IV 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 697 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 Tibetan 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 reconciliation ; 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 civilian honor awarded by Congress, for his contributions to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious understanding; 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 support for the Tibetan people’s aspirations for internationally recognized human rights and freedoms and the protection 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 Tibetans 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 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 region 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

That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the cultural and religious significance 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 teleconference broadcast in the Auditorium at the Capitol Visitor Center, or roundtable, between Members of Congress and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to discuss peaceful solutions to international conflicts.