Committee News
February 8, 2010
Due to inclement weather the February 10 hearing on cyberspace policy has been postponed. When it is rescheduled we will announce a new date and time.February 7, 2010
Tehran’s Uranium Enrichment Announcement Underscores Need for U.N. Action on Strong Sanctions, Berman SaysFebruary 5, 2010
Chairman Berman Announces Intention to Mark Up Armenian Genocide Resolution on March 4February 3, 2010
Ugandan Anti-Gay Legislation Threatens Human Rights, Reverses Gains in HIV/AIDS Fight, Berman SaysJanuary 26, 2010
Venezuelan Government’s Media Censorship Damages Venezuela’s Standing and Hurts Its People, Berman SaysJanuary 24, 2010
Remarks to Americans for Peace Now
Committee News
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
March 6, 2007
Lantos Blasts Administration Decision Not to Take Part in United Nations Human Rights Council
Washington, DC – Tom Lantos, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement concerning the United States’ decision not to seek a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council:
“Today, in an act of unparalleled defeatism, the Administration announced that for a second year in a row, the United States will step aside to allow a cabal of military juntas, single-party states and tin-pot dictators to retain their death grip on the world’s human rights machinery.
“During the past several months, we have seen the sad and tragic results of the U.S. retreat from the new Human Rights Council. Despite the fact that the Council’s membership represents a slight improvement over the dysfunctional Human Rights Commission it replaced, it has been even more thoroughly captured by rogues like Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Pakistan, as they have aggressively seized the ground that the United States has ceded.
“This is the worst possible time for a U.S. retreat from its rightful role as the world’s champion of human rights. At a time when we are attempting to marshal the civilized world to stand up to extremism and terror, a retreat from Geneva sends exactly the wrong signal to those who are trying to defeat us. It is particularly appalling that the Administration would select the day it is releasing the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices to announce this decision. Eleanor Roosevelt surely must be turning over in her grave today.”
(End)
Lynne Weil at (202) 225-5021