Lois Capps: “Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the effort that is being made here. Religious persecution is a terrible phenomenon…”

“Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the effort that is being made here. Religious persecution is a terrible phenomenon in our world today, and the situation in Sudan is certainly one that needs to be addressed in a most effective manner. I also appreciate the fact that the gentleman from Florida has revised his amendment in light of certain administrative responses through an original draft of his amendment. I think the purpose is a good one, but I believe that the penalty in this amendment is counterproductive and for the following reason: that a lot of non-governmental organizations operate in Sudan, they operate in order to help people who are suffering under oppression from a regime that we certainly cannot support. They have worked to help people who are suffering from hunger. These NGOs use banks in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. If the NGOs are not able to use the banks because of this amendment, it will be much harder for the agencies that are in the Sudan trying to alleviate the situation to operate. So, on those grounds, and also because the administration does not support this amendment, I am also going to oppose it.”