April 27, 1999
Mr. Speaker, six months ago today, President Clinton signed the International Religious Freedom Act into law. The law mandates that within 120 days of enactment, individuals shall be named to the Commission on International Religious Freedom created by the bill.
It has been six months since enactment of the bill -- two months past the deadline -- and the White House has still not named its three commissioners. Congress has done its part, but we are still waiting on the administration. When will the White House get serious about implementing this legislation?
In early February, the President spoke before a crowd of religious and political leaders from around the world at the National Prayer Breakfast. He praised the bill and said he was proud to have signed it.
But, where is the implementation? Where is the enforcement? Where is the commitment?
The Commission's first report on the condition of religious freedom around the world is due on May 1 -- this Saturday. Because the administration has wasted so much time in making the appointments, there is no way the commission will meet that date, and it is unlikely we will see a report this year. Another year wasted while people are being maimed, tortured, beaten, jailed and killed on account of their faith.
I believe it was the administration's intention to miss the May 1 deadline for the commission's report. This ensures this issue will not get a serious examination by an independent entity as the bill intends. It ensures that the administration can continue to "fudge the facts" instead of taking serious action against countries that refuse to protect the human rights of religious believers.
The administration never really liked this bill. Secretary Albright spoke against the legislation at Catholic University. Assistant Secretary Eizenstat criticized it when he testified before the House International Relations Committee. But once Congress overwhelmingly passed the bill and sent it to the White House, the President had no choice but to sign it. Then he praised it. Now he is stonewalling on its implementation. All talk, no action. That is the how I would describe this administration on this issue. Talk a good game. Do nothing.
The administration's record on promoting human rights is positively miserable. In China, Catholic priests and bishops are still in jail where some have been for decades. So are Protestant pastors and laypeople. Churches continue to get destroyed. Worshippers are beaten, imprisoned and fined. Freedom House has said the already intense persecution of the underground Christian church in China has intensified since mid-1998. There was no mention of this during the recent summit with Chinese premier Zhu Rongli. Neither was there discussion of the fact that China has stopped all dialogue with the Dalai Lama over the future status of Tibet or the Chinese government sponsored campaign to encourage Tibetan Buddhists to become atheists.
Now, a recent report indicates that the Christian church in Hong Kong is getting squeezed in subtle ways.
The war continues in Sudan -- very little diplomatic effort is being exerted to bring it to an end. This is a war in which 2 million have already perished -- 2 million people.
The administration has done nothing.
In Vietnam, the situation for religious believers -- Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant and others -- is getting worse despite stronger relations between the U.S. and Vietnam. The administration has done nothing.
In India, Pakistan and Indonesia, religious tensions are bubbling and resulting in violence. The administration has done nothing.
There is so much going on around the world that there is no excuse for this Commission not to be given a chance to do its work. That was what Congress and the American people intended when it passed the International Religious Freedom Act, which had strong bi-partisan support.
The House leadership, both the Majority and the Minority leadership, found time to name six commissioners earlier this year. Why can't the administration?
I hope the administration will move to appoint people to the Commission on Intemational Religious Freedom. Too much time has been wasted already. The lives of innocent people are at stake and our lame response thus far is a disgrace.
Because the administration has taken so long, my guess is that the people they will appoint will be weak and ineffectual on this issue. I hope I am wrong.