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Hundreds Recognize Congressional Human Rights Caucus’s Critical Importance at Capitol Hill Reception
Washington, D.C. – The Leadership Council for Human Rights, in partnership with the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, the Coptic Assembly of America, Bahá’ís of the United States, Amnesty International U.S.A., the American Hellenic Institute and the Armenian Assembly of America hosted a reception Monday to pay tribute to the work of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and its Co-Chairs, Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).
The Congressional Human Rights Caucus is a bipartisan coalition of more than 250 Members of Congress. The Caucus was the brainchild of Leadership Council for Human Rights President Kathryn Cameron Porter after a trip to the former Soviet Union to meet dissidents and refuseniks. At the conclusion of the trip, Ms. Porter was brutally strip-searched, which led to the concept for the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. Former Rep. John Porter (R-IL) and Rep. Lantos were the founding Co-Chairmen of the Caucus. Upon Rep. Porter’s retirement in 2000, the Porters asked Rep. Wolf to assume the Co-Chairmanship with Rep. Lantos. The Caucus continues to work to end human rights abuses globally.
“There is no living person who has been a greater champion of human rights than Tom Lantos, and his wife Annette,” Ms. Porter said. “With the leadership of both Rep. Lantos and Frank Wolf, the relevancy of the Caucus has grown exponentially.”
She added, “At a time when many world leaders and administrations downplay the egregious nature of human rights abuses for geopolitics, the Caucus can shine the light of truth into the darkest places and shame leaders into taking action.”
The reception was attended by more than 200 people including many members of the human rights community and Members of Congress.
Rep. Lantos called the Congressional Human Rights Caucus “Congress at its best. No lobbyists. No campaign contributions. Just a passionate movement on behalf of those who are downtrodden, who desperately need the help of Congress.”
Annette Lantos spoke about the origins of the Caucus, including the role she and LCHR President Kathryn Cameron Porter played as its “mothers.”
Rep. Wolf praised Rep. Lantos’ dedication, saying, “I can’t remember a bill on the floor about human rights where Tom Lantos wasn’t down there fighting for it.” Rep. Wolf also called on the human rights community to “make sure human rights and religious freedom become major issues in the presidential campaigns,” and “to let them know there is a constituency out there.”
In addition to the Co-Chairs, other Caucus Members at the reception included Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), and Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT). They spoke about the ongoing importance of the Caucus’s work, their admiration for Caucus Co-Chairs, and pressing human rights issues around the globe. Caucus Members stressed human rights areas of particular concern, including the situation of Egypt’s Copts and of the Bahá’ís, human rights abuses in Vietnam and China, press freedom in Russia, and the Iraqi refugee crisis.
“If [we] use human rights, it will come back to benefit us,” Rep. Rohrabacher said. “Human rights are quintessentially important to our national security.”
Rep. Kirk said “As someone who has worked with the Human Rights Caucus for more than 20 years, I remain strongly committed to promoting human rights around the world. In the 1980s we helped free Soviet Jewry and end apartheid in South Africa. In the 1990s we fought to protect the people of Tibet and bring democracy to Hong Kong. Today, we are fighting the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe and the Middle East. In each decade, Chairman Tom Lantos has remained at the forefront of these efforts. He has become a personal hero to me and I thank him for his leadership and inspiration.”
“There are a lot of voices in Congress who are fighting for the oppressed,” Rep. Ros-Lehtinen affirmed, and the Caucus can “shine the light of justice and freedom” on them.
Rep. Moran called on those who haven’t yet added their voices to step off the sidelines and speak out. “It’s time in the 21st century for America to lead by example” on human rights, he said.
Rep. Schakowsky spoke of the inspiration offered by just one woman, Mukhtar Mai, who after she was sentenced by a tribal council to be gang raped in Pakistan had the courage to fight for human rights because she knew the world would be on her side.
Closing the evening’s remarks, Rep. Jackson-Lee, said, “The oppressed, marginalized and disenfranchised need your power, advocacy and strength. We need you to fight for their human rights – let us not give up on them.”
For photos of the event, please visit the Leadership Council’s photo website. |
