[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 697 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 697

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     November 18, 2020.
Whereas the Dalai Lama's principal commitments include cultivation of warm-
        heartedness and such human values as compassion and forgiveness; 
        promotion of religious harmony; and preservation of Tibetan language and 
        culture and protection of Tibet's natural environment;
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, his advocacy for 
        peaceful solutions to preserve Tibetans' historical and cultural 
        heritage, and his constructive, forward-looking proposals for resolving 
        international conflicts, human rights issues, and global environmental 
        problems;
Whereas Congress has consistently shown overwhelming, bipartisan, bicameral 
        support for the Tibetan people's aspirations for internationally 
        recognized human rights and freedoms and the protection of their 
        distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and historical identity, 
        including by passing the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-228; 
        22 U.S.C. 6901 note);
Whereas, in 2006, Congress passed the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Congressional Gold 
        Medal Act (Public Law 109-287; 31 U.S.C. 5111), and in October 2007, 
        President George W. Bush, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy 
        Pelosi, and other Congressional leaders awarded 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 Members of Congress have on multiple occasions met with the Dalai Lama 
        during congressional delegations overseas, including a bipartisan 
        delegation led by then-House Speaker Pelosi to meet with the Dalai Lama 
        and the Tibetan exiled community in 2008, a bipartisan delegation led by 
        then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in 2017, and a bipartisan 
        delegation from the House Democracy Partnership in 2019, to spotlight 
        the unjust oppression against the Tibetan people;
Whereas the Dalai Lama has on multiple occasions visited the United States 
        Capitol, including most recently in June 2016, during which he met with 
        congressional leadership to promote respectful inter-religious harmony 
        and protection of the Tibetan people's identity, culture, language, and 
        environment;
Whereas the Department of State finds in its 2020 Report to Congress on Access 
        to Tibetan Areas of the People's Republic of China (PRC), as required by 
        the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-330), that 
        the Chinese Government systematically impeded travel to the Tibet 
        Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan areas outside the TAR for United 
        States diplomats and officials, journalists, and tourists in 2019;
Whereas, in 2018, the Secretary of State convened the first-ever Ministerial to 
        Advance Religious Freedom, during which the Dalai Lama addressed 
        hundreds of members of religious organizations and civil society by 
        video;
Whereas under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, it is the policy of the United 
        States to support economic development, cultural preservation, health 
        care, and education and environmental sustainability for Tibetans inside 
        Tibet;
Whereas the human rights situation in Tibet has significantly deteriorated since 
        the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 was signed into law;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China's repeated insistence 
        that it must control the selection of the next leader of Tibetan 
        Buddhism, a religion with adherents across the globe including in 
        Mongolia, where a 2010 census reports 53 percent of individuals ages 15 
        and older self-identify as Buddhists, is a gross violation of 
        international religious freedom;
Whereas the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 4331, the 
        Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019, which reiterates support for the 
        Tibetan community and the need to hold Chinese officials responsible for 
        religious freedom abuses targeting Tibetan Buddhists;
Whereas after 35 years, the United States Consulate in Chengdu, which was 
        responsible for operations in and providing diplomatic reporting on 
        developments concerning Tibetan populations in southwestern China and 
        the Tibet Autonomous Region, closed on July 27, 2020; and
Whereas on September 12, 2020, the Dalai Lama addressed a virtual session of the 
        Group of Seven annual meeting of Speakers and Heads of Parliament hosted 
        by Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms the cultural and religious significance of the goal of 
        genuine autonomy for the people of Tibet and the deep bond between the 
        American and Tibetan people;
            (2) supports the efforts of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan 
        leadership to achieve genuine autonomy for Tibetans through negotiations 
        without preconditions with the People's Republic of China;
            (3) supports the 14th Dalai Lama's commitment to global peace, 
        nonviolence, human rights, and environmental protection and 
        sustainability;
            (4) urges the swift enactment of the Tibetan Policy and Support Act 
        of 2019 to update United States policy toward Tibet, particularly on 
        issues related to the succession or reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, 
        water security and environmental concerns in the Tibetan plateau, and 
        support for the Tibetan community, language, culture, and religion;
            (5) stresses the urgency of addressing the ongoing climate crisis, 
        including in the Tibetan Plateau, and working toward environmental and 
        economic justice and equality;
            (6) encourages United States diplomats and other officials, 
        journalists, and other citizens to seek access to Tibetan areas and 
        demand that China provide access and treatment reciprocal to access and 
        treatment the United States provides to Chinese diplomats and other 
        officials, scholars, and others in the United States;
            (7) calls on the Secretary of State to mitigate any potential impact 
        the closure of the United States Consulate in Chengdu may have on the 
        Department of State's ability to provide timely reporting on and support 
        for Tibetan communities, such as by allocating additional resources to 
        other United States missions in China to improve coverage; and
            (8) determines that it would be beneficial to continue years of 
        bipartisan and bicameral engagement with the leaders of the Tibetan 
        people, including between Members of Congress and His Holiness the 14th 
        Dalai Lama.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.