Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

“Today we remember those who lost their lives 32 years ago as they peacefully expressed their desire for democracy and the protection of human rights in China,” said Chairman Markey. “The battle for fundamental freedoms continues as the Chinese government continues to crack down on pro-democracy activists, religious and ethnic minorities, free speech, and human rights defenders. Congress must continue to stand against this authoritarianism and hold the Chinese government accountable for atrocities carried out against its own people. Today, on this dark anniversary, we stand in solidarity with the brave activists in Hong Kong and throughout China who have and continue to put their own safety on the line to stand against oppression.”

“More than three decades after the massacre at Tiananmen Square, the Chinese Communist Party continues to oppress and persecute its people,” said Ranking Member Romney. “It commits a genocide of 1 million Uyghurs; crushes promised freedoms in Hong Kong; censors print, broadcast and social media; and imprisons or executes dissidents. With this resolution, we honor the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and condemn the ongoing repression of human rights in China and Hong Kong.”

“Today marks the 32^nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, when the Chinese government mowed down thousands of its own citizens taking to the streets to demand basic freedoms and democratic reforms,” said Chairman Bera. “Over three decades later, Beijing continues its violent repression and persecution, including imprisoning those who dare commemorate the anniversary of Tiananmen Square, committing genocide against the Uyghur Muslims, jailing journalists, human rights lawyers, and pro-democracy activists, and imposing authoritarian restrictions on Hong Kong’s autonomy and electoral system. On this solemn anniversary, the United States Congress stands in solidarity with those who lost their lives during the Tiananmen Square massacre, and in support of freedom, democracy, and justice for the people of China.”

“Today marks the terrible anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre,” said Ranking Member Chabot. “The world must never forget the victims or that they suffered for the dream of a free China. On June 4, 32 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party showed its true nature, which is on full display today in the genocide against the Uyghurs, the crackdown on Hong Kong, the persecution of Christians and Falun Gong practitioners, and so many other abuses. This is the real CCP, an evil communist dictatorship fundamentally incapable of fulfilling the core aspiration of the Chinese people, a simple desire to live in freedom.”

The resolution includes twelve original cosponsors in the House of Representatives: Representatives Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Andy Levin (D-MI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Dina Titus (D-NV), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Mark E. Green (R-TN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Thomas Tiffany (R-WI), Dwight Evans (D-PA), and Gregory W. Meek (D-NY).

Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) lamented the Vice President’s decision to visit Guatemala instead of the U.S.-Mexico border and offered to meet with her and President Biden to discuss his Bipartisan Border Solutions Act. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“The only problem is she’s not visiting the border. She’s not even in her home state of California, which has a border with Mexico. She’s in Guatemala.”

“Imagine calling 911 when your home is on fire and watching as they hose down your neighbor’s house instead. That’s what it feels like.”

“Former Senator Harris’ list of legislative accomplishments and her experience solving complex policy problems is not particularly deep, but rather than be critical, I’d like to offer a suggestion: In April, Senator Sinema, the Senator from Arizona, and I introduced the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act to address this unfettered flow of migration.”

“I’d be happy to offer this legislation to Vice President Harris or President Biden as a solution to the crisis on our southern border. I’m happy to meet with them.”

“Vice President Biden was tapped to solve this identical problem by President Obama. Not only was he unsuccessful, as we know it’s gotten worse since that time.”

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

06.07.21

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, along with Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a combat veteran who served in the Reserve forces for 23 years and a member of SASC, and Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, participated in a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) visit to South Korea, where they discussed shared interests and future areas of cooperation, and met with high-level officials. While in the region, the senators also made a visit to Taipei to underscore U.S. support for Taiwan, including on combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The delegation announced that the U.S. will donate 750,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan as part of President Joe Biden’s plan to provide vaccines to America’s global partners in need.

“This bipartisan congressional delegation visit to the Republic of Korea, the first of its kind since the onset of the pandemic, underscores the fact that the alliance between our two nations is the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Sen. Sullivan. “The U.S.-Korean alliance dates back to the Korean War when our soldiers fought side by side to defeat North Korean communist aggression. I respect so much how, even to this day, the Republic of Korea’s elected leaders and citizens continue to express their appreciation for the sacrifice of tens of thousands of American servicemen who have helped make the country free and prosperous. I want to thank my co-lead on this trip, Senator Duckworth, and Senator Coons for joining me in sending a resounding, bipartisan message of mutual support between our two countries and to America’s friends and adversaries in the Indo-Pacific and throughout the world.”

“Our visit to South Korea provided me the opportunity to engage in substantive conversations about the bilateral relations between our nations and participate in discussions about how we can continue our partnership—both militarily and economically—into the future,” said Sen. Duckworth. “Following up on President Biden and President Moon’s highly successful summit in May, this CODEL cemented the strong alliance between the U.S. and South Korea, the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific. I was proud to lead this delegation and was honored to help announce that Taiwan will be receiving 750,000 doses of the vaccine as part of the first tranche of donations from the United States. I look forward to working together with our partners in the region on issues of shared importance.” 

“I was pleased to join Senators Duckworth and Sullivan in Seoul to reaffirm our bipartisan, long-standing, and enduring commitment to the Republic of Korea. The US-ROK alliance remains a linchpin for security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” said Sen. Coons. “I was grateful for the opportunity to engage in a series of meetings with a broad range of ROK and U.S. Embassy officials, during which we discussed our deep bilateral ties and Korea’s important and growing role in the region and global affairs. We welcomed the recent announcements of Korean investment in the United States, focused on critical technologies that will drive the future, and discussed further strengthening our partnership in research, development, and innovation. The Koreans expressed appreciation for the Biden Administration’s delivery of over one million vaccine doses, and we talked about ways in which Korea and the United States can work together to manufacture more vaccines for the rest of East Asia. The alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea remains strong because of our shared values, and I look forward to working with the Biden Administration and my colleagues in the Senate to partner with the ROK to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. I was also pleased to join with my colleagues to visit Taipei and announce the provision of 750,000 vaccines to Taiwan. It remains important that we support our friends, partners, and allies in the region and throughout the world during this critical time.” 

In South Korea, Sens. Sullivan, Duckworth and Coons: 

• Met with high-level officials, including Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, Minister of National Defense Suh Wook, and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Sung-wook;
• Were briefed by General Robert B. Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea;
• Held a substantive meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly Park Byung-Seug about a variety of topics, including advocating for the ratification of the cost-sharing agreement;
• Met with two other members of the National Assembly: Dr. Jin Park and National Defense Committee Chairman Min Hong-cheol;
• Met with Green Climate Fund Executive Director Yannick Gelmarec;
• Discussed ways to partner on manufacturing and respecting intellectual property with Samsung President and Head of Corporate Management Office of Device Solutions Division HK Park, Executive Vice President for Global Affairs Kim Won-kyung, Vice President of Global Public Affairs Team SP Chun, Principal Professional of Global Public Affairs Mahnjin Han, Senior Professional of Global Public Affairs Daesoon Park and Senior Professional of Global Public Affairs Cameron Cankaya;
• Celebrated South Korean business leaders’ recent announcement to bring billions of dollars in investment to the U.S. with Chairman and co-CEO of SK Holdings Co. Ltd. Chey Tae-Won;
• Met with AmCham Chairman James Kim;
• Spoke with U.S. embassy personnel in Seoul.

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Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Debbie Stabenow

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today joined to reaffirm their support for the Biden Administration’s push to restore life-saving humanitarian assistance to millions of innocent Syrians by facilitating its delivery to those outside areas the murderous Assad regime controls.

As the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) prepares to vote on the renewal of UNSC Resolution 2533, which presently allows for the temporary delivery of humanitarian aid through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in northwest Syria, the lawmakers penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for its renewal and immediate expansion to include re-opening the Al-Salam and Yarubiyah crossings. Russia, in coordination with China, last year used its position on the UNSC to shutter three of the four border crossings that were authorized in 2014 in response to the Assad regime’s deliberate blocking of aid to civilians living in opposition-held areas.

“Without cross-border access, UN agencies must rely on dangerous and unreliable cross-line deliveries that the Syrian regime can obstruct at any time,” the lawmakers wrote, raising their concerns over the prolonged suffering of the Syrian people, whose food insecurity, need for humanitarian aid, and forced displacement have been only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Restoring the full scope of cross-border aid operations is key to mitigating further deterioration of this humanitarian catastrophe, and helps push back against the Kremlin’s efforts to undermine the UNSC’s ability to uphold international peace and security.”

The Senators also underscored their opposition to international normalization of the Assad regime and called for rigorous implementation of the Caesar Civilian Protection Act  in addition to the continued emphasis on a political transition and ceasefire as a legitimate path forward for governance.

“Russia’s campaign to eliminate cross-border humanitarian aid deliveries is part of a larger effort to maintain eastern Mediterranean access, encourage the international community to rehabilitate the Assad regime, and open the door to reconstruction funding that will entrench the Assad regime in power and secure Russia’s strategic foothold.  In light of ongoing Assad regime, Russian and Iranian atrocities, we must vigorously oppose any efforts to normalize their crimes against the Syrian people,” the lawmakers concluded.

Find a copy of the letter HERE and below.

Dear Mr. Secretary,

We write to convey our grave concern over the prolonged suffering of the Syrian people, and our strong support for your efforts to prevent the closure of cross-border humanitarian access to Syria during the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote on the renewal of UNSC Resolution (UNSCR) 2533. It is our hope that UNSCR 2533 will be renewed and expanded to include re-opening the Bab Al-Salam and Yarubiyah crossings.

Ten years into the Syrian uprising, more than 13 million Syrians require humanitarian aid, approximately 12 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes, and more than 12.4 million Syrians are experiencing food insecurity. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Assad regime’s chronic economic mismanagement further exacerbate this humanitarian catastrophe.

The UNSC first authorized four border crossings points for the delivery of aid into Syria in July 2014 in response to the Assad regime’s deliberate blocking of aid to civilians living in opposition held areas. The Assad regime’s interference in the distribution of assistance to Syrian civilians is part of a wider effort by the regime to starve civilians into submission.

Despite the vital role of these four crossings in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, Russia, with China’s support, used its position on the UNSC to shutter three of those four border crossings last year. Russia and China falsely argued that the UN’s authorization of cross-border humanitarian operations into Syria is a violation of Syria’s sovereignty, suggesting it be routed through regime-controlled Damascus instead. Without cross-border access, UN agencies must rely on dangerous and unreliable cross-line deliveries that the Syrian regime can obstruct at any time. As a result, only 31% of medical facilities in northeast Syria received cross-line assistance from Damascus between January and May of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic[i]. Since this time, no cross-line deliveries have been made, putting even more pressure on the one remaining border crossing at Bab Al-Hawa. It is apparent that cross-line assistance is no substitute for cross border, and that the Bab Al-Salam and Yarubiyah crossings must re-open to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches Syrian civilians throughout the country. 

The United States must bring its diplomatic leadership to bear to secure humanitarian access to millions of innocent Syrians. We applaud your March remarks to the UNSC in which you advocated for maintaining the crossing at Bab al Hawa and reopening those at Bab Al-Salam and Yarubiyah.  Your remarks were a positive step to support the UN’s objective reporting on the humanitarian needs in Syria and the existing challenges to delivering it, including regime malfeasance. Restoring the full scope of cross-border aid operations is key to mitigating further deterioration of this humanitarian catastrophe, and helps push back against the Kremlin’s efforts to undermine the UNSC’s ability to uphold international peace and security.

The United States must work with likeminded partners to collectively pressure Russia and China not to use their vetoes to end the authorization for cross-border aid deliveries. This must be a concerted, whole-of-government priority. We urge you to reach out to permanent and elected members of the UNSC, NGOs working in the field, and the Syrian people. This will help build consensus around the vital importance of cross-border assistance, ensuring the Kremlin and China remain isolated in their effort to shutter cross-border access. It must be made clear in high-level diplomatic engagements that the United States sees this as an urgent moral imperative.

Russia’s campaign to eliminate cross-border humanitarian aid deliveries is part of a larger effort to maintain eastern Mediterranean access, encourage the international community to rehabilitate the Assad regime, and open the door to reconstruction funding that will entrench the Assad regime in power and secure Russia’s strategic foothold.  In light of ongoing Assad regime, Russian and Iranian atrocities, we must vigorously oppose any efforts to normalize their crimes against the Syrian people. The United States must continue to emphasize a political transition and ceasefire as called for in UNSCR 2254 as the legitimate path forward for governance and Syria. We encourage you to redouble your efforts to oppose international normalization of the Assad regime and rigorously implement the Caesar Civilian Protection Act.  There can be no business as usual while the murderous Assad remains in power.

We thank you for your commitment to helping the Syrian people and look forward to working together to secure humanitarian access to alleviate their suffering. 

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Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer joined Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) in urging U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Richard Shelby (R-AL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, to fully fund the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for fiscal year (FY) 2022. PILT provides payments to counties with non-taxable federal land within their borders to offset the lost property tax revenue. 

“Without full funding for the PILT program, counties across the nation will be unable to provide essential services such as law enforcement, education, search and rescue, road maintenance and public health to their residents and millions of visitors to our public lands,” wrote the senators. “Moving forward, we look forward to working with you to enact a fiscally responsible, long-term solution to fully fund PILT and eliminate the uncertainty that counties face each year. As cash strapped counties across the country work to address budget cuts exacerbated by the pandemic, full-funding and a long-term solution for PILT is essential to provide certainty that the federal government will continue to uphold its long-standing commitment to public lands counties.”

PILT funding is critical for communities across the country that use these funds for essential services like infrastructure maintenance and law enforcement. Across the country, PILT provides critical resources to nearly 1,900 counties across 49 states. Counties have used these payments for more than 40 years to fund law enforcement, firefighting, emergency response, and other essential county services. As communities continue to rebuild in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, this funding is needed now more than ever. 

The text of the letter is available here.