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“U.S. DELEGATION SILENT AT UPR OF THE WORLD'S WORST HUMAN RIGHTS OFFENDERS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1048 on Feb. 9, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
U.S. DELEGATION SILENT AT UPR OF THE WORLD'S WORST HUMAN RIGHTS
OFFENDERS
(Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WOLF. The United Nations Human Rights Council is now conducting reviews of the human rights record of 16 countries, among which are China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Russia. And I was shocked and, quite frankly, disappointed to learn that the new administration has failed to fill its seat and has washed its hands of even questioning these countries. How can America be silent about four of the worst offenders of human rights and religious freedom around the world?
China has been designated by the State Department's annual Religious Freedom report as a country of particular concern since 1999. No administration comments.
Saudi Arabia has received this designation, too. Again, no comments from the new administration.
The U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom placed Cuba on their watch list. Again, no comment from this administration.
The administration made a pledge to place human rights at the top of its agenda, and yet they're absent at this very critical point. This is a bad start for this administration in the area of human rights and religious freedom.
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