The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“THE UNITED STATES MUST NOT ABANDON THE PEOPLE OF TIBET” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E913-E914 on June 28, 2017.
The State Department is responsibly for international relations with a budget of more than $50 billion. Tenure at the State Dept. is increasingly tenuous and it's seen as an extension of the President's will, ambitions and flaws.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE UNITED STATES MUST NOT ABANDON THE PEOPLE OF TIBET
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HON. BETTY McCOLLUM
of minnesota
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, the people of Tibet are living under China's repressive rule and their culture, religion, and way of life is at risk of being extinguished. The human rights abuses and constant repression on Tibetans perpetrated by China are intolerable and must be resisted by the United States and this Congress. Religious freedom and the preservation of Tibetan cultural and linguistic traditions are essential to a new generation of Tibetans, both inside Tibet and in exile communities in India, Nepal, and the United States (including our vibrant community in Minnesota).
Past U.S. administrations have supported human rights, democracy, and education programs for the people of Tibet. Whether it is Tibetan language broadcasts as a source of independent information, the Tibetan Scholarship Program, or the Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program, these modest U.S. investments have had a strong and positive impact on creating a pathway for Tibetan leaders and voices of freedom. USAID has made important investment in support of Tibetans inside Tibet and living as refugees.
It is unacceptable that the Trump administration's fiscal year 2018 budget eliminates funding for many of the important programs supporting the people of Tibet. It is up to Congress to ensure necessary funds are appropriated to sustain the Tibetan programs for the coming fiscal year. Eliminating these funds, as proposed, is an abandonment of the Tibetan people and will give China a green light to accelerate their cruel repression and destruction of Tibetan lives and culture.
There is one additional issue that is of utmost urgency, the appointment of a new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the Department of State. This position, authorized in the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, is intended to guide U.S. policy toward Tibet and communicate directly with the Chinese government. I would urge Secretary Tillerson and the White House to fill this position immediately.
Last weekend, Minnesota had the honor of hosting His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. I had the privilege of attending a public event with His Holiness and giving remarks before Minnesota's large and strong community of Tibetan refugees. The remarks below were delivered at that event and I ask that they be included in the Record:
Remarks by Congresswoman Betty McCollum--Community Public Talk with the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota Honoring His Holiness the 14th
Dalai Lama of Tibet, Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 24, 2017
Good morning! I am so pleased to be here with Minnesota's strong and thriving Tibetan community.
I wish to thank the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota for inviting me to join you this morning.
Only one month ago--in May--I was in Dharamsala, India as part of an official congressional delegation led by the Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. In Dharamsala my colleagues and I were humbled to be received very warmly and graciously by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We had a very special visit with His Holiness.
Today, it is our honor to welcome His Holiness to Minnesota and his presence is a blessing and inspiration for all of us.
Please accept my offer of strong support for Tibetans in Minnesota and across the U.S., for the Tibetan community in India and Nepal, and all Tibetans living in exile.
The refugee experience, being forced from ones homeland, fleeing violence and persecution, is a journey of loss, pain, and suffering. You never forget home, but now you have a second home and together we must make this home in America one of safety, hope, and opportunity.
We want this home to be welcoming for your families and a place where you have the freedom to maintain your culture, practice your beliefs, and sustain your rich traditions as Tibetans. I know firsthand the important contributions Tibetan-Americans are making here in Minnesota and I am grateful. Your community makes Minnesota a stronger, better state.
In 2015, I was in Tibet, your homeland. I experienced the mountains, the thin air in my lungs, and the warmth of the Tibetan people I met. But, there was also the heavy burden of a land that is not free. The people of Tibet are not free.
Today, let us focus our minds, our hearts, our prayers, and, as free people, let us work to make the people of Tibet free. It is long past time for China's repression in Tibet to end. The human rights abuses must stop. The prisoners of conscience must be set free. The destruction of Tibetan culture and the repression of Buddhist monks and scholars must stop.
With great sadness, I must tell you that two weeks ago I received a letter from China's Counsel General in Chicago asking me to refrain from ``any contact with the Dalai Lama in any form.'' The letter called today's gathering a platform for a separatist plot.
There is no plot, only a path of peace and dialogue. Let us follow His Holiness on that path, a path to separate the Tibetan people from political repression, a path to separate Tibet from endless acts of cultural destruction, and a path to separate the political and religious prisoners from their cells and their suffering.
As a Member of Congress, I urge the Congress and the President of the United States to stand with the people of Tibet to promote human rights, religious freedom, and a meaningful political dialogue.
China is a powerful country. But, the United States is a free and powerful country. The United States must never abandon our commitment to freedom, justice, and human rights around the world. And, we must never abandon the people of Tibet.
I will work in Congress to continue U.S. funding for all Tibetan programs, scholarships, and assistance for refugees. And, I will work to pass H.R. 1872--the ``Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017.''
Let me also urge President Trump to meet directly with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and listen to his wise and compassionate insights. Mr. Trump needs to hear why ongoing U.S. support for Tibet is vital.
The teachings of His Holiness are not only wise, they are in the best interest of the United States and of all of mankind. Let us love our planet and work to stop climate change. Let us welcome refugees and all who flee violence and suffering whether Buddhist, Christian or Muslim. Let us open our hearts to the poor and the vulnerable--in our own communities and around the world.
Minnesota is blessed by our Tibetan brothers and sisters. And, today we are blessed by the presence of His Holiness and his teachings.
May peace be upon us all and may we follow its path together.
Thank you.
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