Title: Supporting Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution acknowledges the importance of the U.S.-Egypt partnership and Egypt's role in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It also urges the Egyptian government to (1) enact serious and legitimate reforms to ensure that Coptic Christians have the same rights and opportunities as other Egyptian citizens, (2) complete the process of church certification, and (3) take steps to end the culture of impunity for attacks on Christians.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 117 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 117

                 Supporting Coptic Christians in Egypt.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 2021

Mr. Hill (for himself, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. 
  Sherman, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms. Meng, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. McGovern, Mr. 
   Weber of Texas, Mr. Sires, and Mr. Trone) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                 Supporting Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Whereas St. Mark brought Christianity to Egypt, where Coptic Christians have 
        been one of the indigenous people of Egypt for over 2,000 years;
Whereas there are over 10,000,000 Copts in Egypt, making the Copts the largest 
        Christian and the largest non-Muslim community in the Middle East;
Whereas Copts and other Christians have been targets of societal aggression 
        resulting in the loss of life, property, and the destruction of 
        churches;
Whereas, in January 2015, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was the first Egyptian 
        President in more than 50 years to make an appearance at a Coptic 
        Christian Christmas liturgy;
Whereas, in August 2016, Egypt passed Law 80 to streamline the church 
        construction process;
Whereas, as of January 2021, according to the United States Commission on 
        International Religious Freedom, of the approximately 5,500 unlicensed 
        churches and religious buildings awaiting legalization, authorities have 
        conditionally recognized approximately 1,800;
Whereas Coptic Christians face discrimination in Egypt's public-sector 
        employment, including the police force, armed services, education, the 
        judiciary, and the foreign service;
Whereas Coptic Christians face discrimination in Egypt's athletics, including 
        the Egyptian Olympic team, on the national, reserve, and youth football 
        teams, and in the Egyptian premier soccer league;
Whereas violence against Coptic Christians, particularly in local villages, is 
        rarely punished, making Copts more susceptible to attacks;
Whereas Egyptian Government officials frequently participate in informal 
        reconciliation sessions to address incidents of sectarian violence or 
        tension, saying that such sessions prevented further violence;
Whereas according to human rights groups, the reconciliation sessions have 
        regularly led to outcomes unfavorable to religious minorities and 
        precluded recourse to the judicial system by such minorities;
Whereas civil society institutions, women's rights organizations, 
        nongovernmental organizations (both national and foreign) have been shut 
        down or their activities severely curtailed;
Whereas journalists, thinkers, and dissenters, such as Ramy Kamel and Patrick 
        Zaki, have been imprisoned indefinitely, detained without trial, or are 
        subject to a revolving door of arrest, interrogation, pretrial detention 
        and renewal hearings at which many prisoners have their detentions 
        automatically renewed (for months or even years) without evidence, and 
        re-arrest after release orders have been given;
Whereas United States diplomatic leadership contributes meaningfully and 
        materially to the international protection of religious minorities and 
        their faith-based practices and places of worship;
Whereas the United States has a strong interest in combatting the threat of 
        Islamic terrorism and ensuring the stability of the region; and
Whereas religious freedom and human rights are essential cornerstones of 
        democracy that promote respect for individual liberty and contribute to 
        greater stability and are priority values for the United States in 
        promoting its engagement with other countries: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) acknowledges the central and historic importance of the 
        United States-Egypt partnership in advancing the common 
        interests of both countries;
            (2) appreciates Egypt's regional role as a partner in the 
        fight against terrorism and violent extremism;
            (3) recognizes the necessity for Egypt's leaders to take 
        steps toward education reform that prioritize impartial 
        instruction of all religions and political reform that 
        prioritizes human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of 
        law;
            (4) urges the Government of Egypt to complete the process 
        of church certification as initiated by the 2016 law;
            (5) urges the Government of Egypt to end the mistreatment 
        of prisoners of conscience and to release all prisoners of 
        conscience;
            (6) urges the Government of Egypt to remove religious 
        affiliation from national identification cards;
            (7) urges the Government of Egypt to enact serious and 
        legitimate reforms in the public sector, athletics, and society 
        to ensure Coptic Christians are given the same rights and 
        opportunities as all other Egyptian citizens; and
            (8) urges the Government of Egypt to take additional steps 
        to end the culture of impunity for attacks on Christians, to 
        continue to undertake the arrest, prosecution, and conviction 
        of individuals who carry out attacks on Copts and other 
        Christians in Egypt, and to hold accountable Government 
        officials who fail to enforce the law.
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