[House Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
VARIOUS BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ON
H.R. 4405, H. Res. 506, H.R. 4141, H. Res. 526,
H. Res. 583 and H. Res. 663
__________
JUNE 7, 2012
__________
Serial No. 112-175
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
or
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
_____
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
74-638 PDF WASHINGTON : 2012
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC
area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC
20402-0001
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 BRAD SHERMAN, California
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
RON PAUL, Texas RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
MIKE PENCE, Indiana ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
CONNIE MACK, Florida THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska DENNIS CARDOZA, California
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky
TED POE, Texas BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida ALLYSON SCHWARTZ, Pennsylvania
JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio FREDERICA WILSON, Florida
DAVID RIVERA, Florida KAREN BASS, California
MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York
RENEE ELLMERS, North Carolina
ROBERT TURNER, New York
Yleem D.S. Poblete, Staff Director
Richard J. Kessler, Democratic Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
MARKUP OF
H.R. 4405, To impose sanctions on persons responsible for the
detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, and for other
gross violations of human rights in Russian Federation, and for
other purposes................................................. 2
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4405 offered by
the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Representative in
Congress from the State of Florida, and chairman, Committee
on Foreign Affairs........................................... 19
H. Res. 506, Calling upon the Government of Turkey to facilitate
the reopening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Theological
School of Halki without condition or further delay............. 36
H.R. 4141, To direct the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development to take appropriate
actions to improve the nutritional quality, quality control,
and cost effectiveness of United States food assistance, and
for other purposes............................................. 41
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4141 offered by
the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen............................ 51
H. Res. 583, Expressing support for robust efforts by the United
States to see Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance
Army, and his top commanders brought to justice and the group's
atrocities permanently ended................................... 61
Amendment to H. Res. 583 offered by the Honorable Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen..................................................... 68
H. Res. 663, Expressing support for the International Olympic
Committee to recognize with a minute of silence at every future
Olympics Opening Ceremony those who lost their lives at the
1972 Munich Olympics, and for other purposes................... 69
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 663 offered
by the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen......................... 72
H. Res. 526, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
with respect toward the establishment of a democratic and
prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a
peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia's
internationally recognized borders............................. 75
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 526 offered
by the Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen......................... 83
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 102
Markup minutes................................................... 103
Prepared statements of:
The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.............................. 105
The Honorable Gregory W. Meeks, a Representative in Congress
from the State of New York................................... 113
The Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in
Congress from the State of New Jersey........................ 121
The Honorable Russ Carnahan, a Representative in Congress from
the State of Missouri........................................ 128
The Honorable Dan Burton, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Indiana............................................. 129
The Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, a Representative in Congress
from the Commonwealth of Virginia............................ 130
The Honorable Joe Wilson, a Representative in Congress from the
State of South Carolina...................................... 132
The Honorable Allyson Schwartz, a Representative in Congress
from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania........................ 133
The Honorable Gus Bilirakis, a Representative in Congress from
the State of Florida......................................... 134
VARIOUS BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
----------
THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 o'clock a.m.,
in room 2200 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen (chairman of the committee) presiding.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. The committee will come to order.
Pursuant to notice, the committee meets today to markup several
bipartisan measures. Without objection, all members may have 5
days to insert written remarks into the record on any of
today's measures or amendments. According to the expedited
procedures shared with members earlier this week, we will
consider and approve all the measures en bloc. Afterwards, I
will recognize myself, the ranking member, Ms. Schmidt, any
other members seeking recognition for remarks.
All of these items are in the packets in front of members,
were provided to your offices, and posted online earlier this
week. And so, without objection, the following measures are
considered as read and will be considered en bloc.
H.R. 4405, the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability
Act of 2012, and the bipartisan substitute amendment offered by
the Chair.
H. Res. 506, calling upon the Government of Turkey to
facilitate the opening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's
Theological School of Halki.
H.R. 4141, the Donald M. Payne International Food
Assistance Improvement Act of 2012, and the bipartisan
substitute amendment offered by the Chair.
H. Res. 583, expressing support for robust efforts by the
United States to see Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's
Resistance Army, and his top commanders brought to justice, and
the bipartisan amendment to H. Res. 583 offered by the Chair.
H. Res. 663, expressing support for the International
Olympic Committee to recognize a minute of silence for those
who lost their lives at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and the
bipartisan substitute amendment offered by the Chair.
And H. Res. 526, expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives with respect to the establishment of a
democratic and prosperous Republic of Georgia, and the
bipartisan amendment substitute offered by the Chair.
[The bills and amendments referred to follow:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. The Chair moves that the measures
just listed be adopted by the committee. All those in favor say
aye.
All opposed, no.
In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and the
measures and the amendments considered en bloc are approved.
Without objection, each of those underlined measures, as
amended, is ordered favorably reported as a single amendment in
the nature of a substitute. Staff is directed to make technical
and conforming changes, and the Chair is authorized to seek
consideration under suspension of the rules.
Having concluded the operative part of today's business, I
will now recognize members who wish to make statements on the
adopted measures, beginning with myself and the ranking member.
Then we will go to Ms. Schmidt and anyone else seeking
recognition.
I want to thank the ranking member, all of our committee
members and our staff for the good work that went into the
measures we have just adopted. Whether it be the desire for
accountability in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, the right of
Ecumenical Patriarchate to reopen its Halki Seminar, ending the
murderous rampage of Joseph Kony, commemorating the Israeli
Olympians murdered 40 years ago in Munich, or expressing our
hopes for the security and prosperity of a democratic Georgia,
I am proud of this committee's ability to speak with one voice
on these timely issues of shared concern.
With that, I will place my remarks on these measures into
the record, and recognize the ranking member for any remarks
that he may have. Mr. Berman is recognized.
Mr. Berman. Well, thank you very much, Madam Chairman, both
for recognizing me but also for working with us in the minority
and your staff and ours on all the items in this markup,
including several Democratic measures. I support all of the
bills and resolutions that we are taking up today.
The Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012
is a very important piece of legislation. Later this year,
Congress may consider lifting the Jackson-Vanik provisions
concerning immigration from Russia, and granting Russia
permanent normal trade relations. But if we are to consider
such changes to our trade law, it should be done in conjunction
with legislation to address serious human rights violations in
Russia. In addition to Sergei's tragic death, we are deeply
concerned about the range of human rights violations including
extrajudicial killings, the serious irregularities in recent
elections, and legislation elected by several city councils,
including St. Petersburg, to constrict the ability of Russia's
LGBT community to exercise their rights of expression,
association, and assembly.
This substitute differs from the original in that it only
sanctions human rights violators in Russia. My preference is
worldwide application of these provisions as opposed to
singling out one specific country, which is consistent with
steps already taken by the Obama administration to deny visas
to human rights violators and to curb corruption by foreign
government officials. As this legislation moves forward, I hope
we will reexamine the issue of whether or not to take a more
expansive approach to human rights violators and those that
facilitate financial corruption.
I also want to commend Mr. Bilirakis for his very important
resolution, H. Res. 506, Calling upon the Government of Turkey
to facilitate the reopening of the Ecumenical Patriarchate's
Theological School of Halki without condition or further delay.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate has numerous fully legitimate
concerns about the unjust treatment the Turkish Government has
accorded it over the years, including policies that have
threatened the very existence of the Patriarchate. And those of
us who have been seized with those concerns for some time
remain fully committed to them. But the message of this
resolution, which I strongly support, is very specific--simple
but powerful--and directed toward the Turkish Government.
Reopen the Halki Seminary!
The Halki Seminary, located on an island near Istanbul, was
the preeminent seminary of the Greek Orthodox world until
Turkey closed it in 1971. For the past 41 years, its
classrooms--which produced the top theologians of the Greek
Orthodox world--have been silent. This balanced resolution
notes some positive gestures by the Turkish Government in
recent years, including the return of some church property and
the unprecedented meeting of the Turkish Prime Minister with
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. But a flourishing Halki
Seminary would be a true sign that Turkey is serious about
moving toward religious freedom and fully joining the family of
democratic nations. I call on the Turkish Government to reopen
Halki without any further delay.
H.R. 4141, the Donald Payne International Food Assistance
Act of 2012, honors and builds on the tireless efforts of our
late colleague to protect the world's most vulnerable
populations. With Don's untimely passing we not only lost a
dear friend and respected colleague, but a wise and determined
champion for those who live in chronically food insecure
environments. All too often, the food rations designed to
address short-term crises end up being relied upon for
multiyear feeding programs, but they are unsuited to provide
adequate nutrition over longer periods of time.
With H. Res. 583, introduced by Mr. McGovern, this
committee reiterates its condemnation of Joseph Kony and the
Lord's Resistance Army, which continues to terrorize
communities in Central Africa. The resolution underscores our
support for U.S. and international efforts to stop the LRA and
bring Joseph Kony to justice. It emphasizes the importance of
regional cooperation, local capacity building, and civilian
protection and recovery programs, which will be necessary even
after Kony and his allies are removed from the battlefield.
And H. Res. 526 offered by Mr. Shuster is a strong
statement in support of Georgia's progress on democratic
reforms, its territorial integrity and Euro-Atlantic
aspirations. It recognizes the reforms since the 2003 Rose
Revolution, calls on the Government of Georgia to continue this
progress so that we can strengthen our partnership and expand
our bilateral relationships. A critical measure of this
progress will be the upcoming parliamentary and presidential
elections. I am concerned by efforts to prevent a prominent
political opponent from running in the parliamentary election
and reported attempts to intimidate local opposition leaders
including denying them access to media. We will watch this
process closely.
And I am almost done. I want to thank my friend from New
York, Mr. Engel, for introducing H. Res. 663. This resolution
encourages the International Olympic Committee to hold a minute
of silence during the upcoming London Olympics to commemorate
the 40th anniversary of the 1970 Munich Olympics terrorist
attack in which 11 Israeli Olympians, including a dual U.S.-
Israeli national lost their lives. The 40th anniversary year of
that tragedy is an appropriate time to honor those lost that
day, and a moment of silence at all future Olympics will remind
the victims' families and friends that the international
community has not forgotten their loved ones.
Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. I look forward to
working with you at our next markup on the state authorization
legislation.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much, Mr. Berman, for
your excellent statement. Ms. Schmidt is recognized for 5
minutes.
Ms. Schmidt. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for
today's markup. Balancing religious concerns is a delicate
dance and we recognize that this, I believe, is Hellenic Week
and brings to light concerns that the Greek community may have.
And one of those is the issue of the Halki Seminary. And I do
believe that it should be reopened, and I understand that the
Turkish Government is committed toward that.
But I do want to bring to light some of the concerns that
the Turkish Embassy shared with me regarding Mr. Bilirakis'
resolution. And I am going to read what they said.
``Turkey is committed to finding a viable solution to
reopen the Halki Seminary and to overcome the remaining
restrictions which apply to all religious communities.
However, the actions of the House of Representatives on
these issues are neither necessary nor productive. On
the contrary, such action risks backfiring and
undermining political-mentum obtained.
``Turkey fully understands the needs of the Greek
Orthodox minority to train its clergy. However, the
difficulty is not related to the status of the
Patriarchate. Turkey, by its virtue of its
constitution, is a secular state. Thus, in line with
the Turkish constitution and the principles of
secularism, which constitutes a fundamental tenet of
Turkish democracy, religious instruction is placed
under the supervision of the State. It is with this
understanding that Turkey is exploring a viable
solution to reopen the Halki Seminary and to overcome
the legal restrictions.
``H. Res. 506 is outdated and it omits the recent
historic steps taken by Turkey as such, the return of
all immoveable properties to non-Muslim community
foundations. The perennial singling out of Turkey on
such issues is both unwarranted and discriminatory. As
acknowledged by the State Department, religious
freedoms have steadily improved in Turkey. The HFAC
markup will invariably turn into a Turkish bashing
session. This will be very unfortunate, especially
during Secretary Clinton's visit to Turkey and the run
up of the annual ATC Conference.''
By the way, we understand that the resolution is in place
for reasons that are apparent. Turkey is always sensitive to
the tone, content in general, atmospheres of such congressional
action, and moreover it is a secular democracy, and it is more
than ironic that Turkey is a country of setting of a positive
example in this region, and they believe that, they are fearing
that they are being singled out by this Congress.
I bring this to light because I have had groups come to me
regarding this resolution, and while I believe that the Halki
Seminary needs to be open, I just wanted to share what the
Turkish Embassy's concerns are during this resolution. And I
yield back my time.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much, Ms. Schmidt.
Mr. Connolly is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Madam Chairman. And I wish to
associate myself, particularly with the remarks and all of the
resolutions we have marked up today, with the ranking member,
Mr. Berman.
As the co-chair of the Turkey caucus, I want to express my
strong support for House Resolution 506. I think it actually is
something that ought to be welcomed by all of us who are
friends of Turkey and support Turkey, and I want to quote what
President Obama said at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey
in 2009. He said, ``Freedom of religion and expression lead to
a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the
State,'' which is why steps like reopening the Halki Seminary
will send such an important signal inside Turkey and beyond.
I believe the resolution is balanced. It recognizes strides
that the Turkish Government has made with respect to the
Ecumenical Patriarchate, and to broaden religious freedoms and
respect for the diversity of religious expression. For example,
the resolution welcomes the historic meeting between the Prime
Minister and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It welcomes the
positive gestures of the Government of Turkey allowing
liturgical celebration by that Patriarchate at the historic
Sumela Monastery and the return of the former Greek Orphanage
of Buyukada Island to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It urges the
Government of Turkey to facilitate the opening of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate's Theological School without delay,
which I support, and urges the Government of Turkey to address
other long-standing concerns relating to the Ecumenical
Patriarchate.
I believe Turkey is a vibrant, secular society. It is a
society striving to make sure that it respects religious
diversity, and I think this resolution is intended to be
supportive of those efforts, not even inferentially necessarily
critical of the Government of Turkey, and as such I welcome the
resolution and glad to support it.
With that I yield back. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. I thank the gentleman. Judge Poe is
recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Poe. I thank the chair for the time. I want to make two
comments, one about the resolution in Turkey. Turkey has done a
remarkable job in moving forward for religious freedom
especially in the area of being open to more religious freedom.
However, I do think the proof is in the pudding in this
specific case, and it would be a great step forward to show the
world that if the Halki Seminary was reopened that they are
serious about religious freedom. Then to Turkey, have a lot of
friends both in the United States and abroad that are of
Turkish heritage, and so I commend them on their efforts. Let
us hope that the seminary can be opened as soon as possible and
to show that Orthodox Christians in Turkey have religious
freedom just like other folks have religious freedom.
On the issue of Georgia, Georgia seems to be one of those
countries where the world is not paying any attention to what
took place or is taking place. The Russians decided they wanted
to invade Georgia and so they did. They went in, and in a few
days they took over one-third of the sovereign territory of
Georgia. The world made some political statements, especially
the Europeans. The Russians ceased on their aggression, stopped
after they took over two territories, or one-third of the
sovereign territory of Georgia, and the world has moved on.
The Russians still occupy a foreign land. They occupy the
sovereign nation of Georgia. This resolution, I think, is good
to promote the awareness of what took place and what is taking
place in Georgia. It is a democracy like all democracies. The
United States doesn't necessarily agree with everything taking
place but we do believe, and I do believe, we should support
their strong effort to be a democratic state, a state of
freedom and liberty, and eventually the world is going to have
to make a decision about where we stand on the issue of the
Russians still occupying one-third of the sovereign territory
of a nation that is our friend.
And with that, Madam Chair, I will yield back.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. That is just the way it is. Thank
you, sir.
Mr. Poe. Just the way it is.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Mr. Sires of New Jersey is
recognized.
Mr. Sires. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for having
the markup so swiftly on these important measures. I am proud
to be a cosponsor of many of them. But I am particularly proud
and pleased to see that the Donald Payne International Food
Assistance Improvement Act is on the agenda.
If passed into law, this bill will serve as an appropriate
legacy for a man that dedicated his congressional career to
improving the lives of the most vulnerable across this globe.
As a good friend, as a colleague and as serving on the adjacent
district, I saw his work for many, many years.
I would also like to associate myself with some of the
comments that were made here, especially when it comes to
Russia and Georgia, and I also like to stand firmly on the
human rights and targets of those that are continued to be
neglected. And certainly the Turkey issue with the theological
school, I am a strong supporter hopefully that Turkey can work
and open a theological school, which is something that is
sorely needed.
So thank you very much.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much. Mr. Meeks of
New York is recognized.
Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Madame Chair. First, I want to agree
with my colleagues that I support just every bill that we are
marking up this morning, and want to make specific comments,
first, about the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability
Act of 2012, H.R. 4405.
This bill largely addresses a tragedy in Russia and
Congress' frustration at the inadequacy of the Russian
Government's response to this affair. But let me be clear,
however, that we do not intend this legislation to define our
bilateral relationship. We strive to expand and strengthen our
partnership with the Russian Federation, and that is the goal
even of this human rights legislation. We encourage reforms and
acknowledge accomplishments, their vibrant civil society and
space for public debate. We do not turn, however, our backs on
serious shortcomings.
To the extent that governments fail to punish human rights
violators, they are complicit. To the extent that governments
tolerate or perpetuate human rights violations, they invite the
world's complaint or worse. We in the United States want better
for the people of Russia. We want better for the Americans in
Russia. We want better for the Americans doing business in
Russia. We want honorable partners.
The people of the United States have a tradition older than
our Nation of relying on government to protect their liberty
and their basic rights. Promotion and protection of human and
political rights is so fundamental to our understanding of the
responsibility of government that Congress annually looks at
the executive branch to report on the human rights performance
of foreign governments. Our compassion and conviction compel us
to seek universal adherence to shared standards of civility.
This is far, far from saying that the United States has a
perfect record of protecting citizens' rights and liberties.
Sadly, our history documents horrors of African Americans who
slaved and fought to make this country long before the law
recognized them as full personhoods, much less their
citizenship. Similarly, too many chapters of our national
history were written before women had the right to vote or
control their own property. Too few chapters tell the story of
the slaughter of Native Americans and the exploration of their
lands.
But here is an important point. The American public demands
truth-telling. We confront our history, documenting the
government's role in enslavement, torture, corruption and
killings. We make public the stories of Abu Ghraib, of
innocence detained and forgotten in cells of those falsely
convicted and in prison. We will continue to examine and
criticize these tragedies and mistakes and will strive to do
better. If we want our partners to be model citizens of the
world then we need to do a better job of modeling the behavior.
What we do today is important, but it is as least as
important to understand that the type of action we legislate
today is only one way to inspire change. The flow of people,
goods and ideas is transformative. Exposure to American books,
media and fashion influences the way people across this globe
thinks, dress and behave. American businesses modeling ethical,
efficient and profitable corporate culture are incubators of
changing values abroad. Increased trade and business investment
with Russia will improve the business climate and strengthen
the rule of law. Engagement is a key to understanding and
change. If we want to improve the climate for doing business in
Russia, if we want the world to be safe for whistleblowers, if
we want to encourage civil society and if we want to fight
corruption in business, government, education and scientific
pursuits we need to increase the world's exposure to our best
business, government, educational and scientific practices.
This is why we need immediately to authorize PNTR. And let me
repeat, to improve the rule of law in Russia, to strengthen
civil society, to create jobs in the United States, we must
immediately authorize PNTR for Russia.
So as important as it is to keep malefactors from whatever
country from our shores, it is equally important to look for
ways to increase our engagement with Russia. As this
legislation passes with bipartisan support, I look forward to
legislation that will facilitate engagement with Russia by
lifting the trade-restricting Jackson-Vanik Amendment and
authorizing permanent normal trade relations with Russia, and I
look forward to bipartisan support. This legislation will put
Americans on a level playing field with all of the members of
the WTO.
And I just want to say again just real quickly that on H.R.
4141, I just have to mention it is an honor for me to support
that bill, the International Food Assistance Improvement Act,
because this bill before us is important for my dear friend and
the leadership and the vision of the late Donald Payne, who was
a champion for hunger. H.R. 4141 will improve the nutritional
quality, the quality control and cost effectiveness of the U.S.
food assistance, and ultimately it will improve lives,
particularly the lives of the most vulnerable.
And I had other statements that I want to submit for the
record in regards to----
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Without objection.
Mr. Meeks [continuing]. Turkey and to Georgia. And I yield
back.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you so much for a powerful
statement, Mr. Meeks. Mr. Engel of New York is recognized.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Madam Chair. And let me say, I have
been on this committee for 24 years and this is the first time,
I think, we have been in this room in this fashion. So there is
always something new and interesting on the Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Ranking Member
Berman, for holding this markup. We are taking up several
important pieces of legislation today, one of which I want to
highlight because I have introduced it with my colleague from
New York, Representative Lowey. This resolution, H. Res. 663,
urges the International Olympic Committee to schedule a minute
of silence to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the massacre
of 11 Israeli athletes in the Summer Olympic Games in Munich,
Germany, on September 5, 1972. I remember that day. Let us not
forget what happened on that day.
In the early morning hours, eight members of a Palestinian
terrorist group called Black September broke into the Munich
Olympic Village and entered the building where the Israeli team
was saying. An athlete and a coach were killed in the dormitory
while nine others, four athletes, three coaches and two
referees were taken hostage. Less than 24 hours later, after
several failed rescue attempts in a gunfight that left a German
police officer dead, the nine hostages were also killed. The
massacre of the Munich 11 was a jarring reminder that the
Olympic Games, long a symbol of international cooperation and
camaraderie, are not wholly divorced from the hatred and
intolerance which still exists throughout the world. So I very
strongly believe that a minute of silence at this year's games
would be a long overdue symbol that such terrible acts of
violence will not go unremembered.
Madam Chair, the Olympic Games are more than just a swim
meet or a javelin throw. They represent a time when the world
supposedly comes together in friendship to honor the commitment
of thousands of athletes to competition in the spirit of sport.
I know of no better way to honor the participants than to hold
a minute of silence at the London games in honor of the Munich
11, so that 40 years after the tragedy the world can say as
one, we remember. It is really an absolute disgrace that the
Olympic Committee is refusing to do this. They really ought to
be ashamed of themselves, and I think that the Congress ought
to strongly go on record as supporting this.
I would also like to speak very briefly about a few of the
other resolutions. First, I strongly support H. Res. 526
regarding the Republic of Georgia. As a cosponsor of this
resolution, I believe that Georgia is a democratic and stable
partner and ally of the United States and that the United
States should wholeheartedly support Georgia's aspirations for
NATO membership.
Secondly, I am glad that the committee is taking up H. Res.
506, which calls on the Government of Turkey to facilitate the
reopening of the Theological School of Halki. The continued
closure of the school has been an ongoing issue of concern for
me, for the United States, and I am glad that there has been
some positive gestures lately by the Government of Turkey. Let
us hope it becomes more than just gestures. I think we have to
remain focused until the Halki Seminary is reopened.
And finally, while we are discussing Turkey, I would like
to inform my colleagues that on Tuesday, Representative
Bilirakis and I introduced H. Res 676, which expresses deep
concern about Turkey's efforts to colonize areas of the
Republic of Cyprus. Not only does this violate the sovereignty
of the Republic of Cyprus and international law, but by
relocating hundreds of thousands of non-Cypriot citizens of
Turkey to Cyprus, Ankara is attempting to change the basic
character of Cyprus. Cyprus is a country for all Cypriots,
Greek, Turkish and others, not for colonists from another
country. So it is time for Congress to tell Turkey to stop, and
that is why Congressman Bilirakis and I have introduced this
resolution.
So thank you again, Madam Chair, for holding this markup,
and for the opportunity to speak. And I yield back.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much, Mr. Engel.
Thank you for your participation. Mr. Smith of New Jersey is
recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you
for bringing forward six totally bipartisan and very important
measures to the committee and ultimately to the floor. I do
have a statement on all of them and would, unanimous consent
that it be----
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Without objection.
Mr. Smith [continuing]. Made a part of the record. Just
briefly, we so importantly honor our deceased colleague, Donald
Payne, and the naming of the legislation after him on food
security, I think, is so appropriate, and I thank you for
taking the lead on that. Food security remains an enormous
problem worldwide and especially in Africa, and Don was such a
tenacious champion of food security, so it is so appropriate
that this legislation proceeds as his bill and named after him.
On Georgia, I strongly support H. Res 526 supporting the
territory integrity of the Republic of Georgia, while
encouraging reforms that will move Georgia along the path
toward democracy. After Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia, the
Russian Government recognized the independence of the
territories it occupied effectively dismembering Georgia. I
might add that I was in Georgia in August 2008, a couple days
after the invasion, helping to recover three of my
constituents, very young girls, who were trapped behind Russian
lines, so I saw something of the terrible cost of the invasion.
And my office then was able to work with our embassy to secure
others who were also in like manner trapped.
At the same time, the resolution focuses important
attention on the need for further democratic reforms in
Georgia. I believe the parliamentary elections scheduled for
October of this year is a critical moment in the country's
post-Soviet development. It is essential that this election be,
and be considered, free and fair not only by OSCE monitors, but
more importantly by the Georgians themselves. So this is a
very, very timely resolution.
On the H. Res. 583, which obviously focuses on Joseph Kony,
an indicted war criminal, a man who ought to be at the Hague
facing prosecution, with the estimates are 380,000 thousand
people have been displaced across the Central African Republic,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, because of LRA
attacks. More than two million Ugandans were displaced by this
awful group before being effectively expelled from that
country. The LRA is responsible for serious and widespread
human rights abuses throughout the region including murder,
mutilation, abduction, sexual enslavement of women and
children, and forcing children to take part in its incredibly
vicious attacks.
I would note parenthetically that in 2006 we had in this
room, Grace Akello, who testified she was one of those young
girls who was abducted by the LRA and she was one of the lucky
ones who made it out, wrote a book and told us about her
harrowing experiences at the hands of the LRA.
Again, I want to thank Mr. Bilirakis for his legislation.
Obviously it is important that this committee and the Congress
again assert, and assert strongly, support for the
Patriarchates' efforts to return the theological seminary. So
on all of these issues, and then I thank you, Madam Chair, for
this outstanding markup----
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much, Mr. Smith.
Thank you for your statement. Mr. Burton, always saving the
best for last, is recognized.
Mr. Burton. That will probably be, because I am going to be
very brief. I have heard my colleagues' comments. I agree with
all of them. I have a statement for the record and I would like
to submit it. And with that I yield back.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you very much. The Chair
definitely likes to hear that kind of statement.
And with all business having concluded, the markup is now
adjourned. Thank you.
[Whereupon, at 10:38 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Material Submitted for the Hearing Record
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
