Pelosi Floor Speech in Support of the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act

Leader Pelosi.  Thank you so much.   I thank the gentlewoman from Washington State who from day one who has been a champion for human rights in our country and throughout the world.  I was proud to travel with her to visit with his Holiness the Dalai Lama where this issue has been on the forefront for many years and currently.

I thank Mr. [Randy] Hultgren for his leadership and being part of this legislation and also [Congressman] Chris Smith and [former Congressman] Frank Wolf before him; we've been working on this for a long time.

On our trip, on a previous trip we visited Tibet and we called Mr. [Jim] McGovern, the spiritual leader of our trip because everywhere where he went, he brought up this issue of reciprocity.

It has a human rights aspect to it, but it also is a practical matter that if you want to improve communications and relationships and the rest, if the Tibetan – it's the Chinese government – but in the form of the Tibetan local government there — wants more people to go to school, visit Tibet and all as a practical matter.  It would be very important for us to have a diplomatic presence in Lhasa.

So, I rise in support of the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act: as strong bipartisan bill, and we're very proud of that, that takes an important step forward to advance the future of freedom, dignity and prosperity for the Tibetan people.

I want to congratulate and now acknowledge the leadership of Congressman Jim McGovern who I mentioned, who as Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission – ten years ago he became the Chair of that Commission, he has been working on this issue even before then.

His leadership honors the legacy of Tom Lantos, our colleague, and the responsibility of Congress to defend human rights and dignity around the world, and that has always been not only bipartisan, but bicameral in this issue.

Congressman McGovern's bill holds Chinese officials accountable for their repressive campaign to end – to cut Tibet off from America and the world.  It promotes the free, unfettered travel of American diplomats, journalists and tourists to Tibet, and fosters strong bonds between our peoples.

And it sends a clear signal that [Beijing's] meddling in Tibet's affairs is unacceptable, and cannot continue.

For six decades, the Tibetan people have stood defiant in the face of oppression and brutality from an authoritarian China.  The people of Tibet have courageously spoken out for their freedoms – and the rest of the world has been stirred to action by their clarion call for justice and dignity.

All freedom-loving people must continue to speak out, until every Tibetan can learn, worship and live free from persecution and abuse.

I might add, sadly, that we would hope there would be respect for the dignity and the faith of the Uyghurs in China as well.

In November 2015, I led a Congressional Delegation, as I mentioned, the first Congressional Delegation in a long time to enter Tibet with Congressman McGovern.

In Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace and Sera Monastery, we witnessed the strength of the Tibetan people and the beauty of their culture.  Last year, again, I led another delegation to Nepal and India where we were blessed to be received by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and Congresswoman Jayapal was a part of that.  And we had the opportunity to see the aspirations of the Tibetan people firsthand now living in India, especially in the eyes of the Tibetan school children in Dharamsala.

These children are there separated from their parents for the most part because they are not allowed to practice their faith, speak their language, enjoy their culture in Tibet because that is suppressed.

So today, those aspirations remain in peril as China continues to silence the voices crying out for freedom for Tibet and across the region.  Every day the Tibetans, the Uyghurs, the Uyghurs are the Muslims in western areas of China, and the people in Hong Kong and the people all throughout China are subject to threat and persecution simply for wishing to practice their faith and pursue a more democratic future.

Mr. Speaker, if we don't speak out for human rights in China because of our commercial relationship with them, we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights anywhere in the world.  As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to stand with the Tibetan people as they fight to be free, to practice their faith traditions, speak their languages, celebrate their cultures.

This bill takes a strong step toward that mission and I urge my colleagues to join in a strong bipartisan ‘yes' on this vote. Again, I want to commend our colleagues on the other side of the aisle who have, for a very long time, been such leaders in the issue of human rights throughout the world including in China and for whom this particular bill has emerged as a one manifestation of where we can make a reasonable, measured difference in our relationship.

So I thank Mr. [Randy] Hultgren and Mr. [Jim] McGovern for their leadership in bringing this forth, I thank the Judiciary Committee and my colleague who was so important on our trip.  It's really a joy to see you on the floor leading this debate.  Thank you for bring your eloquence, your compassion, your concern, your leadership to this important issue.  With that I urge a ‘yes' vote and yield back the balance of my time.