Frank Pallone: “Thank you, Mr. Berman. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of H. Res. 306, urging the Republic of Turkey to…”

“Thank you, Mr. Berman. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of H. Res. 306, urging the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties. As an original cosponsor of this resolution, I believe that its adoption is critically important to showing that the U.S. Congress will not remain silent while countries such as Turkey violate basic religious freedoms. This resolution is needed because the sad reality is that minority religious communities in Turkey daily face oppressive policies propagated by the Turkish Government. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has found that the ``Turkish Government's formal, long-standing efforts to control religion by imposing suffocating regulations and by denying full legal status to religious institutions results in serious religious freedom violations.'' The commission has recommended that the U.S. urge Turkey to comply with its international commitments regarding freedom of religion or belief, and that is exactly what this resolution does. Now, many within Turkey today and many more have fled religious persecution over the past century, knowing the frightening consequences that religious persecution has had on Christians and their churches. Each year the Armenian Issues Caucus, which I cochair, gathers to commemorate the Armenian genocide.…”