[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, October 10, 1998

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I was among those who voted 
against this bill when it came before us earlier this year. I did so 
primarily because I was concerned that the sanctions in the bill would 
have adverse impact on our ability to combat religious persecution and 
other abuses of human rights across the globe.
  I am pleased that this bill has been amended to address these 
concerns and I now fully support this legislation. The sanctioning 
mechanism now gives the Administration a wide array of powerful tools 
with which to combat persecution. It also provides the flexibility 
necessary to ensure that our efforts to combat religious persecution do 
not harm our programs to combat other serious human rights abuses such 
as forced labor and prostitution, slavery, and female infanticide.
  I commend my colleague, Mr. Wolf, for his tireless work on this 
important issue and urge my colleagues to support this critically 
important bill.

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