Speech by U.S. Senators James Risch and Ben Cardin on Hong Kong Democracy and Human Rights Act
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — U.S. SENATE November 19, 2019
U.S. Senator James E Risch for Idaho
"Since June, millions of people in Hong Kong have taken to the streets protesting the erosion of their rights and freedoms.
Hong Kong was supposed to maintain a high degree of autonomy after China regained sovereignty over the territory in 1997. This wasn’t just a verbal under- standing. This was in the treaty that China signed with Great Britain. However, since that time, China has gradually chipped away at Hong Kong’s autonomy, and this is now becoming a real problem.
China now refers to its treaty with Great Britain as ‘‘a historical document,’’ and says it is no longer bound by its terms. This is just one of many examples that show that the Chinese Government has no respect for the rule of law.
After two decades of broken commitments, it is past time that we hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable. What it is doing in Hong Kong is just wrong.
That is why I am proud to join Senator RUBIO and Senator CARDIN and all the others who have had hands on this bill in bringing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act to the Senate floor. This bill is the result of a strong, strong bipartisan consensus that we must act in support of the Hong Kong people."
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland
"That is exactly what our legislation does. It recognizes the fact that for 24 consecutive weeks, the people of Hong Kong have been asking for their basic democracy and freedom.
On Monday, it was reported—just yesterday—that police fired 1,458 rounds of tear gas, 1,391 rubber bullets, 325 beanbag rounds, and 265 sponge grenades—that is just yesterday—on peaceful protesters.
They are asking nothing more than to exercise the rights they were told would be protected to express their views and to be able to have democracy in Hong Kong, which is the way it was in the previous time.
Senator RUBIO and I introduced legislation, and the chairman and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Com- mittee, Senator RISCH and Menendez, joined us, and we passed this bipartisan legislation on June 13. It reaffirms the principles set forth in the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, which supports democratization, human rights, and the autonomy of Hong Kong.
Now, Senator RUBIO already talked about this, but this is a very important thing. We gave Hong Kong a special status in its relationship with the United States that China does not enjoy, and we gave them that special status upon their protecting democ- racy and human rights in Hong Kong. That was the commitment.
If they don’t comply with that, this special status should no longer be available, and this legislation requires that we get information on a regular basis as to whether China is respecting the rights that we put in our legislation in 1992, that they notify us on a regular timeframe. That is an important point, because if they don’t, we shouldn’t give them that protected status.
Secondly, it identifies persons who suppress basic freedoms, similar to the Magnitsky Act sanctions. Those that are taking away the human rights of the people of Hong Kong would be subject to the same type of visa restrictions to visit America and to use our banking system. That makes a great deal of sense, and we know that is pretty effective.
So it is time that we back up our words and our commitment to supporting Hong Kong’s democratization, human rights, and autonomy with action. Let’s make sure the people of Hong Kong know that the U.S. Congress and the American people stand in solidarity with them, as the Chinese authorities, as we speak, are repressing the legitimate rights of the people of Hong Kong. We can stand with the people of Hong Kong for democracy and human rights by our actions this evening."