,
legislation I authored known as the Belarus Democracy Act of
2004 and the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006
passed the House and Senate, and was signed into law, with
overwhelming bipartisan support. H.R. 515 takes as a starting
point the approach of the earlier legislation.
And without objection, I would ask that my full statement
be included in the record at this point.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Smith of New Jersey
follows:]
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Mr. Smith. I would like to recognize Mr. Payne.
Mr. Payne. Yes, thank you. I have an amendment in the
nature of a substitute, an amendment on Cote d'Ivoire, and if
the clerk----
Mr. Smith. We will go right to that in 1 second. Anything
on Belarus?
Mr. Payne. Oh, excuse me.
Mr. Smith. Do any other members wish to speak on the
Belarus Democracy Act?
Mr. Payne. Let me just commend you for your efforts, your
diligence, how you have followed this through the decades. And
I am very pleased that this issue has come to the fore, and I
certainly support wholeheartedly this resolution.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Payne. Hearing no
further requests to speak, the question is on agreeing to the
amendment. All those in favor say aye.
[Ayes.]
Mr. Smith. All those opposed say no. In the opinion of the
chair, the ayes have it and the amendment is agreed to. Hearing
no further amendments, I move that the bill as amended be
reported favorably to the full Committee on Foreign Affairs.
All those in favor say aye.
[Ayes.]
Mr. Smith. All those opposed say no. The ayes have it, and
the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the bill as amended
will be reported favorably to the full committee in the form of
a single amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without
objection, the staff is directed to make any technical and
conforming amendments.
I now call up the measure H. Res. 85, a resolution
supporting the democratic aspirations of the Ivorian people,
and calling on the United States to apply intense diplomatic
pressure and provide humanitarian support in response to the
political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.
[H. Res. 85 follows:]
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Mr. Smith. Without objection, the bill will be considered
as read and open for amendment at any point. And I recognize my
good friend, the ranking member, to offer his amendment in the
nature of a substitute, that members again have in front of
them, that was provided previously to your offices, and made
available online. Mr. Payne?
Mr. Payne. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Since we just
had a very thorough hearing, I will be very brief. I just
appreciate the amendment being brought up. We know that this is
something that is very important, and we look for support from
all of the members here.
I would also like to, although they just left, acknowledge
the fact that the Ambassador from Cote d'Ivoire was with us,
Mr. Diabate, who just left. And also a group from the Ivorian
Watch, headed by Mrs. Bernadette Paolo, and her group was still
here.
So I have an amendment at the desk.
Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Payne. The clerk will report the
amendment.
Mr. Kearney. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.
Res. 85, offered by Mr. Payne of New Jersey. Strike the
preamble, and insert the following: Whereas, on March 4, 2007,
key political leaders of Cote d'Ivoire signed--
[The amendment offered by Mr. Payne follows:]
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Mr. Smith. Without objection, the amdendment is considered
as read, and I would ask unanimous consent to include my full
statement in the record. Without objection, so ordered.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Smith of New Jersey
follows:]
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----------
Mr. Smith. And I do yield to Mr. Payne.
Mr. Payne. Thank you very much. As I was saying, we have
just had a hearing. I think that everything is pretty clear. I
once again appreciate the amendment being brought up, and urge
its support.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Payne, and I commend
you on your resolution. It is an outstanding resolution, and we
will push very hard to see that it comes to the floor.
Would any other members like to be heard? Hearing no
further requests to speak, the question is on agreeing to the
amendment in the nature of a substitute. All those in favor,
say aye.
[Ayes.]
Mr. Smith. All those opposed say no. In the opinion of the
chair, the ayes have it. The amendment is agreed to. Hearing no
further amendments, I move that the resolution as amended be
reported favorably to the full Committee on Foreign Affairs.
All those in favor say aye.
[Ayes.]
Mr. Smith. All those opposed, no. The ayes have it. The
motion is agreed to, and the resolution as amended is reported
favorably to the full committee. Without objection, the staff
is directed to make any technical and conforming amendments.
That concludes our business, and without objection the
subcommittee markup stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10:35 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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Material Submitted for the Hearing Record
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