Alan Lowenthal: “I thank Ranking Member Engel for yielding. First, I want to acknowledge the great work and the collaboration from my…”

“I thank Ranking Member Engel for yielding. First, I want to acknowledge the great work and the collaboration from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring this resolution to the floor today. Chairman Royce has long been a champion on Cambodian issues, and this resolution would not have been possible without his support. I would also like to thank the Republican lead on this resolution, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Chairman Matt Salmon; and also I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), who joined with me in founding the Congressional Cambodia Caucus. I also, obviously, want to thank Ranking Member Engel for his support of the resolution. Recently, the Cambodian Government, as has been pointed out, presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen for the past 31 years, has severely cracked down on political opposition and all forms of dissent in Cambodia. As we know, national elections in Cambodia in 2013 prolonged Hun Sen's grip on power, but they were marred by allegations of voting irregularities. After the election, Hun Sen's party and the opposition party agreed to a series of electoral reforms and power-sharing compromises. However, since that time, the Cambodian Government has undertaken a comprehensive campaign to undermine the political opposition. Last year, the Cambodian Government revived a 7-year-old defamation charge against the opposition leader, Mr.…”