Vietnam

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORNYN. Madam President, I know President Obama is visiting Vietnam. I want to speak briefly about that, but I also want to comment about the contribution many Vietnamese Americans are making in the United States and particularly back home in Texas. They demonstrate the vividness and the life of the pursuit of the American dream because these are some of the most accomplished people in our communities back in Texas.

Many people don't realize how big of a Vietnamese community Texas has. Many are surprised when I tell them that Vietnamese is the third most commonly spoken language in Texas. Admittedly, English, even Texas English, is No. 1 and then obviously Spanish, with 38 percent of our population of Hispanic origin--but it is still a sizable, vibrant part of our State and our communities.

I have been particularly impressed by the passion and drive of those from Vietnam who have now made America their home--how passionate they are about things we perhaps take for granted, such as the same freedoms we enjoy here that folks back in Vietnam do not enjoy.

As a matter of fact, it is important to remember, even as President Obama is traveling to Vietnam, that Vietnam is a brutal Communist regime that continues to disregard basic human rights. Sure, our economic relationships could bear fruit--and in fact I am encouraged by that and would encourage that--but we cannot forget that, at bottom, the regime is Communist, and it disregards basic human rights.

I expect a lot of the conversations the President is having with the government will focus on our common threats in the Pacific, particularly the rise and belligerence of China, particularly in the South China Sea. I am sure it will focus on the need for more robust economic relationships and perhaps the benefits of trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

I agree economics and trade are important, but we can't let the prospect of greater economic ties dampen our convictions as a democratic nation to encourage greater freedoms for the Vietnamese people. Recently, Reporters Without Borders ranked Vietnam 175th out of 180 countries worldwide when it comes to freedom of the media--175th out of 180.

Unfortunately, the regime does not fare any better when it comes to religious liberty either. The truth is, our two countries will never achieve the kind of close relationship that I know many in Vietnam and many in the United States aspire to until Vietnam releases all political prisoners, demonstrates basic respect for human rights, and embraces self-government ideals that we again take for granted in America.

I believe that until that happens, the United States has no choice but to continue to hold Vietnam at arm's length. That means we must do all we can to put pressure on the regime to strengthen freedoms for the Vietnamese people. I am hopeful, in moving forward, the United States will do a better job of making clear that the Communist regime in Hanoi must improve its human rights record.

Fortunately, we in the Congress can play a role. Earlier this year, I reintroduced a piece of legislation called the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, legislation that would impose travel restrictions and other sanctions on Vietnamese nationals who are complicit in human rights abuses against their follow people. I intend to offer this legislation, the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, as an amendment to the national defense authorization bill we will be debating this week.

The United States simply must do more to support the rights of the Vietnamese people and freedom-loving people everywhere. We simply can't give a pass to the Vietnamese regime and a pass to their oppressive government because, frankly, it is a little inconvenient to bring up during the time we are talking about trade and better economic relationships.

This bill is a step forward in the fight for their civil, religious, and political liberties.

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