Geneva Distinctive Emblems Protection Act of 2006

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6338) to amend title 18, United States Code, to prevent and repress the misuse of the Red Crescent distinctive emblem and the Third Protocol (Red Crystal) distinctive emblem.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6338 currently under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6338, the Geneva Distinctive Emblems Protection Act of 2006. Introduced by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake), this legislation will assist in the implementation of important humanitarian programs. The Geneva Convention has long provided for the use of the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems by governments and national societies to implement medical and humanitarian programs.

In December of 2005, the Geneva Convention, through the Third Additional Protocol, adopted a third distinctive emblem, the Red Crystal, to join the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems. The adoption of the Red Crystal emblem cleared the path, with the acceptance of Israel's version of the Red Cross, into the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement after being excluded for more than 30 years.

The approval of the Red Crystal emblem provides the American Red Cross, United States military personnel and humanitarian organizations and workers with another option in the circumstances where the Red Cross or the Red Crescent may not be perceived as a neutral emblem. On the day of its adoption, 27 countries, including the United States, signed the Third Additional Protocol.

Since its adoption, the protocol has been signed by more than 49 other nations and becomes effective on January 14, 2007. Current United States law prohibits anyone, including corporations and associations, from wearing or displaying the American National Red Cross emblem or similar insignia for fraudulent purposes. This bill extends these same prohibitions and protections to the Red Crystal emblem and to the Red Crescent emblem by imposing a fine or a prison term for up to 6 months for fraudulently wearing or displaying the Red Crystal and Red Crescent emblems.

This legislation will help deter the fraudulent use of vital symbols of medical and humanitarian aid. I urge my colleagues to join together to pass this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake), the author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I am pleased to join with the chairman in supporting this bipartisan bill. The legislation makes a simple yet extremely important change to current law. It adds the Red Crystal emblem to the list of officially recognized symbols that may be used to denote humanitarian or religious relief efforts. As many know, currently only the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems are used by humanitarian workers when caring for sick or injured civilians or Armed Forces members overseas.

By adding the Red Crystal symbol to the list of officially recognized emblems, humanitarian workers will have at their disposal yet another symbol that is acceptable in those regions of the world where the cross and crescent are viewed with some level of skepticism.

I would like to thank Mr. Flake and the countless number of Democratic members of our committee for taking the lead on this issue, and I strongly urge that my colleagues lend their support to this commonsense proposal.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the speed with which this was brought to the floor. This is something the State Department and the administration has asked for. It will allow ratification of a Third Geneva Protocol and protect, as has been said, the Red Crescent as well as the Red Crystal.

This is important, as has been explained, so that those wearing the emblem can be protected in dangerous situations and battlefields, and we can encourage other countries to do the same and offer the same recognition. Again, I thank those who have on a bipartisan basis supported this legislation.

I will not repeat what this does. It has been aptly explained by the chairman and the ranking minority member. I just wish to thank those who have brought this to the floor for doing so and urge its adoption.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6338, which was received from the House.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.