Chris Smith: “I would close by especially thanking Dennis Curry, Eleanor Nagy, and Dan Freeman, our staff who have worked so hard on…”

“I would close by especially thanking Dennis Curry, Eleanor Nagy, and Dan Freeman, our staff who have worked so hard on this resolution. The hearing that we held recently was a very insightful hearing that focused on the ongoing and persistent violations of fundamental human rights in Vietnam. Last year, right before Prime Minister Khai came to the United States, we held another Vietnam human rights hearing, and it was very telling. We can't reduce human rights to an asterisk or a ``see page 3'' footnote in our relationship with the government of Vietnam. I would urge every Member, when and if they travel to Vietnam, that they prepare themselves by really understanding the nature of this government. Yes, there may be some modest progress being made in the area of religious freedom, and I underscore the word ``modest,'' but they still are a country of particular concern, so designated by the Department of State because of their egregious violations of religious freedom and the persecution of people, whether they be members of the Montagnards, the Evangelical Christians, or the Unified Buddhist Church, people like the Venerable Thich Quang Do, whom I met with. Let me say finally that I met with the Venerable Thich Quang Do in his pagoda, as he is under house arrest.…”