Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Sires for yielding me this time.

I rise in strong support of the bipartisan Senate bill 178, which holds the Chinese Government accountable for their truly horrific treatment--let me say that again--truly horrific treatment of the Uighur Muslim minorities, including the mass internment of over 1 million people who are subjected to systemized brainwashing, sexual abuse, and forced labor in western China.

I want to start by thanking Chairman Engel and Subcommittee Chairman Sherman for bringing attention to this issue and supporting this legislation to penalize China for its egregious human rights violations against the Uighurs. I am proud to have worked with Representative Chris Smith from New Jersey and Senator Marco Rubio from Florida to help write part of this truly bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, Uighur families are prohibited from practicing their Muslim faith. They are often separated from their family members and prohibited from reading the Koran, making their daily prayers, and in some instances are forced to eat pork even during Ramadan, which, of course, violates their religion.

The so-called reeducation camps in China where Uighurs are forced to work in food, textile, or manufacturing jobs in or near the mass internment camps are, of course, repugnant to our values and violate human rights.

The brutal religious-based persecution of the Uighurs in China is alarming, but it is not new. China has continued to repress anyone who does not conform to their system, including Tibetans, Christians, and, of course, the people of Hong Kong, as we have seen in recent events.

Since President Nixon went to China in 1971, most Americans have believed that with increased economic integration and exposure to our system of democracy in the west, the Chinese Government would some day adopt some of our fundamental values. This clearly has not happened.

Not only does the Chinese Government reject any real steps towards democracy, continue its unfair trade practices, and cheat by stealing our intellectual property, but it also continually violates human rights.

The United States must hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its repression of the Uighurs and active disregard for international law.

I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this important and, again, truly bipartisan legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source