On the recordJune 30, 2020
as we grapple with the manifestations of racism and intolerance in our society here in the United States, it is important to remember that we have friends and allies across the globe who face similar challenges. They support U.S. leadership and seek our engagement on issues of common concern. Throughout my career in Congress in both the House and Senate, I have been fortunate to participate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe--OSCE PA--a critical venue for international engagement. I have served as the OSCE PA Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Intolerance for the last 5 years, after serving as a committee officer and then a vice president of the assembly. It has been a rewarding experience working with like-minded parliamentarians from Canada and across Europe to advocate for human rights and to promote democratic development. Of course, as we engage on these issues, we must be candid about our own shortcomings, which I did in a recent web dialogue with dozens of parliamentarians from across the OSCE region on the impact of the current pandemic on diverse societies. I noted how minority and immigrant communities are more vulnerable to the harmful impacts of the pandemic, in part due to past inequalities that inadequate healthcare and economic responses are exacerbating.…
