IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 697 
Recognizing the significance of the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the Ti-
betan people and the work His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has 
done to promote global peace, harmony, and understanding. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 13, 2019 
Mr. YOHO (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. 
MCGOVERN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the significance of the genuine autonomy of 
Tibet and the Tibetan people and the work His Holiness 
the 14th Dalai Lama has done to promote global peace, 
harmony, and understanding. 
Whereas the three principal commitments that the Dalai 
Lama has articulated are the promotion of human values, 
promotion of religious harmony, and preservation of Ti-
betan culture and religion; 
Whereas the Dalai Lama has stated, ‘‘I remain convinced 
that most human conflicts can be solved through genuine 
dialogue conducted with the spirit of openness and rec-
onciliation’’; 
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•HRES 697 IH 
Whereas, in 1989, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel 
Peace Prize for his nonviolent struggle for the liberation 
of Tibet and proposed Middle Way Policy to end the 
Sino-Tibet Problem; 
Whereas, in 2006, the United States Congress passed the 
Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold Medal Act 
(Public Law 109–287) to award the Dalai Lama the 
United States Congressional Gold Medal, the highest ci-
vilian honor awarded by Congress, for his contributions 
to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious under-
standing; 
Whereas there are over 6,000,000 Tibetans in the world, 
spanning over 40 countries; 
Whereas there are over 31,000 individuals of Tibetan descent 
living in North America; 
Whereas 2019 marked 60 years of friendship between the 
United States and the Tibetan people; 
Whereas there is overwhelming bipartisan Congressional sup-
port for the Tibetan people’s aspirations for internation-
ally recognized human rights and freedoms and the pro-
tection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and 
national identity; 
Whereas under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (Public Law 
107–228), it is the policy of the United States to support 
economic development, cultural preservation, health care 
and education, and environmental sustainability for Ti-
betans inside of Tibet; 
Whereas, in 2018, the Secretary of State convened the first- 
ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, during 
which the Dalai Lama addressed over four hundred 
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•HRES 697 IH 
heads of religious organizations and civil societies by 
video; 
Whereas, in May 2019, United States Ambassador to China 
Terry Branstad traveled to Tibet, the first trip to the re-
gion by an American envoy in four years, during which 
he met with senior Tibetan religious and cultural leaders; 
and 
Whereas, in October 2019, United States Ambassador at 
Large for Religious Freedom, Samuel D. Brownback, 
traveled to Dharamsala, India, to meet with the Dalai 
Lama to discuss ways to advance religious freedom: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the cultural and religious signifi-
cance of a genuinely autonomous Tibet and the deep 
bond between the American and Tibetan people; 
(2) commends the 14th Dalai Lama for his 
commitment to global peace and nonviolence; and 
(3) determines that it would be beneficial to 
convene a bipartisan, bicameral forum, either 
through a Joint Meeting of Congress, a teleconfer-
ence broadcast in the Auditorium at the Capitol Vis-
itor Center, or roundtable, between Members of Con-
gress and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to discuss 
peaceful solutions to international conflicts. 
Æ 
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