47 Bipartisan Members of Congress Call on Secretary Kerry to Address Vietnam Human Rights Abuses Ahead of Trip

 

Dec 11, 2013

 

WASHINGTON - Today Congresswomen Loretta Sanchez (D-CA-46) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, released a bipartisan letter urging Secretary of State John Kerry to press the Vietnamese government to improve its abusive human rights record ahead of the Secretary’s trip to the nation later this month. The letter, signed by 47 Members of Congress, was sent on International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.  In the letter, the Representatives express their concerns that trade relationships, including those being negotiated under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), “needs to be conditioned upon improvements with regard to human rights.”

“Secretary Kerry must emphasize that Vietnam’s egregious human rights abuses need to be stopped before the United States enters into any economic partnership,” said Rep. Sanchez. “I have not, do not and will not support the Trans-Pacific Partnership until Vietnam makes significant and tangible steps to improve its human rights record.”

"We're asking Secretary Kerry to impress upon the Vietnamese government that improved trade agreements go hand in hand with improving their country's worsening human rights record,” said Rep. Lofgren.  "U.S. trade should be expanded for greater economic benefit, but not at the cost of the American ideals and values we hold dear.  Since the U.S. expanded its trade relationships the Vietnamese government, their shameful human rights record has deteriorated and the Communist government continues widespread oppression of its own people, arresting and harassing peaceful advocates, and imprisoning prisoners of conscience."

Despite consistent pressure from Congress and human rights organizations, the Vietnamese government continues to violate its international human rights obligations, even those rights granted under its very own constitution.  Earlier this year Lofgren and Sanchez introduced the bipartisan Fostering Rights through Economic Engagement in Vietnam Act (H.R. 1682, the FREE Vietnam Act), legislation that would bar Vietnam from enjoying special U.S. trade preferences until the country's communist government takes serious measures to curb human rights abuses. 

The letter can be viewed by clicking here. In addition to Reps. Lofgren and Sanchez,  the letter was signed by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4), Frank Wolf (R-VA-10), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47), John Dingell (D-MI-12), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA-13), Brad Sherman (D-CA-30), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-3), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), Susan Davis (D-CA-53), William Enyart (D-IL-12), Gene Green (D-TX-29), Linda Sanchez (D-CA-38), Bobby Rush (D-IL-1), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35), Alan Grayson (D-FL-9), Elijah Cummings (D-MD-7), Sam Farr (D-CA-20), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9), Tim Ryan (D-OH-13), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), William Lacy Clay (D-MO-1), Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY-25), Brian Higgins (D-NY-26), Tim Bishop (D-NY-1), Mike Michaud (D-ME-2), Peter DeFazio (D-OR-4), Bruce Braley (D-IA-1), Ami Bera (D-CA-7), Keith Ellison (D-MN-5), John Tierney (D-MA-6), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL-8), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9), Mike Honda (D-CA-17), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2), Eliot Engel (D-NY-16), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY-18), Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), George Miller (D-CA-11), Rob Andrews (D-NY-1), John Garamendi (D-CA-3), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Juan Vargas (D-CA-51)

 

The full text of the letter to Secretary Kerry is available here

 

Return to main page