Asa Hutchinson: “The officials that are listed of the various religious organizations that the Senator listed in the amendment are, in…”

“The officials that are listed of the various religious organizations that the Senator listed in the amendment are, in fact, Government employees, and Government agents. They are those at the head of these associations. These are the registered churches that are used as tools and the agents of the Chinese Communist Government in the repression of those various groups. It does not refer to the pastors, the ministers, the priests of local congregations, but the heads of these associations which, in fact, work for the Communist Chinese Government and are those that are perpetrating the very persecution against those groups. So while there are millions of Chinese today underground in unregistered churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, there is also the so-called Patriotic Church, the recognized church by the Government which is strictly controlled, names, addresses of worshipers to be turned into the Government. Messages that are proclaimed are closely censored by the Government. That is why those officials would be included if, in fact, the Secretary of State found credible evidence that they were practicing perpetrating religious persecution.”