Ed Royce: “I rise in support of H. Res.1077. I would like to first commend the Speaker on her timely resolution that calls on the…”

“I rise in support of H. Res.1077. I would like to first commend the Speaker on her timely resolution that calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its crackdown in Tibet and to open a dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Importantly, this resolution calls on the Chinese Government to release all Tibetan prisoners who were detained for their nonviolent expression of opposition to Chinese policy towards Tibet, something with which I very much agree. In 2002, the Tibetan Policy Act was ushered through Congress under the leadership of former chairmen Lantos and Hyde, and signed into law. Amongst its components was a U.S. commitment to the economic and cultural preservation of Tibetans inside Tibet. I believe that this resolution reaffirms this commitment. For decades, Beijing has oppressed the Tibetan people. As the State Department's most recent annual report on human rights found, tight control on religious expression and denial of other basic human rights are cause for serious concern. China's further crackdowns on peaceful protestors of the Olympic torch relay serve to further affirm the State Department's report.”