On the recordFebruary 8, 2011
In the wake of the devastating attacks targeting Christians in Iraq and Egypt last year, it is clear that religious minorities in the Middle East are facing a grave threat. There are even reports of Christian women who, having fled Iraq, are living in ghettos in Syria and have been driven to prostitution in a desperate attempt to provide for their families. With the exception of Israel, the Bible contains more references to ancient Iraq than any other country: Abraham, Nineveh, Esther, Daniel, to name a few. Iraq and Egypt are not an anomaly. A Christian mother of five in Pakistan remains in prison charged with blasphemy. If found guilty, she faces the death penalty. In the face of these grim realities, I have introduced bipartisan legislation, H.R. 440, which would create a special envoy at the State Department to advocate on behalf of religious minorities in the Middle East and South Central Asia. I urge all colleagues who care about the persecution of Christians in Iraq and Pakistan and Egypt to cosponsor my bill.
