Chris Smith

The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief, Bielefeldt, has said--regarding Vietnam--that the rights of freedom of religion and belief of such communities are grossly violated.

How could we possibly go along with an agreement that allows these gangsters to possibly be on that commission to decide whether or not we are in compliance with the trade treaty?

Freedom is when you don't have someone having to look at your sermon before you give the sermon.

I find it appalling.

The President should be on that phone. He should have said to the leadership in Vietnam... I stand with the oppressed.

I find it abhorrent in the extreme that the President would go to Vietnam.

We need to be still hoping maybe against hope that this administration will find its voice on human rights.

Pastor Loan, thank you for your very courageous and compelling testimony. It really is extremely helpful that the American public, this subcommittee, the Congress, hear what you just said as well as our other witnesses.

U.S. policy must send the unmistakable message to the Government of Vietnam that human rights improvements are important to better relations critically linked to our mutual economic and security interests and will not be ignored nor will…

The Communist Party is not Vietnam's future. That future lies with the Nguyen Van Dais and many other advocates of political reform and human rights who seek our freedoms more than our trade.

The bipartisan Vietnam Human Rights Act will restore the right priorities to U.S. policy toward Vietnam and will limit U.S. non-humanitarian assistance that goes to Vietnam until there are concrete human rights protections.

It is for this reason that I am asking and making another push to pass legislation that I have authored known as the Vietnam Human Rights Act.

Why did the administration not demand the release of Vu's husband and all of these other prisoners and do so in public?

We should stand with the oppressed, not with the oppressor. We must stand in solidarity with them.

The President seems more interested in photo opportunities with dictators than standing up for persecuted individuals who share our desire for freedom, democracy, and human rights.

This is shortsighted, misguided, and driven by an ideological agenda more than a clear assessment of long-term U.S. interests.

Where are the background checks, Mr. President, of those soldiers and secret police who will have access to sophisticated weapons?

Shockingly, during his recent trip, President Obama gave up the U.S. arms embargo.

The reality is that the administration chose to reward one of Asia's most repressive regimes with the region's most worst human rights record without getting any tangible progress on freedoms and liberties.

We need to put as much pressure as we can on our Government to put as much pressure as it can on the Pakistani Government.

I would really like the Congress to make it a priority in the advocacy concerning Pakistan that Pakistan must cease the oppression of the Ahmadiyya.

Mr. Meadows played the pivotal role in effectuating the release of Meriam Ibrahim.

I want to here publicly again, urge the State Department at the earliest opportunity to make that designation.

Thank you for your leadership at the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom. It has been extraordinary.

So, Representative Smith, I want to commend your proposed legislation, H.R. 1150, which includes this important measure.