Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4331, the Tibetan Policy and Support Act.

The Chinese Communist Party's, or CCP's, crusade against faith is the greatest threat to religious freedom in the world today. This bill reminds us that the religious persecution didn't begin under Chairman Xi. The CCP has always hated and feared religion.

Since China invaded Tibet in 1950, the CCP has tried to dismantle Tibetan Buddhism. In 1995, Chinese authorities kidnapped the second highest Tibetan faith leader and replaced him with a fraud.

The Chinese Communist Party wants to ensure Tibetan leaders are chosen according to their political agenda, not according to Tibetan Buddhist religious practices.

This bill states that the United States will not accept the CCP's destruction of Tibetan Buddhism, we will not accept fraudulent religious leaders appointed by Beijing, and we will not accept the CCP's control of deeply spiritual beliefs.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, let me first commend the Congressman from Massachusetts and his great work on this issue. He has been a really strong fighter for democracy and freedom-loving peoples around the world, whether it be the Hong Kong Democracy Act or the Tibetan people and their persecution in China. I thank Chairman McGovern so much, from the bottom of my heart.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho), the Republican leader of the Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation Subcommittee.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Again, I want to thank Chairman McGovern for strengthening U.S. support for Tibet at this critical moment.

As the Tibetan community prepares for the Dalai Lama's succession, we must rein in the Communist Party's attempts to destroy the autonomy of Tibetan Buddhism.

I also want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota, and Speaker Pelosi for her strong support for human rights and religious liberties. The gentlewoman stood on the floor when we debated the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. That is what we do as Americans: We defend freedom and we defend democracy. This Nation was formed upon the idea of religious freedom and religious liberty.

Under the Communist Party of China's rule, religion really doesn't exist. In fact, it almost prohibits religious freedom. It persecutes religious freedom. It kills religious freedom.

The Dalai Lama himself was exiled to India where he is today. The Communist Party of China is brutally murdering and oppressing the Tibetan people; oppressing religious freedom and liberty, oppressing the Uighurs where they sit in camps, as I speak, with no voice, and, yes, they suppress the Christian community as well.

So, again, I want to thank my friends on the other side of the aisle, and I thank Speaker Pelosi so much for supporting this legislation as we stood together to support Hong Kong and the people of Hong Kong.

We spoke earlier today about supporting the people of Iran against theocracy and oppression, and we support the Tibetan people in their effort to exercise their religious freedom and liberty.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source