Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I believe that the U.S. must remain committed to defending human rights and personal freedoms both within the U.S. and abroad. As our country continues to advance U.S.-China relations, we must never forget the people of Tibet. Restrictions on human rights and religious freedom in Tibet have been a growing concern to many. As a member of the Congressional Executive Committee on China, I share this concern. While Chinese investments have undoubtedly helped to modernize Tibet, these investments must not come at the expense of the rich cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage of the Tibetan people. We must continue to support the protection of traditional Tibetan culture. As you may know, I had the opportunity to be one of the first groups of Americans to travel to China and teach Chinese high school students in 1989. During that trip, I also traveled to Tibet in 1990 and, most recently, I have returned as a member of the Congressional Delegation visiting China and Tibet. The boosted economic growth, higher household incomes, and constructed railway projects have facilitated the rapid modernization of the Tibet Autonomous Region. However, we need to continue to have constructive dialogues with China to ensure the preservation of traditional Tibetan culture and Tibet's fragile ecology.…”