Chris Smith

Where is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when it comes to Jacob Ostreicher?

Since I've returned I have spoken about Jacob to many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and there is an interest, a growing interest among Members of Congress to travel to Bolivia to speak out on behalf of Jacob's freedom.

I can't underscore for the American audience how courageous it is for you to come here and testify.

State is, in a macro sense, operating in the greater good of America, but they are willing to sacrifice individual Americans on the way to their goals. That is not okay.

One American is an American. One American is America. You can't just say that for these people we'll sacrifice him.

It shows tremendous courage and bravery for both of you to come to the United States and to be here knowing the impunity, especially the prosecutory impunity that currently reigns in Bolivia.

When I yielded to Ann Marie Buerkle you had not, Mr. Moore, had an opportunity to speak to the egregious inaction, and the fact that, if you'd like to, or Miriam, or Ms. Weinberger, to this apparent inability on the part of the President…

I want to say how this subcommittee applauds you for the stellar defense you're providing for Jacob, but also for your courage.

So, when the U.N. human rights representative says, as you all have noted in your testimonies, that this is common to Bolivians, as well, this mistreatment, that is false, at least as it pertains to a presumption of innocence standard?

It does strike me... despotic governments look at how high up the chain of command are the concerns being expressed.

I think something has to be done. Hopefully, this legislation will be the first strong step in that direction.

I thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, pain--we all dread it, avoid it, even fear it, and go to extraordinary lengths to mitigate its severity and duration. By now, many Americans know that abortion methods are violent and include…

There needs to be a means to hold them to their responsibilities to the American people.

If we are depending upon other governments to tell us what's okay for our citizens, the State Department is nothing more than a rubber stamp for despotic governments.

I would just note for the record that when any of us in government speak out on behalf of an innocent man and promote human rights, we have a duty to protect, a moral duty.

The presumption of innocence is guaranteed both in the criminal procedure code, as well as in the Constitution; and, yet, early on in Jacob's case he was presumed in papers that were lodged to be guilty until proven innocent.

The Chinese government continues to prevent workers from exercising their right to freedom of association and strictly forbids the formation of independent unions.

Workers have no collective bargaining power to negotiate for higher wages and a better working environment.

Today, the Commission hopes to continue to draw attention to these critical issues in order to push the Chinese Government to reform.

While touting itself as an economic superpower, China continues to violate worker rights with impunity.

I have been in Congress 32 years and when the trading relationship with China was emerging in the 1980s... we had an opportunity... to seriously put fundamental human rights, the broad spectrum of human rights, including and especially…

One contribution would be to really entrench the due diligence requirements for compliance with Chinese and international labor law standards in U.S. law.

The answer, actually, is a union.

The pivotal worker right is freedom of association and the right to organize.

Worker rights are systematically violated and are among the many human rights abuses committed by Chinese Government officials at all levels.