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99–851PDF 2016

FRANK R. WOLF INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT

OF 2015; STRATEGY TO OPPOSE PREDATORY ORGAN TRAFFICKING ACT; UNITED STATES-CARIBBEAN STRATEGIC

ENGAGEMENT ACT OF 2016; REAFFIRMING THE TAIWAN

RELATIONS ACT AND THE SIX ASSURANCES AS THE CORNERSTONE OF UNITED STATES-TAIWAN RELATIONS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SUCCESSORS AND

ASSIGNS OF THE STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY TO

MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO

GRANDE NEAR RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS, AND FOR OTHER

PURPOSES

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

ON

H.R. 1150, H.R. 3694, H.R. 4939,

H. Con. Res. 88 and S. 2143

APRIL 20, 2016

Serial No. 114–158

Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/ or

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

(II)

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

MATT SALMON, Arizona 

DARRELL E. ISSA, California 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina 

MO BROOKS, Alabama 

PAUL COOK, California 

RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas 

SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania 

RON DESANTIS, Florida 

MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina 

TED S. YOHO, Florida 

CURT CLAWSON, Florida 

SCOTT DESJARLAIS, Tennessee 

REID J. RIBBLE, Wisconsin 

DAVID A. TROTT, Michigan 

LEE M. ZELDIN, New York 

DANIEL DONOVAN, New York 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

BRIAN HIGGINS, New York 

KAREN BASS, California 

WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts 

DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island 

ALAN GRAYSON, Florida 

AMI BERA, California 

ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California 

GRACE MENG, New York 

LOIS FRANKEL, Florida 

TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii 

JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas 

ROBIN L. KELLY, Illinois 

BRENDAN F. BOYLE, Pennsylvania

AMY PORTER, Chief of Staff THOMAS SHEEHY, Staff Director

JASON STEINBAUM, Democratic Staff Director 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP ON 

H.R. 1150, To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to 

improve the ability of the United States to advance religious freedom globally through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign 

assistance efforts, and through stronger and more flexible political responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism worldwide, 

and for other purposes ......................................................................................... 2

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 1150 offered by the 

Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in Congress from 

the State of New Jersey ................................................................................... 45

H.R. 3694, To combat trafficking in human organs, and for other purposes ..... 81

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 3694 offered by the 

Honorable David A. Trott, a Representative in Congress from the State 

of Michigan ........................................................................................................ 100

Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 

3694 offered by the Honorable William Keating, a Representative 

in Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ....................... 109

H.R. 4939, To increase engagement with the governments of the Caribbean 

region, the Caribbean diaspora community in the United States, and the 

private sector and civil society in both the United States and the Caribbean, and for other purposes ............................................................................... 110

H. Con. Res. 88, Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations ........................... 118

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Con. Res. 88 offered by 

the Honorable Steve Chabot, a Representative in Congress from the 

State of Ohio ..................................................................................................... 121

Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. 

Con. Res. 88 offered by the Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, a Representative in Congress from the Commonwealth of Virginia .............. 126

S. 2143, A bill to provide for the authority for the successors and assigns 

of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll 

bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande City, Texas, and for other 

purposes ................................................................................................................ 127

LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD 

APPENDIX 

Markup notice .......................................................................................................... 146

Markup minutes ...................................................................................................... 147

Markup summary .................................................................................................... 149

The Honorable Christopher H. Smith, a Representative in Congress from 

the State of New Jersey: Prepared statement ................................................... 150

The Honorable Joe Wilson, a Representative in Congress from the State 

of South Carolina: Prepared statement .............................................................. 151

The Honorable Gerald E. Connolly, a Representative in Congress from the 

Commonwealth of Virginia: Material submitted for the record ....................... 152

(1)

FRANK R. WOLF INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT 

OF 2015; STRATEGY TO OPPOSE PREDATORY ORGAN TRAFFICKING ACT; UNITED STATES-CARIBBEAN STRATEGIC 

ENGAGEMENT ACT OF 2016; REAFFIRMING THE TAIWAN 

RELATIONS ACT AND THE SIX ASSURANCES AS THE CORNERSTONE OF UNITED STATES-TAIWAN RELATIONS; AND 

TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SUCCESSORS 

AND ASSIGNS OF THE STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY 

TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS THE 

RIO GRANDE NEAR RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS, AND FOR 

OTHER PURPOSES 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:09 a.m., in room 

2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ed Royce (chairman of 

the committee) presiding. 

Chairman ROYCE. The committee will come to order. 

Pursuant to notice, we meet today to mark up several bipartisan 

measures. And without objection, all members may have 5 days to 

submit statements or any extraneous material for the record. 

Consideration of S. 284 is being postponed, and as members were 

notified yesterday, we intend to consider the other five measures 

en bloc. And so without objection, the following items previously 

provided to members will be considered en bloc and are considered 

as read: H.R. 1150, the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act; Smith amendment 76 in the nature of a substitute to this 

measure; also, H.R. 3694, the Strategy to Oppose Predatory Organ 

Trafficking Act, along with Trott amendment No. 8 in the nature 

of a substitute to this measure, and the Keating amendment 63 to 

the Trott amendment; then we have H.R. 4939, the U.S.-Caribbean 

Strategic Engagement Act of 2016; and we have House Concurrent 

Resolution 88, Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six 

Assurances as the Cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan Relations, along 

with Chabot amendment 36 in the nature of a substitute and the 

Connolly amendment 72 to the Chabot amendment; and we have 

S. 2143, Starr-Camargo Bridge Act, as passed by the Senate. 

[The information referred to follows:]

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Chairman ROYCE. And after recognizing myself and the ranking 

member, I will be pleased to recognize any member seeking recognition to speak once on any of these measures. 

I want to thank our Subcommittee Chairman Smith and his 

more than 100 bipartisan cosponsors on their work on H.R. 1150, 

the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. Inspired by 

years of oversight and multiple hearings, this bill updates the 

International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to improve the coordination and effectiveness of U.S. efforts to promote religious liberty 

worldwide. 

Eighteen years after that law was passed, freedom of religion remains under threat not only by authoritarian regimes obsessed 

with control, but also by new nonstate actors. ISIS, Boko Haram, 

al-Shabaab have turned religious intolerance into a murderous 

force of global instability. The right to believe and practice according to the dictates of conscience is a direct challenge to their very 

ideologies. And thus, it is not just a human rights issue. It has become a global security issue. 

By improving coordination, confronting nonstate actors, and 

bettering reporting and training, this bill, 1150, is a helpful refinement of our statutory commitment to combat religious persecution 

around the world. 

Moving on to House Concurrent Resolution 88, a resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as the 

cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan relations. Congress has long championed a strong relationship with Taiwan through landmark measures like the Taiwan Relations Act and through pressing successive 

administrations to fulfill their obligation to sell defensive arms to 

Taiwan. 

Today, our committee is once again reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Taiwan by upholding the Six Assurances as one of the cornerstones of U.S.-Taiwan policy, right alongside the Taiwan Relations Act. And I want to thank Representative Steve Chabot for offering this important measure and Representative Connolly for his 

amendment stressing the role Congress has played in fostering this 

critical relationship. 

I also want to thank and recognize Representatives Trott and 

Deutch for introducing H.R. 3694, the STOP Organ Trafficking Act. 

Organ trafficking has been reported in over 20 countries in all 

regions of the world. Criminal organizations and terrorist groups 

are increasingly engaging in this black market industry. It is valued today as an industry at over $1 billion. ISIS recently issued a 

‘‘fatwa’’ sanctioning forced organ harvesting from its captives and 

from apostates, that would be Yazidis or Christians or Kurds or 

others who they believe are apostates to their ideology. And traffickers smuggling refugees into Europe have reportedly coerced 

organ donations as the payment now for travel. 

The U.S. has led the fight against human trafficking with help 

from this committee and its members. This bill continues that leadership by closing the gap in U.S. law that currently fails to recognize organ trafficking as a form of human trafficking. The legislation also supports voluntary organ donation systems, authorizes 

the President to revoke passports or deny visas for anyone convicted of organ trafficking crimes, and requires annual reporting to 

131

Congress on actions by the U.S. and other countries to combat 

organ trafficking. 

And I want to address H.R. 4939, the United States-Caribbean 

Strategic Engagement Act of 2016, and thank Ranking Member 

Engel and Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership in 

advancing U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere. 

For over a decade, countries in the Caribbean have been largely 

beholden to Venezuelan oil subsidies in exchange for their support 

of the authoritarian Venezuelan Government of Hugo Chavez and 

now Nicolas Maduro. The United States has not developed a comprehensive strategy of how best to engage this region to enhance 

diplomatic relations, to help the region improve energy security, to 

reduce violence and curb drug trafficking, and advance cooperation 

on democracy and human rights. 

So this bill will require the State Department and USAID to develop a comprehensive and clear strategy on best engaging the Caribbean region. And the bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative so 

that we can be sure we are advancing our interests in the region 

using the best and most efficient approach. 

Lastly, we consider S. 2143, the Starr-Camargo Bridge Act. Two 

weeks ago, the Senate unanimously passed this measure, which 

was introduced by Senator Cornyn. And Representative Cuellar 

here, of Texas, on the House side, has introduced an identical 

version in this body. 

This bill, the Senate bill 2143, will grant the Starr-Camargo 

Bridge Company the permanent authority to operate and maintain 

the international bridge that connects via the Rio Grande City, 

Texas, and Monterrey, Mexico. This will give Starr-Camargo the 

same authorities Congress has previously given to other privately 

owned international bridges. 

The bridge has seen continued growth in commercial traffic since 

2009, and it plays an important role in facilitating trade and travel 

in the region. By granting this authority, we are incentivizing 

Starr-Camargo to continue maintaining and expanding the bridge’s 

capacity to keep up with the growing trade and commerce along 

the Texas border with Mexico. 

And I want to thank both Representative Cuellar and Representative Castro for their leadership in bringing this measure forward 

for consideration here today. 

I now recognize the ranking member for his remarks. 

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Chairman, thank you for convening this markup. 

We have a slate of good bipartisan measures that we are taking up 

today. And thank you especially for calling up the Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act, which I was proud to introduce recently 

with Representative Ros-Lehtinen. 

As this committee well knows, it is a big world with a lot of challenges. Some are getting more attention than others. So it is important to stay focused on our neighbors in the Caribbean. These countries are profoundly important to the United States. My own district in New York has a sizable diaspora population from Caribbean countries, and I hear from these proud and engaged communities very often. 

132

This bill makes it clear that U.S.-Caribbean relations are a major 

priority. It directs the State Department and USAID to devise a 

multiyear strategy for engaging with Caribbean governments. We 

want to put a particular focus on improving energy security, 

strengthening the rule of law, reducing drug trafficking, and enhancing economic cooperation. 

We want to ramp up diplomatic engagement, especially when it 

comes to key issues at the United Nations and the Organization of 

American States and with the five Caribbean countries where the 

United States still doesn’t have Embassies, and, I might add, 

should have Embassies as soon as possible. 

We will end up with the best policy if we shape it in consultation 

with many Caribbean American citizens in the United States. It is 

a strength for us to have such a strong and vibrant diaspora community. So this bill also calls for revitalized outreach to this community, seeking greater input on ideas for economic development 

and citizen security. 

Mr. Chairman, again, thank you for moving this legislation so 

quickly. I ask that all members support it. 

Next, I will turn to Mr. Smith’s International Religious Freedom 

Act. I want to thank him for all his hard work on this issue. Thank 

you, Mr. Smith. 

The freedoms of thought, conscience, and religion are enshrined 

in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet, around the 

world, religious communities are subjected to escalating violence 

and persecution. In the 21st century, it is unacceptable for anyone 

to suffer discrimination because of how they worship or, for that 

matter, if they choose not to worship at all. 

The United States has a responsibility to speak out when we see 

basic freedoms under threat, and this bill will help the administration promote religious freedom around the world. So I support this 

bill, and I also support continuing to fully fund the Human Rights 

and Democracy Fund for all human rights abuses. 

I will now turn to the bill offered by Mr. Trott and Mr. Deutch 

aimed at cracking down on predatory organ trafficking. This legislation would change our human trafficking law to include the trafficking of persons for the removal of their organs. 

We don’t know much about this crime. Who are the victims? How 

do they get trapped by this illegal trade? What are governments 

doing to halt the practice, track down those responsible, and provide services to survivors? If this is a pervasive problem, then, yes, 

of course, we must act. 

This bill calls for a report on this crime so that we gain a fuller 

understanding of the problem. While I have questions about including these provisions as part of our global effort to confront modern 

slavery, I am glad that we are working on the issue. 

Moving to Mr. Chabot’s measure, I am happy to support his resolution reaffirming the close ties between the United States and Taiwan. This is an exciting time for the Taiwanese people. Next 

month, a new President will be sworn in, the first woman to be 

elected President there. I could add, so that the Taiwanese are 

ahead of us by a few months. I had the pleasure of meeting with 

her several times before the election, and I am very hopeful for her 

success. 

133

As Taiwan’s democracy prepares for a political transition, it is 

important that the United States signal our unwavering support 

for Taiwan, for Taiwan’s defense, for its participation on the global 

stage, for its robust democracy. And so this resolution reaffirms our 

commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. 

These are the measures that have underpinned our relationship 

with the Taiwanese people since we normalized relations with the 

People’s Republic of China. Those ties remain deeply important to 

this day, and I am glad to support this resolution. The chairman 

and I have talked about this a great time, and we both believe it 

is important for the United States to stand squarely with our 

friend and ally Taiwan. 

Lastly, I am glad to support this bill from my good friend Representative Cuellar, which would allow the Starr-Camargo Bridge 

to continue as an important connection between the United States 

and Mexico. I have to say, at a time when we hear so much about 

building walls, it feels pretty good to talk about strengthening 

bridges. 

The Starr-Camargo Bridge connects Rio Grande, Texas, with 

Monterrey and Ciudad Camargo in Mexico. Under current law, the 

authority to operate this bridge will expire in 16 years. Though it 

seems like a long way off, that end date has already started to constrain investments in long-term improvements. This legislation 

would eliminate that expiration date, just as we have done for the 

Weslaco-Progreso International Bridge. 

This bill doesn’t cost U.S. taxpayers a penny. And in the midst 

of a lot of ugly rhetoric, it sends a clear signal: Mexico is an extremely important partner to the United States and bridges, not 

barriers, will help that friendship to thrive. 

So I agree with the chairman. I urge support for this measure 

and all the things contained in this measure. 

And I thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I yield back. 

Chairman ROYCE. Thank you, Mr. Engel. 

Any other members seeking recognition? 

Mr. Smith. 

Mr. SMITH. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. 

First of all, let me thank you for scheduling all of these bills, including the International Religious Freedom Act, the Frank Wolf 

bill, which honors a tremendous advocate for religious freedom and 

the author of the landmark 1998 International Religious Freedom 

Act. 

I want to thank Eliot Engel as well, the ranking member, for 

working so closely with us on this important legislation. 

And I would like to thank Anna Eshoo, who is the original Democratic cosponsor of the bill and a great supporter of religious freedom, especially in the Middle East. Her work has been greatly appreciated, and we have come up, I think, with a bill that will make 

a significant difference. 

The world is experiencing an unprecedented crisis of international religious freedom, a crisis that continues to create millions 

of victims, a crisis that undermines liberty, prosperity, and peace, 

a crisis that poses a direct challenge to the U.S. interests in the 

Middle East, North Korea, China, and in sub-Saharan Africa. 

134

The bill we passed almost 18 years ago needs to be updated to 

match the challenges of the 21st century. And, again, that is what 

we are doing with the legislation: Provide tools, training, and resources used by the administration to advance this universally recognized human right. 

Among its many provisions—and they are mutually reinforcing 

provisions—it clarifies that the Ambassador-at-Large will report to 

the Secretary of State. Sometimes there has been a little glitch 

there over the years in terms of that information going right to the 

ears of the Secretary of State. 

It creates a special watch list, not unlike what we did with the 

Trafficking Victims Protection Act. When a country doesn’t rise to 

the level of a Country of Particular Concern but is a bad actor, this 

gives the President a way to say we are watching. And the special 

watch list will provide that very useful utility. 

Curricula for training Foreign Service Officers so that they really 

do understand before deployment, especially overseas, exactly what 

the lay of the land is and what international religious freedom is 

all about. 

We also include, as you pointed out, Mr. Chairman, a new designation of nonstate actors. We call them entities of particular concern. They are not countries. Boko Haram, ISIS, al-Shabaab, and 

others need to be focused upon for their nefarious deeds and individuals held to account to the greatest extent practicable for their 

horrible deeds. 

CPC designations need to be made annually. There were a number of years where they were not made. And this will at least clarify that those Country of Particular Concern designations do need 

to be made every single year. 

And then there are a number of other provisions that will, I 

think, significantly strengthen. 

And I would ask unanimous consent that my full statement be 

made a part of the record, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman ROYCE. Without objection. 

Mr. SMITH. And I would just finally say how grateful I think we 

all are that Mr. Trott and Mr. Deutch have really stepped up to 

the plate with their H.R. 3694, the Strategy to Oppose Organ Trafficking Act. 

Twenty years-plus ago, I held a hearing on organ trafficking, and 

we actually had a man who was a part of that testify about this 

horrific practice of killing people in order to steal their organs and 

to make money for the regime in China and elsewhere. That has 

gotten worse and is particularly focused on the Falun Gong who 

have suffered disproportionately from this very shocking abuse of 

human rights. 

So, again, I want to thank them for their wonderful bill, and it 

will make a difference. 

I yield back. 

Chairman ROYCE. Mr. Sherman. 

Mr. SHERMAN. I yield a minute-and-a-half to the gentleman from 

Virginia. 

Mr. CONNOLLY. I thank my friend from California for his graciousness. I have to run to another hearing. 

135

Mr. Chairman, I want to associate myself with the remarks both 

of yourself and of the ranking member with respect to the Taiwan 

resolution we have here. And I want to ask unanimous consent to 

assert in the record an interesting document, pages 44 through 48 

of the Department of State Bulletin from March 1979, which was 

their draft for what we ought to do with respect to Taiwan. 

And you can see that it does not address security at all. And it 

took Congress to take the initiative in rewriting this into the vibrant, dynamic Taiwan Relations Act that now undergirds our relationship with that island and that was the basis for the defensive 

military assistance we currently provide and have provided to Taiwan. It is a great example of actually congressional foreign policymaking that was desperately needed. A vacuum had been created, 

and we rose to the occasion. 

So I would ask unanimous consent to enter this into the record. 

It is a rather rare document. And I think it underscores——

Chairman ROYCE. It is often referenced, this piece of history, in 

textbooks about Congress’ role. And without objection, we will put 

it in the record. 

Mr. CONNOLLY. I thank the chair. And I thank Mr. Sherman so 

much for his courtesy. 

Mr. SHERMAN. Thank you. 

I want to thank the chairman for holding these hearings. I am 

a cosponsor of H.R. 1150, the Frank Wolf International Religious 

Freedom Act; H.R. 4939, the United States-Caribbean Strategic 

Engagement Act; and the H. Con. Res. 88, the Taiwan Relations 

and Six Assurances resolution. 

I want to focus on Taiwan, as the gentleman from Virginia did 

as well. I am the lead Democratic cosponsor of this resolution, 

which affirms the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as 

the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations. 

The Taiwan Relations Act is critical to the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. On January 1, 1979, when the Carter administration established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, it 

ended formal ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan. However, 

the United States Congress acted swiftly to reaffirm the United 

States-Taiwan relationship with the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act just 100 days later, ensuring that the United States 

would maintain a robust and enduring relationship with Taiwan. 

Since 1979, we have seen Taiwan develop into a strong democracy. We are in the process of seeing a peaceful and orderly transition of power from one political party to another. Taiwan is an important ally, and we need to do everything possible to make sure 

that it remains so. 

The Six Assurances to Taiwan have been a verbal U.S. pledge 

since 1982. This bill is important because it solidifies this commitment in legislation for the first time. Three of those Six Assurances 

are a commitment to continued arm sales to Taiwan, a commitment to not consult with Beijing on U.S.-Taiwan relations, and a 

commitment to stand by the Taiwan Relations Act, which was 

passed 3 years before the Six Assurances in 1979 and which Mr. 

Connolly has already referenced. 

This resolution not only affirms that the Taiwan Relations Act 

and the Six Assurances are the cornerstone of U.S. relations with 

136

Taiwan, but it also urges the President and the State Department 

to affirm the Six Assurances publicly, proactively, and consistently 

as a cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations. 

Mr. Chairman, I think Congress not only has been doing good 

work on the U.S.-Taiwan relationship for a long time, the Taiwan 

Relations Act, which was mentioned by Mr. Connolly, but also just 

recently our committee. Back in December we passed a resolution 

saying it was time to transfer the frigates to Taiwan. And 5 days 

later, they finally transferred the friggin’ frigates. 

And it was good to join with you in that bill and to join with Mr. 

Salmon in the bill on Interpol, which was signed into law recently, 

and which will be causing us to develop a strategy to get Taiwan 

into Interpol, because after all, who is in favor of the international 

criminals that Interpol is trying to incarcerate. 

So, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 

Chairman ROYCE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 

I did have the pleasure of going aboard one of those frigates as 

we were trying to expedite the process with my legislation. But it 

is now done, and this legislation will now, after our vote, go to the 

floor. 

But in the meantime, I think Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was seeking 

time. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, thank 

you, Ranking Member Engel, for convening this markup and bringing up all of these important measures in front of our committee 

in a bipartisan manner as always. 

I am going to briefly speak about two of the bills. I am proud to 

be the Republican lead, alongside my good friend and the ranking 

member, Eliot Engel, on the U.S.-Caribbean Strategic Engagement 

Act, a bill which would help push the State Department to 

prioritize U.S.-Caribbean relationships. That is so important. 

When not sharing the national stage with Hillary Clinton, Ranking Member Engel has long made the Caribbean one of his top priorities, and I want to thank him for his tremendous leadership on 

this issue. 

This bill would require the State Department to develop a strategy to partner with our Caribbean neighbors on everything from 

counternarcotics to energy security and to broaden our outreach to 

the Caribbean diaspora community in our Nation. South Florida 

makes up a large segment of this diaspora, and I understand well 

the importance of both the Caribbean and the need for increased 

engagement by the United States with those countries. 

Too often Caribbean nations are either taken for granted or are 

neglected by the State Department, leaving them with little to no 

presence of the U.S. or diplomatic engagement, and this course 

must and should be corrected. Deepening our strategic relationship 

with the Caribbean represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand our economic ties, cooperate on security issues, and advance 

our values and interests at places like the OAS and the U.N. 

So I fully support this measure. I thank Mr. Engel for sponsoring 

it. I urge my colleagues to give this bill their full support as well. 

And I would also like to offer my support for my dear friend 

Steve Chabot’s resolution, which would reaffirm the importance of 

the Taiwan Relations Act and President Reagan’s Six Assurances 

137

to the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. I am proud to be a cosponsor because I continue to believe that the Taiwan Relations Act and the 

Six Assurances should be unequivocal guidelines to which the 

United States must remain fully and firmly committed. 

Taiwan is and remains an important ally, a friend, a strategic, 

economic, and security partner of the United States, and there 

should be no doubt about this commitment to her, and as the Taiwanese people continue to prove, their vibrant democracy, Taiwan 

must have the capability to defend herself from aggression from 

China, whether political, economic, or military in nature. 

And it is critical that both China and Taiwan know that our commitment to Taiwan, to the Taiwan Relations Act, and to the Six Assurances, has not wavered one bit. Taiwan must be allowed to 

peacefully determine its own future, and I urge my colleagues to 

reaffirm this principle by passing this important Steve Chabot resolution here today. 

I thank the chairman. 

Chairman ROYCE. Thank you, Ileana. 

Mr. Ted Deutch from Florida. 

Mr. DEUTCH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I appreciate the opportunity to have all these bills before us today. 

I would like to speak about the Strategy to Oppose Predatory 

Organ Trafficking Act. I want to thank Mr. Trott for his leadership 

on this issue. 

And thanks to Mr. Smith as well for your longstanding attention 

to the issue of organ trafficking. 

This bill, H.R. 3694, addresses an important but often underacknowledged global trafficking issue. In places all over the world, 

amid the millions of people enslaved into the various forms of 

human trafficking, are individuals trafficked specifically for the illicit purpose of removing their organs. This black market of organ 

trafficking finds at-risk people and entices them with money in exchange for their organs. Often these victims are poor and vulnerable to offers of money that they can then use to pay for food and 

basic necessities for their families. 

A 2013 United Nations report found that the economic and social 

divisions within and among countries is similarly reflected in the 

most common victims of illegal organ trafficking, specifically in 

poor and unemployed populations. The sad reality is the people 

most in need of help are the easiest to fall pray by extortion by 

traffickers. 

But this problem is global, and while victims may come from 

lower-income countries, the demand that keeps the illegal organ 

trafficking market so profitable comes from higher-income countries, including the United States. Many of our allies already list 

trafficking of persons for the removal of their organs as a form of 

human trafficking, and a number of international protocols and 

agreements urge countries to do more to restrict the market. These 

illicit activities are simply unacceptable and are against our American values. 

So I am thrilled that this bill will allow our government to do 

its part to work against this illicit black market, including empowering the Secretary of State to deny or revoke passports to anyone 

convicted of organ trafficking offense and asking the State DepartVerDate 0ct 09 2002 08:50 May 23, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00141 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 Z:\WORK\_FULL\042016M\99851 SHIRL
138

ment to keep Congress informed of what our government and other 

governments are doing to address this problem. 

We have received support from a number of groups advocating 

for stronger laws against illicit trafficking of organs and better protection of victims. And I would like to specifically thank the Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions for their support. 

I am proud of the attention that this committee has given to 

human trafficking, and I ask that we continue our strong record by 

acknowledging that trafficking of persons for the removal of their 

organs is a violation of our American values. 

And I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman ROYCE. Thank you, Mr. Deutch. 

Mr. Rohrabacher of California. 

Mr. ROHRABACHER. I will make this short. I just would like to 

thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank Ranking Member Engel. One 

needs only to take a look at the issues that are being discussed 

today to note that you are reaffirming this committee’s traditional 

positioning and support for human rights throughout the world. 

You obviously are taking up where Henry Hyde and others who 

before you sat in that chair, you are building upon what they created as a foundation for freedom and justice and liberty and 

human rights as being values that this committee will uphold. And 

I appreciate every one of these bills reflects that. So thank you, 

Ranking Member, and thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Chairman ROYCE. Thank you, Mr. Rohrabacher. 

Mr. Keating from Massachusetts. 

Mr. KEATING. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I want to thank Mr. Trott and Mr. Deutch for their leadership 

in introducing the Strategy to Oppose Predatory Organ Trafficking 

Act. Too often vulnerable individuals are coerced or forced into supporting this illicit trade. And just in a world where you think 

things can’t get much worse, you see this kind of coerced or forced 

activity really hurt victims who are typically poor or unemployed. 

Some of them indeed were known to include children. 

Countries must have an effective law on the books if we are to 

protect against future victims of this trade, and it is crucial that 

countries then enforce these laws so that perpetrators do not continue to target vulnerable individuals with impunity. My amendment adds to the bill a report on host country enforcement of these 

laws against trafficking of persons for the removal of organs. 

Finally, I would like to thank all the sponsors of the four additional bills being considered this morning, all of which I support. 

These pieces of legislation will have important consequences in advancing human rights, security policy, and U.S. engagement 

abroad. 

And I do want to say, in a Congress that is often stymied on its 

ability to act, this committee continues to move forward and stands 

out in that regard for working cooperatively and in a bipartisan 

fashion to really address very important issues. I want to thank 

Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for that as well. 

And I yield back. 

139

Chairman ROYCE. I want to just respond if I could, Mr. Keating. 

I thank you for this amendment and support its inclusion in the 

bill. 

Having adequate laws on the books without strong enforcement, 

frankly, is meaningless, so amending the annual report to highlight 

a country’s implementation and enforcement efforts will send this 

clear message, and it is going to enhance our efforts to stop organ 

trafficking. So we thank you for your improvement to the legislation. 

Mr. Salmon of Arizona. 

Mr. SALMON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I am very pleased to support Mr. Chabot’s legislation, H. Con. 

Res. 88, Reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as the cornerstone of United States-Taiwan relations. 

Mr. Chairman, I was a missionary in 1979 when Jimmy Carter 

was President and severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It was a 

very dark time for me personally. It was something I was very, 

very frustrated about at the time. But then Congress kind of came 

to the rescue. I think it was the leadership of the Senator from my 

State, Barry Goldwater, that put forth the Taiwan Relations Act. 

And I think us reaffirming our commitment to that—and Mr. 

Chabot, you are just to be congratulated—this is so very, very important, not just to our relationship with Taiwan, but I think to the 

world at large. Taiwan’s vibrant democracy is so incredibly important to the region as a guidepost for other nations to follow, and 

many are following suit with Taiwan’s leadership in the world. 

I was fortunate to go to Lee Teng-hui’s swearing-in, President 

Chen Shui-bian’s, and I will be going in just a couple weeks to the 

swearing-in of Tsai Ing-wen, the newly elected President of Taiwan. And I am just really excited that we are doing the right thing 

today. 

America’s commitment to Taiwan was so important that Ronald 

Reagan led the way toward this country’s policies and commitment 

to Taiwan that have been in place for several decades now. I 

strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to support 

its passage. 

I would also like to speak in support of Mr. Trott’s legislation, 

the Stop Organ Trafficking Act. The illegal trafficking of human organs is despicable. The World Health Organization estimates that 

10 percent of all transplanted organs worldwide are illegally obtained, coerced from vulnerable populations and prisoners, and it 

is long past time for the U.S. to make a policy to combat this brutal 

activity that seeks only to terrorize defenseless individuals. Terrorists and doctrinal regimes use this practice to fund their activities 

and to brutally punish those they seek to control, and this bill will 

put a stop to it. 

And finally, I would like to speak in support of Chairman Smith’s 

legislation, H.R. 1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious 

Freedom Act of 2015. I am a cosponsor of this legislation and I am 

proud to support international religious freedom. 

As a man of faith, one of the greatest freedoms we enjoy in this, 

the greatest Nation on the Earth, is the ability to worship as we 

please. Our Founding Fathers fought for this principle, and Congress has a responsibility to continue that fight for others. And I 

140

really appreciate Representative Smith constantly being a reminder of this important truth and this important responsibility 

that we have in Congress and constantly standing up for the fight 

for human rights. 

God is going to have a special place for you, for all the great 

work you have done, my friend. 

So thank you, and I will yield back my time. 

Chairman ROYCE. We will go to Mr. Cicilline from Rhode Island. 

Mr. CICILLINE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you 

and Ranking Member Engel for holding this markup and for once 

again conducting the business of this committee in a bipartisan 

way. 

I want to thank the sponsors of the bills that we are considering 

this morning, and I support all of the bills before us. But I want 

to spend a few moments to speak about H.R. 1150, the Frank Wolf 

International Religious Freedom Act. 

This legislation has special significance to people in my home 

State, the State of Rhode Island founded by Roger Williams, because of his desire for religious liberty that he didn’t think he could 

quite enjoy in the neighboring Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I 

waited until Mr. Keating left to say that. 

But I strongly support the goals of this legislation to protect and 

promote religious freedom around the world. Our former colleague, 

Frank Wolf, dedicated his career to fighting for basic human rights, 

and it is fitting that this legislation honors the extraordinary work 

that he has done in this area. 

Religious minorities around the world face discrimination, harassment, persecution, and worse. Today, the Islamic State is engaged in systemic persecution against religious minorities as part 

of their bloody campaign in the Middle East that targets any group 

that doesn’t fit within its radical ideology. Just last month, the 

House and the Obama administration found that ISIS has engaged 

in acts of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide 

against religious and ethnic minorities in the region. 

I do want to use this occasion to remind my colleagues that there 

are widespread abuses taking place in the world right now, in 

Syria, Sudan, Nigeria, DRC, and many other countries. Governments, terrorist groups, and other actors are engaged in horrific 

campaigns that encompass women, children, minorities, and other 

vulnerable populations. And it is incredibly important that we are 

careful not to seem to be elevating abuses against one particular 

group above others. 

For example, around the world, those perceived to be part of the 

LGBT community are facing absolutely horrific violence, especially 

today in territories controlled by the Islamic State. ISIS has proudly advertised its crimes against allegedly LGBT individuals 

through gruesome social media, videos, and photos. 

Groups such as OutRight Action International have compiled 

dozens of incidents in which people, usually men, have been blindfolded, tortured, thrown off tall buildings, and brutally murdered 

by crowds incited by anti-LGBT slurs. I have a list here that details some of these particular instances of violence against those 

perceived to be LGBT, and they are horrific. 

141

Last summer, BBC magazine ran a heartbreaking story entitled, 

‘‘Why My Own Father Would Have Let IS Kill Me,’’ which detailed 

a young man who had to flee Iraq undercover after his own father 

agreed to turn him over to ISIS for being gay. 

I raise these issues not to suggest that those within the Islamic 

State territory or elsewhere who are being persecuted for being 

LGBT are more deserving of our attention than those suffering any 

other type of persecution, but I do want to ensure that LGBT people and other vulnerable groups who are being persecuted around 

the world are not forgotten and that we raise our voices in condemnation of all abuses of basic human rights and refrain from creating a hierarchy of human rights and I look forward to our consideration of legislation intended to do just that. 

I hope we can learn from the important example of U.S. efforts 

to combat religious persecution and use lessons learned and best 

practices to inform the work we do as a country to combat the persecution of all vulnerable groups around the world, including 

women, children, and LGBT individuals. 

I thank you, and I yield back. 

Chairman ROYCE. Thank you, Mr. Cicilline. 

We go now to Mr. Chabot of Ohio. 

Mr. CHABOT. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 

As one of the founding Members of the Congressional Taiwan 

Caucus, I have been actively involved in all Taiwan-U.S. issues for 

many years now and chaired the Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee as well, and I have been to Taiwan many times. That 

is why I am honored to have introduced House Concurrent Resolution 88, which reaffirms the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances as cornerstones of U.S.-Taiwan relations. 

Our relationship has been an enduring one. Taiwan is a close 

ally of ours, one that truly believes in and practices freedom and 

democracy. And the people of Taiwan proved that yet again this 

past January with the election of President Tsai, and I want to 

wish her and all the people of Taiwan the best of luck in her new 

role as President of Taiwan. I want to restate our support, just as 

this committee has for many, many years, and Congress has as 

well, our support of Taiwan. 

As most of my colleagues are aware, Taiwan faces an unrelenting 

threat from China, which has nearly 1,600 ballistic missiles aimed 

at her. And although Taiwan enjoys—let’s face it—de facto independence, China’s ultimate goal is to take the island, if by force or 

over time. China has made no bones about this. They have been 

pretty open about it for a long time. Unfortunately, the Taiwan 

Strait remains one of the potentially most dangerous flashpoints in 

the world. 

April 10, 2016, marked the 37th anniversary of the enactment of 

the Taiwan Relations Act, codifying into law an institutional framework and a legal basis for continued cooperation between the U.S. 

and Taiwan that would serve to maintain peace and stability in the 

western Pacific. However, when President Reagan agreed to sign 

the so-called U.S.-China Third Communique in 1982, he was aware 

of the communique’s possible effect on Taiwan and recognized that 

Taiwan needed and deserved reassurance that the United States 

would be there whenever Taiwan needed us. 

142

So to reinforce American support for Taiwan, the United States 

issued the Six Assurances, which are guidelines to conduct relations between the U.S. and Taiwan, and they are as valid today as 

they were in 1982. They rightfully function, along with the Taiwan 

Relations Act, as cornerstones of the U.S.-Taiwan relations. 

And this is a relationship that has been a very strong one over 

the years. It is one of the reasons that I think it is very important 

that this administration reconsider the military cutbacks which 

have been proposed, and the fact that when Ronald Reagan was 

President his goal was to build up a 600-ship Navy, and we are 

down 250-some ships at this time. 

And a lot of those ships need to be in the Pacific and particularly 

in and around China, which clearly has plans. It is building up its 

navy. It is building islands and militarizing them. It is bullying its 

neighbors from the Philippines to Vietnam to Taiwan, you name it. 

And so it is very important for the U.S. to have the strength and 

for Taiwan also to continue to build up its military. The one thing 

that would make an armed conflict more likely is if Taiwan appears to be weak or the United States is weak. That is when there 

is a real danger of military action occurring. As long as Taiwan and 

the United States are strong, I don’t think China would ever take 

any overt hostile military action. 

But I am afraid that the message that is being sent out worldwide is that the U.S. is pulling back, and that is a message that 

must change. We ought to have just the opposite. The United 

States needs to be actively engaged around the world, particularly 

in the Pacific. 

So I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and thank 

them for their support and yield back the balance of my time. 

Chairman ROYCE. Mr. Trott. 

Mr. TROTT. I would like to thank Chairman Royce for scheduling 

H.R. 3694 for consideration, and also my colleague, Representative 

Deutch, for his partnership and leadership on the Stop Organ Trafficking Act. I also want to thank Mr. Smith for his commitment 

and years of work on this important issue and Representative 

Keating for his helpful amendment. 

The illegal trafficking of human organs has long been a terrible 

and heinous crime, but, unfortunately, the United States policies 

and laws have not kept pace. China has inexplicably been targeting 

Falun Gong for years. And more recently, ISIS has reportedly been 

resorting to this brutal practice to finance their nefarious activities 

and strike fear in the hearts of innocent people. 

Late last year, ISIS released a religious edict stating that taking 

organs from a living captive to save a Muslim’s life was permissible, making religious minorities in Iraq, like the Chaldeans and 

the Assyrians, even more vulnerable targets. 

Mr. Chairman, it is time the United States shine a bright light 

on this problem and take a leading role in combating this heinous 

crime, standing with the world’s most vulnerable. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this timely and necessary legislation. 

Thank you, and I yield back my time. 

Chairman ROYCE. Any additional members seeking recognition? 

Hearing no further requests for recognition, the question occurs 

on the items considered en bloc. 

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All those in favor, say aye. 

All those opposed, no. 

In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the measures 

considered en bloc are agreed to. And without objection, the measures considered en bloc are ordered favorably reported, as amended, and staff is directed to make any technical and conforming 

changes. Also without objection, the Chair is authorized to seek 

House consideration of those measures under suspension of the 

rules. 

And that concludes our business for today. 

I again want to thank Ranking Member Engel. I want to thank 

all of our committee members for their contributions and assistance 

with today’s markup. 

This committee stands adjourned, and these measures are 

passed. 

[Whereupon, at 10:55 a.m., the committee was adjourned.] 

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