CHALLENGE IN LOBBYING FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

AND HUMAN RIGHTSFOR VIETNAM

People for Religious Freedom in Vietnam

Westminster – August 27, 2011

OUR GOAL To achieve a future for Vietnam where

religious freedom and human rights are guaranteed for all citizens

OUR CHALLENGES: How to achieve these goals? Which process to follow?

LOBBY PROCESS

What are the specific goals: Designate Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern Pressure Vietnam Communist Regime to respect religious freedom

and human rights

Target Audience: Department of State Members of Congress

Related Bills: H.Res. 16 HR 156 HR 1410 S 1051

Time Frame: 12 months in 112th Congress

IMPACTS OF DESIGNATION AS A CPC A designated Country of Particular Concerns will face 15

possible measures of sanction (12) Directing US to vote against World Bank and IMF loans (13) Limitations on export licenses for arms, atomic energy, and any other

good or technology that requires prior approval (14) Prohibiting any United States financial institution from making loans

or providing credits totaling more than $10,000,000 in any 12-month period

(15) Prohibiting the United States Government from procuring, or entering into any contract for the procurement of, any goods or services from the foreign government.

The State Department will suggest all possible sanctions that the Administration can take from 90 to 180 days

Effected Time: All sanction measure will remain until Vietnam CPC designation is removed

IMPACTS BY THE PASSAGE OF THE CURRENT BILLS

H.Res. 16: If it is passed by Congress, it will put a strong pressure on the State Department to name Vietnam as a CPC If Vietnam is named CPC, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) will

face 15 measures of sanctions

HR 156 & S 1051: If both bills are passed, the Obama Administration will require to consider the implementations of the measures of sanction specified by law on the SRV

HR 1410: If it is passed, the Obama Administration will have to consider the implementation of certain measures to pressure the SRV to respect freedom of religion, human rights and promote democracy in Vietnam

Time: Long Term Impact on the Support for The Struggle of Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Democracy in Vietnam

LOBBY PROCESS Department of State (DoS)

Request to designate Vietnam as a CPC: Send petition to Secretary Hillary Clinton Send delegations of Vietnamese-Americans

representing many regions to Department of State

Congress (House and Senate) Lobby Congress to pass the bills: H.Res 16, HR 156, HR

1410, S1051 … Send petition to your Representative to co-sponsor the bills Send delegations to ask your Representatives and Senators to

co-sponsor and/or support bills Call their office and ask them to support and vote for the bills

FOR MORE INFORMATION Need information on:

Signing the petition Details on the bills: H.Res 16, HR 156,

HR1410, S1051 How to lobby the State Department and the

Congress

Please visit our website: www.

tudotongiao.wordpress.com

STATUS OF LOBBYING THE STATE DEPARTMENT

Request State Department to name Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concerns (CPC): 8,000 Petitions already sent to Secretary Hillary

Clinton 3 Vietnamese Americans Delegation already met

Department of State in Jan and Feb 2011 Since 2004, The USCIRF, Members of Congress,

International Amnesty, Human Rights Watch … already requested the State Department to name Vietnam as CPC until now

The State Department still hesitates to name Vietnam as CPC due to the world political situation recently

STATUS OF LOBBYING CONGRESS Lobby the Congress (HOUSE) to pass the bills: H.Res 16, HR

156, HR 1410, S1051 …

Start collecting signatures and sending petitions to Members of Congress

People for Religious Freedom Committee (PFRFC) collaborated with various Vietnamese-American communities nationwide in the campaign: New Jersey, Houston, Washington State, North California, Houston, New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, Georgia, Houston, Virginia and Washington DC

Plan to send delegations to Washington DC in October 2011 to lobby for the bills

STATUS OF THE BILL H.RES. 16 Title: Calling on the State Department to list the Socialist

Republic of Vietnam as a “Country of Particular Concern” with respect to religious freedom

NOTE: This Resolution will help put a lot of pressure on the State Department in naming Viet Nam as a CPC

Sponsor: Rep Royce, Edward [CA-40] (introduced 1/5/2011) Cosponsors (17 Representatives)

Latest Major Action: 3/1/2011 Referred to House subcommittee.

Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights

STATUS OF THE BILL HR 156 Title: Vietnam Human Rights Sanction Act Sponsor: Rep Royce, Edward [CA-40]

(introduced 1/5/2011)

Cosponsors: (2 Representatives)

Latest Major Action: 3/1/2011 Referred to the House subcommittee

Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade

STATUS OF THE BILL HR 1410 Title: Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2011

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Christopher[NJ-4] (introduced 4/7/2011)

Cosponsors: (4 Representatives)

Latest Major Action: 5/13/2011 Referred to the House subcommittee

Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights

STATUS OF THE BILL S 1051 Title: Vietnam Human Rights Sanction Act

Sponsor: Sen. John Cornyn [TX] (introduced 5/24/2011)

Cosponsors: (1 Senator Burt, Richard, NC)

Latest Major Action: 5/24/2011 Referred to Senate committee.

Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION THAT HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM ARE GROUND ZERO PRIORITIES OF

THE VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY

THESE LEGISLATIONS (H.RES. 16, HR 156, HR 1410, AND S 1051) ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR VIETNAM.

WE WANT CONGRESS AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO PASS THEM

OUR POSITION

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS The bill has to have enough cosponsors required

to be referred to the subcommittee/committee for consideration

The numbers of key co-sponsors should be over the half of the subcommittee or committee, including chair of the sub and committee

The challenges: We have to lobby to get the required numbers of

cosponsors and key co-sponsors AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

We must do this in the next 6 months

GET THE SENATE SUPPORT FOR THE BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE

Have to lobby enough senators who belong to the subcommittee or committee in charge of the bill

Have to lobby Sen. John Kerry, Sen. McCain, Sen. Lugar, Sen. Jim Webb to support the bill OR not to hold it

The challenges: Sen. John Kerry , John McCain, Jim Webb may hold the

bills We have to lobby so that they don’t block the bills We must lobby another Senator to introduce a similar bill

as the House bill, and lobby 10 Senators to cosponsors it We must do this in the next 6 months

NEXT STEPS1. Send petitions to Secretary Clinton, your

Representative, and Senators2. Meet with your Representative and Senators to

request for sponsorship and supports for the current bills

3. Request Senators Boxer and Feinstein to introduce similar bills as H. Res 16 and HR 1410.

4. Coordinate with other Vietnamese-American communities nationwide to do steps 1, 2, and 3

5. Coordinate with other Vietnamese-American communities nationwide to send delegations to Capitol Hill and the State Department in October 2011

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS CAMPAIGN The struggle for Religious Freedom and Human Rights as a

the campaign for everyone regardless of age, religion, party, or association.

A strong community of activists starts with ONE and it becomes US

Advocacy for Religious Freedom, Human Rights, and Democracy is a normal right and a privilege of every citizen

You can make the difference by: Participate in letter writing campaign Participate in meeting with your representatives and senators or

calling them Go to Washington DC with us in October

START WITH THE POWER OF ONE We are in agreement:

People of Vietnam do not have religious freedom People of Vietnamese had been under the yoke of rule of the Viet

Communists. They do not have the rights to participate freely in the political process, all their civil rights are severely restricted or denied.

Our ancestors’ land is in eminent danger of losing the country into the hands of the traditional and hostile enemy of Red China

ONE can make the difference by: Start to speak out for the ones who could not speak freely Participate in the campaign for Freedom of Religion, Human Rights

TOGETHER WE UNITE - WE ENGAGE & WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE