Chris Smith

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McCaul for yielding and for his very strong support of this legislation. And Eliot Engel, the new chairman, I thank him as well. I thank Brad Schneider for being the original Democratic cosponsor. This is a bipartisan bill. In the last Congress, we had 86 cosponsors. Even in this Congress, we already have gotten up to 80 cosponsors. It shows that we can reach across the aisle and fight this pernicious evil called anti-Semitism. In 2004, Mr. Speaker, I authored the provisions of law that created and required this position and the office it leads at the State Department. H.R. 221 upgrades and strengthens the position to better anticipate, prevent, mitigate, and respond to threats against Jewish communities worldwide. H.R. 221 elevates the Special Envoy to the rank of Ambassador, reporting directly to the Secretary of State. This would enable sufficient seniority and access inside the U.S. Government and when engaging foreign governments. The bill requires the President to nominate a candidate no later than 90 days--and all the Presidents from Bush to Obama, and now, sadly, under President Trump, have been very late in coming forward with that nominee. There was a nominee for the Special Envoy, but because of illness or a health crisis, that person was not named. But we--all of us--have asked the President to name that person and to do so immediately. This bill requires, as I said, to do it no later than 90 days after the bill becomes law and no later than 120 days thereafter whenever that position is empty. H.R. 221 prohibits double-hatting of the Special Envoy with duties irrelevant to combating anti-Semitism. The legislation also mandates the Special Envoy to be the primary adviser to the U.S. Government on monitoring and combating anti-Semitism. Far too often, Mr. Speaker, over the decades, the U.S. Government has put combating anti-Semitism, human trafficking, and religious freedom violations in the back seat of our foreign policy. That is why Congress has created offices and positions to ensure the United States was focused on fighting these evils. Over the past decades, there has been an unprecedented rise in anti- Semitic acts and rhetoric all over the world: Jews harassed, assaulted, and even murdered; synagogues attacked; graves and cemeteries desecrated; anti-Semitic slurs; plus targeting the State of Israel itself with the three Ds--demonization, double-standard, and delegitimization, as my good friend, the great Soviet Jewish refusenik and religious prisoner Natan Sharansky named them. The so-called BDS movement to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel is one of the most pernicious examples of what Sharansky called the new anti- Semitism. Anti-Semitic hatred is hardwired into the ideology of violent Islamist and White supremacist groups, but the evil goes beyond those perpetrators. Politicians, entertainers, and public intellectuals across the philosophical spectrum have exhibited anti-Semitism. Strong American leadership, therefore, is essential to battle this bigotry. Combating anti-Semitism, as I said earlier, has always been a bipartisan effort. This bill did pass the last Congress 393-2. The text before us in the legislation is identical. I hope we have very strong support for it and the Senate, hopefully, will take it up, consider it, pass it, and get it to the President.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as prime author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), it is an honor to present the new Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan bill--and I thank Karen Bass for her cosponsorship and strong support--is a comprehensive, reauthorization and expansion of key elements of the TVPA and related policies. In the fight to end modern day slavery, my new bill honors the extraordinary legacy of one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. Born a slave in 1818--we celebrated the 200th anniversary of his birth this year--Frederick Douglass escaped slavery when he was 20 and dedicated his entire life to abolishing slavery and after emancipation, to ending Jim Crow laws, all the while struggling for full equality. A gifted orator, author, editor, statesman (and Republican), he died in 1895. The Frederick Douglass bill before us today authorizes over $430 million over 4 years to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and beef up prosecution of those involved in this nefarious trade both at home and abroad. It provides: $18 million over three years to the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State to fund the International Megan's Law $78 million over four years to the Department of Health and Human Services $20 million over four years to the Department of Labor $315 million over four years to the Department of State Additional funding to train airport personnel, flight attendants, and pilots to recognize and report to law enforcement potential trafficking victims in transit Specifically, the new bill significantly expands our efforts to combat trafficking by: Ensuring vulnerable children, throughout the United States, are educated to avoid traffickers; Encouraging job training for trafficking survivors, especially those who were exploited in sex trafficking as children; Preferring in government travel contracts airlines and hotels that have in place anti-trafficking training and reporting policies for their employees; Keeping goods made by child trafficking victims out of the United States by ensuring funding for and enhancing Department of Labor reports on slave-made goods; Encouraging enforcement of the Tariff Act of 1930's prohibition on the importation of goods made with forced labor; Helping survivors get back on their feet by treating civil damages they win from their traffickers the same as criminal restitution; Designating one prosecutor in each of the Department of Justice's focus districts to investigate and prosecute labor trafficking cases; Preventing abuse of domestic servants in embassies and diplomatic homes in the United States; Encouraging credible and effective use of the trafficking tier ranking system by the U.S. Department of State in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report; and Strengthening implementation of all U.S. laws and regulations in place to prevent U.S. government purchases from putting money in the hands of traffickers and encouraging accountability for U.S. government contractors involved in human trafficking; Empowering trafficking survivors to be more involved in the development of human trafficking policy; and Integrating the fight against human trafficking into U.S. foreign assistance more fully.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the House passed H. Res. 1091, offered by my friend from Ohio, Steve Chabot. I support this resolution and commend my colleague for his leadership on a pressing issue of concern. If democracy dies in darkness as the Washington Post masthead daily reads, surely the release of the Reuters journalists will bring a little light back to Burma. But only a little light unfortunately. We all believed that Nobel Peace Prize laurate Aung San Sui Kyi would govern differently from past Burmese leaders. Unfortunately, she has not. The democratic icon has become an extremely disappointing politician. On her watch one of the world's largest ethnic cleansings has occurred--the forced and violent removal of Rohingya from Burma. The blood of Rohingya is on her hands. Over half a million Rohingya were removed and untold numbers killed by a military that long planned for this operation. I commend the Administration for using Global Magnitsky sanctions to target Burmese military leaders and units. But with atrocities continuing against the Rohingya and other Burmese minorities, more clearly needs to be done. Expanding sanctions against companies and cronies linked to the military leadership is a potential game changer in any punitive approach to this issue. And the U.S. should be urging the EU and other nations to do the same. I understand the arguments made by those who urge caution, fearing that too much pressure on Aung San Sui Kyi will lead to a military coup, with the full backing of Beijing no doubt. But at what price, silence? Thousands of deaths? Half a million people forcibly removed? Condoning crimes against humanity and genocide? We cannot be bystanders to genocide. As with the mass detention of Uyghur Muslims in China or the genocide experienced by Christians and Yazidis at the hands of ISIS, U.S. leadership is needed to create a global response to this crisis. I again commend the gentleman from Ohio for this resolution. Preventing and addressing genocide and mass atrocities are a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democracy and Accountability Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their very strong support of this legislation and for their strong statements today. I think this is, again, another example of bipartisan legislation and the House uniting over a very egregious situation that is occurring in the DRC. I would point out to my colleagues that I have visited the DRC myself, been to Kinshasa, the capital, raised a number of human rights issues when I was there. But I also traveled to Goma, where there was terrible acts of bloodshed committed by both the government troops. As well as those that were combating the government, and even terrible acts by the peacekeepers, the U.N. peacekeepers, some years ago, where they were complicit in human trafficking, particularly of little children. In my subcommittee, I chaired four hearings on this horrible practice of the peacekeepers themselves causing such violence against kids. There is now a much better situation, but it is still awful, and, again, we are now facing another serious crisis. I would also point out to my colleagues that Karen Bass and I had a trip planned to Kinshasa for August 24 and 25. We made part of that trip where we went to Ethiopia, but we were denied visas. We could not get visas to go to the DRC. We wanted to raise issues with Kabila, himself, with regards to the election and human rights abuse. We were denied that by not getting a visa. This bill could not be more timely. Indeed, there is an urgent need to focus attention on the DRC, a strategically located, resource-rich country, which has been misgoverned for much of its history and again is in crisis today. The wonderful people of the DRC deserve better, far better than they have gotten from the Kabila regime. Next month, just before Christmas, the country is scheduled to vote to replace Joseph Kabila, who has retained power in defiance of constitutional term limits for some 2 years beyond his mandate. Right now, there is talk of further postponement of the election, which would accord with Kabila's desire to postpone a transfer of power for as long as possible. If such a delay occurs, it would be attributable to the obstacles placed by the Kabila government to holding a free and fair election. This bill before us today shows congressional resolve that there be accountability and codifies three executive orders by three Presidents: President Bush, President Obama, and President Trump. It points out that there needs to be significant progress towards holding free and fair elections or else they will not be lifted, and it does so for 7 years. We are talking about respecting fundamental freedoms of the press, expression, and assembly, as described in the December 2016 Saint Sylvestre agreement and in U.N. Security Council Resolution 2348. It also points out that there needs to be, in the legislation, a free and fair Presidential election in accordance with the constitution of the DRC and that a democratically elected President has been sworn in and taken office. It also supports the humanitarian and accountability efforts of civil society groups pushing back against civil strife and political repression. In particular, it acknowledges the role of the faith community and the Catholic Church, which educates and heals the Congolese people through its schools and hospitals, while upholding the need for the rule of law and respect for constitutional principles in the DRC. Indeed, the Congolese Conference of Catholic Bishops, known as CENCO, has played a singular role in promoting restoration of democracy and respect for fundamental civil and political rights, including brokering the December 2016 Saint Sylvestre agreement. Mr. Speaker, this is a critical time for the DRC. We have an emerging Ebola crisis in the eastern part of the country. I note that, over the weekend, our Embassy in Kinshasa was forced to close due to ``credible and specific'' terror threats. The Embassy will remain closed at least until tomorrow because of those threats and perhaps even beyond that date. We are hurtling towards a political inflection point within the next month, which will either mark a turn towards proper constitutional governance or a downward spiral towards growing chaos and bloodshed. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for his comments and for his strong support. Mr. Speaker, this is a true bipartisan bill. Our fingers are crossed for the people of the DRC. They deserve a free and fair election. Whoever emerges as the winner hopefully will take them on a new course. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 390) to provide emergency relief for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Iraq and Syria, for accountability for perpetrators of these crimes, and for other purposes.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to urge strong support for H.R. 390, the bipartisan Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act. I want to begin by offering my special thanks to Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for his strong and sustained support for the victims of genocide, for this bill, and for the work of his amazing staff, especially Luke Murry, who has done yeoman's work on making sure that this moves forward; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his chief of staff, Sharon Soderstrom, for their work; as well as our friends on the Senate side. I especially want to thank Ed Royce, our chairman, and Ranking Member Eliot Engel for their wonderful support for this bill, and for all the Members. I want to thank Anna Eshoo, who has been tenacious in her support for genocide-targeted communities in Iraq and Syria, and Matt McMurray, her chief of staff, who has also been a great friend to work with on this legislation. My thanks to Mary Noonan, my chief of staff; Piero Tozzi, my staff director for the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee; Nathaniel Hurd at the U.S. Helsinki Commission, who has been lead staffer on the bill; David Trimble, senior fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute; and so many others who have been a part of this effort to get this across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, in September of 2013, I chaired my first of 10 congressional hearings focused in whole or in part on Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS for genocide and other atrocity crimes, frustrated and deeply disappointed that the previous administration was failing to direct aid to these survivors and to support criminal investigations into the perpetrators. Three years later, on September 8, 2016, I introduced H.R. 5961. It was clear then, as it is now, that local overstretched, underfunded groups on the ground were being forced to fill a huge gap, like the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, supported by the Knights of Columbus under the extraordinary leadership of Carl Anderson and by Aid to the Church in Need. To date, the Knights of Columbus has contributed $20 million and Aid to the Church in Need has contributed more than $60 million to the response for these people who are the survivors of genocide. Without this support from private charities, Mr. Speaker, many people, especially children, would have died or have been afflicted with serious disease or disability. Where was the United States? Nowhere to be found. Just before Christmas of 2016, I led a delegation to Erbil at the invitation of the Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil, Bashar Warda, who was heroically leading the effort to sustain more than 70,000 Christians who had fled ISIS, as well as some Yazidis and Muslims. There I met with genocide survivors, almost all of whom told me that they had family members who were murdered, tortured, beaten, and raped by ISIS. Their stories were tragic beyond words and heartbreaking beyond words, but members of my delegation and I were in awe of their deep and abiding faith in God, their resiliency, and their courage. They simply would not quit. They would move on and try to live a life and try to thrive. We visited a camp of 6,000 internally displaced persons, managed by the archdiocese, that the U.S. Government had not even visited until just before our trip in 2016, even though it was only 10 minutes away from the consulate. I was told I shouldn't go because it was too dangerous. I asked, ``Was there a specific threat?'' and there wasn't. When we got there, we were met by about 250 to 300 children, all about fourth or fifth graders or thereabouts, singing Christmas carols, and I felt, ``Boy, that is a real threatening situation.'' It was foolish in the extreme. They needed our help. They were not getting enough food. They were not getting enough medicine, and their shelter was very meager, to say the least. On January 10, 2017, I introduced H.R. 390, a stronger version of the previous bill. The House unanimously passed it--again, totally bipartisan--on June 6. On October 11, the Senate passed it with a slightly amended version, which is why it is here before the House today for reconsideration. H.R. 390 authorizes the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Secretary of State to direct humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery assistance to these communities to enable them to survive and someday thrive in Iraq and Syria. It also authorizes the Secretary and the Administrator to fund entities conducting criminal investigations into ISIS perpetrators who committed atrocity crimes in Iraq. The evidence these entities collect and preserve will be used to apprehend, prosecute, and convict perpetrators in a range of court settings. We have learned from the courts in Rwanda, in Sierra Leone, as well as the court in Yugoslavia, you have to capture this information. You have to get the testimonies from survivors and eyewitnesses to effectuate effective prosecutions. The surviving religious and ethnic communities have begun to receive some targeted aid from the United States under the leadership of Vice President Pence, USAID Administrator Green, and Secretary Pompeo. The governments of Hungary and Poland, as well, have stepped up to provide assistance to those in need. However, we have to move quickly on this bill and on implementation on this. As Archbishop Warda, the head of Chaldean Catholic Church there, told me today: ``Christians in Iraq are still at the brink of extinction. H.R. 390 is vital to our survival. If it becomes law, implementation must be full and fast. Otherwise, the help it provides will be too late for us.'' Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the chairwoman emeritus of the Foreign Affairs Committee who currently chairs the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief. I thank, again, Eliot Engel, Chairman Royce, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is the former chairwoman of the committee. I thank her for her very kind remarks. She has been a leader on human rights herself all over the world, especially with regard to Iran and some of the legislation she has gotten enacted into law. I thank her for that extraordinary leadership. Again, this is an example of us pulling together and helping a group of people, survivors of ISIS genocide, who are in desperate need of assistance. We are now past the emergency level in most cases. When we originally introduced the bill, I named it ``the emergency.'' We didn't get it passed fast enough, but there is so much more that remains to be done when it comes to recovery and sustainability of these precious lives that have been so wounded by ISIS through mass murder and genocide, which has been recognized by both the Obama administration and the Trump administration. So this is an idea whose time has come, and my hope is that it will be implemented faithfully and aggressively from the moment it is signed. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this bill, and Eliot Engel and Barbara Lee. We were there when George W. Bush signed this legislation. We were sitting next to each other. This has made an enormous difference in the lives of so many people. I call on our colleagues to support the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, which authorizes funding for each of the next 5 years for comprehensive programs designed to prevent or provide treatment for people suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and/or TB throughout the world. Because of the vision of George W. Bush--and here in the House, it was Henry Hyde and Tom Lantos as chairman and ranking member--since 2003, PEPFAR has saved an estimated 16 million lives. Today, 13 countries are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020. When the President signed it, he said, and I quote in part: ``HIV/ AIDS is one of the greatest medical challenges of our time. . . . Across Africa, this disease is filling graveyards and creating orphans and leaving millions in a desperate fight for their own lives.'' He went on to say: ``In the face of preventable death and suffering, we have a moral duty to act, and we are acting.'' Today, according to the U.S. Department of State, PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in all of history. Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. That number has since increased to approximately 14 million people receiving treatment for HIV and AIDS. Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV- free to HIV-positive moms. Since the start of PEPFAR, new HIV infections have declined between 41 percent to 76 percent, depending on the country, and, again, more than 16 million people have been saved. Yet the need for this legislation continues to be absolutely compelling because so much more needs to be done. The Trump administration's 2018 PEPFAR report to Congress sounds the alarm, noting that, according to UNAIDS, nearly 37 million people are living with HIV globally; however, only 20.9 million are getting treatment. They point out that we must continue to act decisively and strategically with our resources and bring other donors in high HIV- burdened countries to the table. Otherwise, we all risk an epidemic that rebounds beyond the global community's capacity to respond. The time to act is now. Every week, 32,000 people are infected with HIV globally. Of all the new HIV infections in adolescents in the region, nearly 75 percent are among females, and they are up to 14 times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than young men. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this lifesaving legislation, and again, I thank my colleagues. I thank the Speaker and Kevin McCarthy for bringing this legislation to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge House passage of my bill--H.R. 6651--the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, which authorizes funding for each of the next five years for comprehensive programs designed to prevent or provide treatment for people suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria or TB throughout the world. (Current funding is approximately $6 billion per year). Because of the vision of President George W. Bush and here in the House the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Henry Hyde joined by Ranking Member Tom Lantos, since 2003 the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR has saved an estimated 16 million lives, and 13 countries today are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020. When President Bush signed the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act into law in 2003--Barbara Lee and I were actually sitting together at the ceremony--President Bush said: ``HIV/AIDS is one of the great medical challenges of our time . . . Across Africa, this disease is filling graveyards and creating orphans and leaving millions in a desperate fight for their own lives. They will not fight alone . . . The legislation I sign today launches an emergency effort that will provide $15 billion over the next five years to fight AIDS abroad . . . In the face of preventable death and suffering, we have a moral duty to act, and we are acting . . .'' Today, according to the U.S. Department of State, ``PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has invested over $80 billion dollars in bilateral HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs.'' Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. That number has since increased to approximately 14 million people receiving treatment for HIV and AIDS. Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV- free to HIV positive mothers. Since the start of PEPFAR new HIV infections have declined between 41-76%. And again, more than 16 million lives have been saved. Yet, the need for this legislation is absolutely compelling, because there is much more to be done. The Trump Administration's 2018 PEPFAR Report to Congress sounds the alarm noting that: ``according to UNAIDS, nearly 37 million people are living with HIV globally; however, the number of those on treatment is currently 20.9 million. While treatment access has increased by more than 160 percent since 2010, there is still much more to do to ensure everyone is virally suppressed, especially children and individuals under age 35. Constant evaluation of program implementation, epidemic data, and partner performance is essential to continue to accelerate our impact. We must continue to act decisively and strategically with our resources and to bring other donors and high-HIV-burden countries to the table; otherwise, we all risk an epidemic that rebounds beyond the global community's capacity to respond. The time to act is now. Every week, 32,000 people are infected with HIV globally, including 6,900 young women and 3,000 children, and 19,000 people die of AIDS-related illnesses. In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women are especially affected. Of all the new HIV infections in adolescents in the region, nearly 75 percent are among females; they are up to 14 times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than young men.'' I introduced H.R. 6651 joined by a group of bipartisan original cosponsors to ensure the continuation of this extraordinarily effective lifesaving initiative--and the time to act is now. This PEPFAR extension includes an amendment to extend programs aimed at supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Children--an initiative that assists over six million individuals--with support from multiple organizations, including Catholic Relief Services and World Vision. I would like to thank my Democratic colleague, and original cosponsor, Barbara Lee for her outstanding commitment to this issue. I also wish to commend the leadership shown by Chairman Ed Royce, Ranking Member Engel, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen--Ileana, we will miss you-- and my colleague on the Africa subcommittee, Ranking Member Karen Bass. I would also like to thank the staff who worked on this extension, coordinating with advocacy groups and helping bring this bill to the floor--Luke Murray from the Leader's office, Joan Condon and Catherine Rowland from the House Foreign Affairs Committee majority and minority, Diala Jadallah and Janette Yarwood from Representative Lee's and Representative Bass's office, and Piero Tozzi from my subcommittee. I also want to thank the many advocacy groups who weighed in with support and work tirelessly day-in-and-out to bring relief to those afflicted by HIV/AIDS and their family members.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1055, offered by my good friend and colleague, Dan Donovan. This is an important piece of legislation. It underscores the unfinished business towards Liberia. Liberia is one of our best friends and allies, historically to the present day, for very many reasons, including the fact that freed men and women and former slaves from this country went back and helped to make Liberia what it is today. Unfortunately, they have had people like Charles Taylor, a despotic leader who killed and maimed and enabled gross rape. He, personally, has been held to account by the Court for Sierra Leone. We all know that David Crane, chief prosecutor, who has testified before my subcommittee on several occasions, did a wonderful job in bringing large numbers of people to justice. Charles Taylor, for example, got 50 years. I will never forget that infamous photo of Taylor looking down at the floor, never thinking that he would get a 50-year jail term for his crimes. But there are many others who never got prosecuted. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission made serious recommendations that have not been implemented, including establishment of a criminal tribunal for Liberia. The time has come. Dan Donovan's bill puts the House clearly on record in saying we think this needs to be done, and it needs to be done now. I thank him for his leadership. On the subcommittee, he has been a great voice of reason and strength, as well as for human rights, particularly for those in Liberia. Last September, he chaired one of our hearings on Liberia, and I thought he did a masterful job, and I want to thank him for that leadership. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bipartisan bill. I urge its passage.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, October 10, 2018 marks the 107th National Day of the Republic of China, or ``Double Ten Day,'' as it is known in Chinese. On this auspicious day we not only have an opportunity to reflect on the bond between the American and Taiwanese people--our shared democratic values and historical partnership--but also look forward to strengthened ties of friendship and collaboration. Founded by Dr. Sun Yat-sen on October 10, 1911, the Republic of China stands as a beacon of freedom and democracy on the island of Taiwan, and as a positive counterexample to mainland China which, under Xi Jinping, has turned to greater repression and contempt for human rights. Let us not forget that the Republic of China, which had to endure many challenges and social upheavals during its tenure of rule in mainland China from 1911 to 1949, was the first allied country to be attacked in World War II. Our two countries locked arms and resisted the Imperial Japanese Army, with the first American aviators volunteering with Major General Claire Chennault and the fabled Flying Tigers to resist the Japanese from the air in 1941. Eventually, Japan and the Axis powers were defeated decisively, and the Republic of China became one of the founding members of the United Nations and attained a seat on the Security Council. Despite some hesitant steps on our part, we again stood together against the Communists led by Mao Zedong, both before and after the Republic established itself on Taiwan, from where it offered support to our forces resisting Communist tyranny on the Korean peninsula. In the ensuing decades, the Republic of China on Taiwan emerged from authoritarian rule to become the first authentically democratic nation in Chinese history. Taiwan has since become a beacon of hope and optimism in the Asia- Pacific region. Its people enjoy all basic freedoms, including freedom of the press, assembly, and religion. Through the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, the American people have strengthened our bond with the people of Taiwan. Recent Congressional endeavors, such as the Taiwan Travel Act--which I proudly cosponsored--undoubtedly will lead to further cooperation and friendship. It is perhaps because of Taiwan's democratic culture that China feels so threatened by it. Mainland China has launched a multi-dimensional campaign against Taiwan that includes many aggressive and provocative actions, such as the dispatching of warships, bombers, and fighter jets to encircle the island, as well as conducting live-fire military exercises near Taiwan's waters. Furthermore, in the diplomatic arena, China has worked assiduously to cut off Taiwan's diplomatic partners and block Taiwan from participating in international organizations. Taiwan has a comparative advantage in areas such as global health, and it is a travesty that for no other reason than to assuage China, Taiwan is prohibited from participating in critical fora such as the World Health Assembly. Now more than ever, Taiwan needs our support. Mr. Speaker, the moral and geopolitical case for Taiwan is strong and consistent with the Administration's commitment to build a free and open Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is a model of democracy, prosperity, rights protections, and the rule of law. Citizens of the Republic of China on Taiwan should know on its 107th anniversary that that the American people, and the Congress, stand with them.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we held a hearing on the lack of religious freedom in China today. Several years ago during a visit to the United States, Xi Jinping chose to be interviewed by a Chinese reporter living in the U.S. After the interview, President Xi asked a single question of this reporter-- not about his family and not about whether he enjoyed living in America--the one question he asked was ``Why do so many Chinese students and faculty living in the United States become Christians?'' Whatever was behind that question, religious freedom conditions in China have not improved because of it. Quite the opposite, in fact, as Xi has personally launched efforts to ``sinacize religion'' and the central government has issued commands to each provincial Party Secretary, making them responsible to bring religion in line with Communist Party ideology. The Chinese government is an equal opportunity abuser of religious freedom. As U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Tenzin Dorjee testified, Xi Jinping's stated goal of ``sincacization'' affects all religious communities in China--Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, Daoists, Muslims, and Christians. Over the past year, the Chinese government has intensified the most severe crackdown on religious activities since the Cultural Revolution. Regulations on religious affairs issued in February tightened existing restriction and new draft regulations are being circulated to clamp down on religious expression online. Churches, mosques, and temples have been demolished, crosses destroyed, children have been prohibited from attending services, and surveillance cameras are being installed in churches. Xi Jinping talks about realizing the ``China Dream''--but when Bibles are burned, when a simple prayer over a meal in public may be an illegal religious gathering, and when over a million Uyghur and Kazakh Muslims are interned in ``reeducation camps'' and forced to renounce their faith--that dream is a nightmare. Much in the news lately has been the Chinese government's targeting of Christians. The ``sinacization campaign'' has affected both state- controlled and unregistered churches--Protestant and Catholic. Clergy remain in prison and the human rights lawyers who defend religious believers have been jailed, disappeared, or tortured into silence. Xi Jinping views the fast-growing Christian churches, particularly the Protestant ``house church'' movement that does not belong to the state- sanctioned Protestant entities, as a threat to the dominance of the Chinese Communist Party. One of our witnesses yesterday, my good friend the Rev. Dr. Bob Fu, has detailed on countless occasions the Communist Party's vicious war on independent house churches. Underground Catholics--meaning those who do not belong to the state- sanctioned Patriotic Association--have faced tremendous persecution for decades, including Bishop Su Zhimin who I met with in 1994. Bishop Su's body bore witness to the brutality of China's Communist Party. He was beaten, starved, and tortured for his faith and spent some 40 years in prison. Yet, he prayed not just for the persecuted church, but for the conversion of those who hate, torture and kill. Unfortunately, only a couple of years later Bishop Su was arrested again and disappeared. He has not been heard from since. Today, efforts to forcibly close underground parishes expanded this year. China's Ethnic and Religion Bureau told the state propaganda arm Global Times in April that ``activities in illegally-built parishes will be prohibited'' and underground Catholic churches were being shuttered this very summer. Recent reports indicate that a deal has been struck by the Holy See and the Chinese government whereby the Pope will have veto power over Chinese government-approved candidates to be ordained as bishops. In exchange, seven previously excommunicated bishops, ordained without papal mandate and appointed by the Chinese government, will be welcomed back into full communion with Rome. Already, the Vatican has asked two validly ordained bishops to step aside to make way for two formerly excommunicated bishops. Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, has questioned whether Vatican officials making these decisions ``know what true suffering is.'' The reports are that this deal is provisional and full details are yet unknown. The devil will be in the details--including the fate of underground churches and relations with Taiwan. But with all the efforts underway to forcibly sinacize religion, it certainly seems an odd time to strike a deal with Xi Jinping's China. I hope and pray this agreement will bring true religious freedom for Catholics in China--who have suffered so much to maintain their faith. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to see if force is used by the Chinese government to close all ``underground'' or unregistered Catholic churches as a result of this deal. We heard from Dr. Tom Farr on what the implications of this deal would be and his recommendations for U.S. religious freedom diplomacy. U.S.-China tensions are high at the moment on many fronts and the Chinese government presumably is searching for ways to reduce--not escalate--them. Taking a hammer and sickle to the cross or jailing a million Uyghur Muslims will only ensure a tougher China policy, one with widespread, bipartisan and even global support.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join those who have participated in public activities and forums this month to mark September as Dystonia Awareness Month. Public awareness events and campaigns help raise funds for improved research and treatment to one day find a cure. Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. It affects men, women, and children. Dystonia can be generalized, affecting all major muscle groups, and resulting in twisting, repetitive movements and abnormal postures. It can also be focal, affecting a specific part of the body such as legs, arms, hands, neck, face, mouth, eyelids, or vocal cords. Dystonia is a chronic disorder producing symptoms that vary in degrees of frequency, intensity, disability, and pain depending on the type of dystonia. The inability to predict or control the movements of body parts vital to mobility and communication has a profound impact on an individual's life, and the lives of their loved ones. I am proud to represent the Nachbar Family of Freehold, New Jersey. Janice and Len Nachbar are the incredibly devoted parents of Joanna--a beautiful, smart woman who is afflicted with dystonia. In their role as leaders of the Central New Jersey Dystonia Support and Action Group, they are active advocates on behalf of their daughter and the dystonia community. The Nachbars are just one of the thousands of families nationwide who are part of the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation which raises awareness for dystonia and provides support to patients, families, and caregivers. Since I first met the Nachbars and learned of dystonia, I have repeatedly requested adequate appropriations for important research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, and in 2015 I hosted a Congressional briefing where the Nachbars and other members of the dystonia community testified to the importance of funding and awareness for this terrible disorder. Despite the prevalence of dystonia, awareness and proper diagnosis of this disorder is extremely limited. Many patients report that it took visits to numerous physicians over the course of years to get a correct diagnosis. Currently there is no single test to confirm the diagnosis of dystonia. Instead, the diagnosis rests in a physician's ability to observe symptoms of dystonia and obtain a thorough patient history. In order to correctly diagnose dystonia, doctors must be able to recognize the physical signs and be familiar with the symptoms. In certain instances, tests may be ordered to rule out other conditions or disorders. The kind of specialist who typically has the training to diagnose and treat dystonia is a movement disorder neurologist. Awareness and recognition of dystonia is crucial. I encourage my colleagues to learn more about dystonia, how it impacts the livelihood of their constituents, and honor the important work the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, and families like the Nachbars, do to raise awareness and give hope to patients across the country.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we held a hearing at the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, which I chair. Our first order of business was to note that today many Ethiopians are celebrating the start of the New Year under the Ethiopian calendar. To our Ethiopian friends who observe the new year, I wish to say ``Enkutatash''--Happy New Year. Many of the hearings that this subcommittee holds are hearings of condemnation--for abuses of human rights, for failures of governance, and for holding accountable those who betray the public trust. Yesterday's hearing, however, struck a different tone--one not of condemnation, but of commendation for the great strides Ethiopia has made since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed assumed authority in April of this year. Consider where we were just over a year ago. A State of Emergency existed, and thousands of political prisoners languished in jail. A cold war standoff existed between Ethiopia and its neighbor Eritrea. As this subcommittee pointed out in a hearing we held in March of 2017, ``increasingly repressive policies have diminished political space and threaten to radicalize not only the political opposition but also civil society by frustrating their ability to exercise their rights under law.'' In response to this, I introduced, along with original cosponsors Karen Bass and Mike Coffman, H. Res. 128, a resolution ``Supporting Respect for Human Rights and Encouraging Inclusive Governance in Ethiopia.'' The resolution set forth milestones which needed to be met, and passed thanks to the leadership of many--including Chairman Ed Royce who guided the Resolution through Foreign Affairs Committee markup and Leader Kevin McCarthy, who scheduled a vote on H. Res. 128 that passed the House unopposed and sent a clear message of Congressional resolve on the need for civil and political reform in Ethiopia. But success of this measure was due in largest part to the efforts of the Ethiopian diaspora community in the United States, which came together to demand that egregious human rights abuses immediately cease, and that fundamental human rights must be promoted and protected for all in Ethiopia. Indeed, one of the greatest collateral benefits brought about by passage of H. Res. 128 is the political effectiveness of the Ethiopian American community, which provided a textbook civics lesson for all of us to admire. It is thanks to their tireless efforts of contacting your congressional representatives, of making your case in a persistent and respectful manner that helped spur Congress to action. Since assuming office, Prime Minister Abiy has begun to implement some of the very reforms that H. Res. 128 called for. He has released thousands of political prisoners, and lifted the state of emergency, for example. But he has also reached out to the diaspora community, catalyzed an end to a schism that had plagued the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and initiated an historic peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea this past July. Indeed, it is hoped that his domestic reforms will also inspire Eritrea, which remains a repressive regime, to undertake similar internal reforms. Just a few weeks ago, Ranking Member Karen Bass and I visited the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, where we met with Prime Minister Abiy and a broad array of individuals and groups, including His Holiness, Abune Mathias I. One impression I had--was of a profound feeling of change and optimism. For what he has accomplished in less than half a year, Prime Minister deserves praise and encouragement. Yet we still must keep in mind that expectations have been raised, and the reforms he has begun must continue. For example, the notorious Charities and Society Proclamation and the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, both passed in 2009, remain on the books and thus retain the potential to stifle legitimate civil society organizations and political speech. Many former prisoners and torture victims still demand justice. Ranking Member Bass and I met with a group of torture victims in Addis Ababa, and what they described as having been done to them was horrific. One refrain we heard, including from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, is that there is a need for Truth and Reconciliation in order for the country to move forward. There also needs to be an opportunity for people who have been displaced to return home. Catholic Bishop Abaraham Desta of Meld recently brought to my attention that over two and a half million people are internally displaced and require the government's immediate attention, especially by providing education for displaced children, as the school year has already started. The economy needs to grow to provide jobs for the many youth, including those who participated in protests and civic disobedience. Reforms in the economic sector, including liberalization and deregulation as well as an opening of economy to ethnic groups that have not been fully enfranchised, needs to continue. It has also been said that the reforms begun by Prime Minister Abiy represent a ``once-in-a generation opportunity for Ethiopia.'' It is thus absolutely crucial that this opportunity not be squandered. With this in mind, the United States must remain a partner Ethiopia can call upon. We collaborate on counter-terrorism measures, we support and are grateful for Ethiopia's contribution to peace keeping missions--indeed, with 12,000 troops deployed, Ethiopia is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions worldwide--and we must continue to encourage Ethiopia to participate in our IMET military professionalization programs. I do believe, having met the man and had an opportunity to engage in substantive discourse with him, that Prime Minister Abiy is the right man at the right time, and is therefore deserving of our support.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, and Mr. Deutch for all of their very excellent comments towards our good friend and colleague Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a chairwoman in earnest who has been one of the greatest friends Israel has ever known in this Chamber. The gentlewoman has been tenacious in her fight against terrorism, particularly as it relates to Iran, and against very considerable odds has been able to promote legislation that has made a huge difference in protecting the people of Israel from the ever-present threats, the existential threats that they face in the region. I thank Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. It is so fitting that this bill is named after her. This bill authorizes, as we all know, enhanced military cooperation between our countries; it further enshrines Israel's qualitative military edge; it authorizes foreign military financing at an annual level of no less than $3.3 billion, agreed to in the bilateral MOU negotiated under the Obama administration, but, crucially, the bill specifies that the assistance should be not less than $3.3 billion. It is a statement that it is a floor and not a ceiling, so, over the next 10 years, at least that much and hopefully more because we know the needs are overwhelming. The bill's other provisions: it facilitates the transfer of advanced, precision-guided missiles for Israel's use and lays the groundwork for bilateral cooperation that will assist Israel in confronting an evolving landscape of threats, including from unmanned UAVs. The many facets of cooperation supported by this bill, from international development to space exploration, are not just for Israel's benefit. They also contribute to our national security. The U.S. is safer when Israel is stronger. This bill translates that fundamental principle into practical initiatives for fruitful collaboration and mutual benefit. It is fitting, again, that this act will be named after a great American and a great friend of Israel, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this legislation on the issue itself; Eliot Engel, of course, who has been a great friend, a part of this Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism; and you, Mr. Presiding Speaker, you are one of the cosponsors. We have 83 bipartisan cosponsors, and this is an idea whose time has come. I especially want to thank Leader McCarthy for making sure the bill got to the floor today, for his leadership and strong support for it. Anti-Semitism, Mr. Speaker, is exploding. Just look around in any country in the world, look at the human rights reports that are out there, and it is a problem here in the United States as well. It is exploding. My first trip to the Soviet Union, now Russia, of course, was in 1982 on behalf of Soviet refuseniks. When I saw what that country was doing to individual Jewish men and women and families, I became committed then. I worked with Mr. Hastings on this for many, many years with the Helsinki Commission, to try to combat this ever escalating scourge of anti-Semitism. It is an age-old scourge. It is bad, and it is getting worse. There is a persistent anti-Semitism, as I think my colleagues know, that historically has manifested itself throughout European history, from pogroms in Russia, to the Dreyfus affair, to Nazism in the 1930s, and, of course, the Holocaust right up until its modern-day iterations. This has been joined, however, by two other streams of hate: one emanating from the world of militant Islam and one that is sometimes fomented by countries such as Iran. Strains of this new anti-Semitism can be heard in the demand of the BDS movement--boycott, divestment, sanctions--which always singles out Israel and rarely other countries like China who engage in pervasive human rights abuse. My friend and former Soviet refusenik, Natan Sharansky, testified at two of my hearings on combating anti-Semitism. He proposed what he called a simple test to help us distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel from anti-Semitism. Sharansky called it the ``three Ds: demonization, double standard, and delegitimization.'' First, demonization. When Israel's actions are blown all out of sensible proportions, and when comparisons are made between Israelis and the Nazis, which is absolutely sick and pathetic, this is anti- Semitism, not a legitimate criticism of Israel. Second, double standard. When criticism of Israel is applied selectively, when Israel is singled out, libeled, and slandered by the U.N. Human Rights Council, for example, while the behavior or other egregious violators like China, Iran, Cuba, and Syria are largely ignored, that, too, is anti-Semitism. The third ``D'' is delegitimization. In other words, Israel does not have a fundamental right to exist. In light of this, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive U.S. Government approach.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, there is a need for a comprehensive approach. In 2004, I offered an amendment that became law to create the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and also the amendment that created the Special Envoy. And I do call on President Trump to name that Special Envoy. This elevates it to ambassador, so there will be additional gravitas so that this individual, whoever he or she may be, will have the ability to have direct access to the Secretary of State on the issue of combating anti-Semitism. The bill also prohibits the position from being double-hatted. We know how that happens. All of a sudden, one person does all these different kinds of portfolios and becomes the master of none. It also requires, as Eliot Engel said a moment ago, that, within 90 days of enactment of this act and thereafter, we need this name and we need this to be put forward so that we can get that person on the job and doing this great work. Again, I look around at people who are getting ready to speak, Peter Roskam, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 83 cosponsors, totally bipartisan, and absolutely needed.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we held a hearing at the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, which I chair. Chinese-made fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is killing Americans--more than 29,000 in 2017 alone. We must hold the Chinese government accountable. Kirsten D. Madison, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs testified that China is ``a primary source of illicit synthetic drugs coming to the United States.'' Paul E. Knierim, Deputy Chief of Operations at the Office of Global Enforcement for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), stated in his testimony that ``China is one of the world's top producers of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as the chemicals used to process heroin and cocaine.'' Ocean County, New Jersey Prosecutor Joseph Coronato, has called the China-made fentanyl sent into the United States a ``synthetic storm'' that is ``devastating.'' He noted thankfully that local law enforcement is doing something about it--like his program that allows drug abusers to voluntarily turn themselves in at a police station--more than 800 since 2017--without being prosecuted. A program that has almost certainly reduced deaths. Still, Prosecutor Coronato noted that based on his medical examiner toxicology analysis, in 2014, 10 percent of overdose deaths had fentanyl in their systems. Shockingly, in 2018, fentanyl-related deaths have jumped to 80 percent or more. He also told the committee that ``synthetics will become the predominate type of illegal drugs abused within the next 5 years'' and that ``in many instances'' it is being sold ``right over the internet.'' I asked both the State Department and DEA what the U.S. is doing to hold China accountable for fentanyl in the U.S. Are we using existing tools to hold bad actors in China accountable? We have tools, such as the Global Magnitsky Act, which targets corrupt officials and human rights abusers. Recently the House passed comprehensive legislation to address the opioid crisis including the Synthetics and Overdose Prevention Act. The bill requires the U.S. Postal Service (as private carriers like UPS and Fed-Ex are currently required to do) to obtain advance electronic data (AED)--detailed info on the shipper and addressee and other data- empowering Customs and Border Protection to target fentanyl and other illegal drug shipments. Bryce Pardo of the RAND Corporation testified that the potency of fentanyl has sharply increased the number of opioid overdoses . . . and that the drug overdose crisis now surpasses major public health epidemics of prior generations, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Every single Congressional district in America has felt the scourge of the opioid epidemic. Don Holman, who was in the audience yesterday, lost his son, Garrett, to an overdose of synthetic fentanyl. Don's written testimony submitted to the committee, reports that the package came straight from China. His son ordered it online, not knowing of the poisonous effects fentanyl has. Last week, I spoke at the Mercer County, International Overdose Awareness Day sponsored by Prosecutor Angelo Onofri and Robbinsville Mayor David Fried. Personal testimonies offered by survivors and recovering abusers were deeply moving. Trenton Police Chief Pedro Medina spoke of the loss of his son, Petey, and assured the audience that there is a ``God who can help all of you.'' Advocate Mark Manning, who lost his son Christopher, spoke of his ongoing pain but urged all to work together to help the vulnerable. And Adrienne Petta recounted the horrors of her addiction and the impact on her family--she is now a recovery specialist. For the record, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni's Opioids Diversion Program, steers certain low-level non-violent offenders to treatment rather than traditional criminal prosecution, and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri's Community Addiction Recovery Effort (CARE) program which emphasizes treatment-first interventions for opioid addicts. We must look at this as a disease. Go after those who are marketing and selling fentanyl and offer programs and assistance to those who need help.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, Senator John McCain was an extraordinarily brave and noble man--a hero a dedicated husband, father, fighter pilot, and an amazing lawmaker. He endured and overcame unspeakable horrors as a POW, and as a lawmaker never ceased working for members of our armed forces and veterans. And on matters of principle and conviction, Senator McCain was fiercely independent, always willing--even eager--to bend into the wind and not with it. John McCain and I were colleagues on the House Foreign Affairs Committee when he was in the House. In fact we sat next to each other, and so I got to know him, and valued his intelligence and expertise. Then-Congressman McCain and I were very much in sync on supporting the administration's vigorous opposition to communism, rebuilding of the U.S. military, and its robust internationalism, as well as the re- emergence of a principled commitment to human rights and defense of democracy as core principles of U.S. foreign policy. He vigorously defended the downtrodden, the underdog, the forgotten and disenfranchised, including the unborn. Already in these years on our committee, his willingness to do the right thing regardless of partisanship was a blessing to this country. My wife Marie and I will always cherish and deeply respect the incomparable Senator John McCain. Marie joined me and thousands of others at the National Cathedral last Saturday to say goodbye to this great patriot and American hero. All the tributes were extraordinarily moving, including those by Meghan McCain, and Presidents Bush and Obama. Our nation is deeply grateful for the sacrifice and service of John McCain., and our hearts and prayers are with Cindy, and with his entire family.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we held a hearing at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on the human rights crisis in the Xinjiang province of China, which I co-chair. I commend Senator Rubio for holding this hearing, as there is a dire need to shine a light on the stunning and outrageous detention of nearly one million Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. What is clear from news reports is that Uyghurs are being detained in ``reeducation centers'' throughout Xinjiang. Those interned are being asked to renounce Islam, inform on their families for ``extremism,'' and parrot their love for Xi Jinping and the Communist Party. Whole families disappear, children are detained, students studying abroad and soccer players are detained because of their ``foreign'' contacts. There are reports of suicides and deaths and mistreatment in these detention centers. Human rights champion Rebiya Kadeer's whole family--sons, daughters in law, grandchildren have disappeared. The disappearance of the families of other Uyghurs has also happened--like Radio Free Asia's heroic journalists. It is mind-boggling. The Chinese government is constructing a high- tech police state in Xinjiang. The goal is to forcibly assimilate and ``transform'' entire ethnic minority populations. All this is being done in the name of counter-terrorism and counter- extremism. But China's repression may just create the extremism that they fear. Over the past year, the world has started to see too many comparisons between the Nazis and the current Chinese government. For example, Liu Xiaobo was the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in state custody since Carl Von Ossietzky died in Nazi custody. Now nearly one million are detained in what should be called concentration camps--the largest jailing of an ethnic and religious minority maybe since the Holocaust, certainly since the apartheid days in South Africa. ``Reeducation'' is certainly not a new tactic in China. Tibetans, Falun Gong and other dissidents have experienced ``reeducation through labor''--but the size and scale of what is happening to the Uyghurs is audaciously repressive, even by China's low standards. Where is the outrage? Where is the anger? I commend the State Department and Secretary Pompeo for their public statements. But why has the Organization of Islamic Cooperation been silent? What has Turkey and other Turkic nations been doing to address this issue? Every business, non-governmental organization, academic, and government that interacts with the Chinese government and Communist Party risks its integrity by remaining silent. There should be a concerted effort to convince the International Olympic Committee to consider whether the Olympic goal can be accomplished in 2022 if China maintains an apartheid-like police state that targets Muslim minorities. How can any law firm or lobby shop shill for the government of China while Uyghurs are so brutally and forcefully assimilated? Or when Tibetans, Christians, human rights lawyers, and Falun Gong are systematically repressed? I heard Frank Wolf say recently that in the 1980s, no firm would have dared to work for the Soviet Union--but now China's cash is too tempting to turn down even for some of my former House colleagues. Shame. Shame. It is really a shame. I wonder if the Congress can limit U.S. government contracts by the exact amount lobby firms receive from China, Russia, or some other authoritarian government? That would make for some interesting business choices. Either make no profit from your dealings with China or choose to represent an increasingly repressive and authoritarian Chinese government. No one should profit from representing authoritarian countries, particularly when they constantly seek to undermine U.S. values and interests. Chinese officials should also not profit from their complicity in torture and arbitrary detentions. This is the exact reason the Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Act. The Senator and I have urged the State Department to consider levying Magnitsky sanctions on officials in Xinjiang. We will continue to do so. We urge anyone with specific and credible information about Chinese government officials complicit in human rights abuses in Xinjiang to send that information to us. We will make sure it gets to the State Department. I also think the sanctions available in the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 should be considered, particularly broad economic sanctions targeting industries in Xinjiang that benefit China's political leaders or State-Owned Entities. China has been designated as a ``Country of Particular Concern'' since 1999. That designation carries with it the possibility of economic sanctions. This lever should be used now because, in my opinion, what is happening in Xinjiang is currently the world's worst religious freedom situation. Targeted and tough economic sanctions are the only way to convince China's leaders that they have a clear interest in ending repression of China's Muslim minorities. There is also an important role for the UN here. I am glad that Ambassador Currie is here with us today. What is happening in Xinjiang are clear violations of international treaties in many respects. According to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, crimes of genocide are not confined to mass killing of an ethnic group; they also include ``Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group'' and ``Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.'' Personal accounts from Xinjiang's re-education camps seem consistent with these definitions. We should not be ignoring the early warning signs. Actions need to be taken to prevent crimes against humanity. I realize that China's veto on the UN Security Council will create obstacles to any UN investigation, but we should be making them use that veto, request a briefing at the Security Council, and bring together the OIC and other Muslim majority countries to raise the issue within the UN system. At a time when the Chinese government is seeking to gain allies through its Belt and Road initiative, it would seem the last thing they want is an international debate about their treatment of ethnic and religious minorities. Finally, I want to commend the exemplary work of Radio Free Asia's Uyghur Service reporters. Despite threats to their families they have kept working and have provided us with an extraordinary record of events. Your courage and professionalism are admirable. Thank you. Again, I commend Senator Rubio for holding this important hearing to shine a light on an outrageous and horrible situation. We all need to believe in the power of light and sunshine because evil flourishes in the dark.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, we recently held a hearing on state-run doping to address the corruption and human rights violations that it produces in international sport. Athletic doping is really low--that anyone can cheat in a competition and then take any satisfaction or pride in winning is really beyond comprehension, to say nothing of the profound unfairness to the other competitors and fans and damage to the sport. But state-run doping compounds these injustices with serious human rights violations--it naturally leads to pressuring athletes to dope, and threatening whistleblowers. I thank Yuliya Stepanova and Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, represented yesterday by Jim Walden, for their remarkable courage in revealing the Russian government's state-run doping program, as well. It is not only the rest of the world, but Russia itself is indebted to them. In blowing the whistle on what their government was doing to cheat in international sporting events, they acted as true patriots--for any country, it is better to lose a medal than to lose the country's honor. And this state-run doping campaign is totally unworthy of the great spiritual heritage of Russia, and takes something away from every Russian person, as it makes it impossible for them to take an honest and natural pride in their country's performance in sporting events. Since this hearing addressed globalized corruption in sport, I also mentioned a whistleblower who was not with us yesterday--Dr. Xue Yinxian, a Chinese doctor who worked with China's Olympic team in the 1980s and at one point served as the chief medical supervisor to the Chinese gymnastic team. Dr. Xue claims that 10,000 athletes were involved in a Chinese state-run doping program during the '80s and '90s. They had to accept the drugs, she says, or ``face punishment or criticism.'' She adds, ``If you refused to dope, you had to leave the team.'' She has also discussed the abhorrent practice of doping young athletes--as young as eleven years old--resulting in devastating physical effects. Given the extent of the program, she concludes that all medals won by China at this time should be returned. Like too many whistleblowers, she has been forced to flee her home for fear of retaliation. She has commented, ``Anyone against doping damaged the country and anyone who endangered the country now sits in prison.'' Dr. Xue is now seeking asylum in Germany. It would be a terrible thing if her claim were to be denied and she is forced to return to China. We were also greatly honored to have had Dagmar Freitag, a German Member of the Bundestag and Chairwoman of the Bundestag's Sports Committee, with us yesterday, and I inquired into where Dr. Xue's asylum claim stands.