Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 20907

Floor Speech

IRAN SANCTIONS ENABLING ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - July 30, 2007)

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Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to commend our distinguished colleague Mr. Trent Franks of Arizona for introducing this resolution. Roughly 20 million people in India are subject to discrimination, and sometimes worse, simply because of their caste. Discrimination inflicted against people known as Dalits and Tribals in India is solely based on being born into a certain family. This is an unethical practice and is outlawed under the Indian Constitution. The whole concept of untouchability itself is banned by the Indian Constitution. However, enforcement of this law ought to be strengthened, and crimes against Dalits ought to be prevented, more vigorously investigated and prosecuted.

This resolution seeks to state clearly the sense of the United States Congress in this regard. We must continue to raise this issue in our bilateral meetings with our good friends in the Government of India, especially at a time when the United States-Indian relationship has entered into an unprecedented and unparalleled partnership.

Furthermore, we must ensure the antipoverty programs and other programs we support in India incorporate the needs of the Dalit community. Our government and our companies that do business in India ought to make a special effort to help these people, because right now they may often have little help in their own communities, although there are programs of the Indian Government also focused on meeting these needs.

It is our moral obligation to speak out against abuses of human rights, wherever we see them, even in countries that are our allies and excellent partners. That is why Congress must address the problem of the treatment of Dalits and Tribals in India.

We need to be consistent. It is easy to criticize our adversaries, but we have even more impact when we point out the failings, both past and present, and the need for improvement of our friends and allies.

The world's oldest democracy, the United States, and the world's largest democracy, India, should work together to end legacies of ethnic discrimination in both of our countries.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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Mr. SHERMAN. I thank the gentleman from Indiana, particularly for noting the ongoing efforts of the Indian Government to deal with this issue. I believe that this resolution should be regarded as one where we will work with the Government of India to deal with what both countries acknowledge to be an ongoing problem.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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