Strongly condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses in various countries, while choosing to unfairly target Israel by including it as the only country permanently placed on the Council's agenda.

I thank the gentlelady from Florida for yielding, and I thank the gentleman from Washington for his support and supportive words about this bill. And most of all, I thank my coauthor in this effort, Mr. Berman, my friend and fellow Californian, for his involvement and effort in this bill and this important action.

And I think it is an important action, Mr. Speaker, because, as the three previous speakers have mentioned, it's not like the world is devoid of problems in human rights. It's not like there are not repressive regimes in various places around the world. There is a place for the United Nations to be talking about this, to be dealing with this, to be trying to help this situation; but, unfortunately, this Human Rights Council, which was supposed to be that, is clearly not that.

Now, when this Human Rights Council was formed in 2006 to replace, as Mr. Berman pointed out, the discredited U.N. Commission on Human Rights, the then-U.N. General Assembly president, Jan Eliasson, said that the council would be ``principled, effective and fair.'' And during its establishment, the U.N. General Assembly went on to say that this council would be responsible for ``promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind, and in a fair and equal manner.''

Mr. Speaker, I applaud those words. I applaud the basis upon which this council was established. But the facts show that in the year of its existence, it has not followed this directive. As was pointed out, the first three special sessions out of the first nine sessions they had condemned Israel for their possible human rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon. The fourth one was a noncondemnatory expression of concern regarding the situation in Darfur.

Now, what about Belarus? What about China? What about Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, anywhere else in the world? They have not even had a session to discuss them, not to mention have a mild condemnation or a full condemnation, but multiple condemnations of Israel, and they have now placed Israel on the permanent schedule. Now, that is not a good thing. That means that every meeting they have, they will be discussing what human rights violations are in Israel. But as Mr. Berman pointed out, is Uzbekistan even on the calendar? No. Any of these other places even on the calendar? No.

Let's look at some of the members of the Human Rights Council now. Some of the members include Algeria, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia. Now, I'm very disappointed that, as it has happened, a group that started out with such a noble cause and noble effort seems to have a complete lack of reasoned objectivity with their obvious inherent discrimination against Israel. And it appears they have become a refuge for human rights abusers to hang out and thereby avoid scrutiny or condemnation of their own actions.

Just this morning, the President was in New York speaking before the United Nations; and amongst the comments that he made was the following: ``Yet the American people are disappointed by the failures of the Human Rights Council. This body has been silent on repression by regimes from Havana to Caracas to Pyongyang and Tehran, while focusing its criticism successively on Israel. To be credible on human rights in the world, the United Nations must reform its own Human Rights Council.''

Mr. Speaker, that's what this bill hopes to begin the process of doing. This Human Rights Council is a sham. It is not accomplishing what it was set out to do, yet the objective for which it was put in place still exists, the need still exists. The United Nations needs a real Human Rights Council, not a cover for those who would abuse human rights.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time, and I thank my friend from California (Mr. Campbell) for coming to me with the idea of a resolution on the subject of the distorted, unfair, hypocritical, self-mocking agenda of the United Nations Human Rights Council and the need for the Congress of the United States to speak to their conduct.

Last year, I thought that when the United Nations decided to create a human rights body to replace the thoroughly discredited Human Rights Commission, there might finally be a chance for an open, respected forum for promoting basic liberties and rights and holding countries accountable that failed to do so, rather than a body on which would be placed some of the worst human rights abusers in the world.

The commission, as many of you know, was composed of many such countries whose own human rights records were far from laudable. While, for example, Zimbabwe, a former member of the commission, was busy leveling thousands of homes and leaving an estimated half a million people homeless, the commission was preoccupied with issuing successive reports condemning Israel.

I sincerely hope that the council will live up to its charter and become an impartial and forceful proponent of human rights around the world. Unfortunately, some have argued that the council, by spending an inordinate amount of time vilifying Israel, is even worse than the commission. It has passed one-sided resolutions condemning Israeli human rights violations in the Palestinian territories, calling several extraordinary sessions on Israeli actions in Lebanon and Gaza, and appointed successive rapporteurs to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes.

As Uzbekistan's jails continue to fill with thousands of prisoners, many of whom, according to the State Department, have been brutally tortured, the council was painfully silent. To be a human rights activist in Uzbekistan is to take one's life in one's own hands, yet the council has continued to shirk its responsibilities by failing to take a stand against these horrific human rights violations.

Rather than taking the regime in Khartoum to task, as the gentlelady, the ranking member of the committee, pointed out, taking Khartoum to task for its brazen and continued support for the janjaweed militias in Darfur, widely acknowledged to be responsible for horrific crimes against Darfurian civilians, the council has issued only a tepid expression of concerns. This shameful record led The Washington Post to describe the council as a ``ludicrous diplomatic lynch mob.'' Even U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has publicly admonished the council's unwillingness to pursue an evenhanded human rights agenda.

I want to make clear the criticisms I level and others have leveled against the council should in no way be viewed as an indictment of all the work of the United Nations, much of which is indispensable and serves our national interest as well as global peace and security. And while it has not been without its share of mistakes, the U.N., through its countless peacekeeping operations, poverty alleviation efforts and disease prevention programs, has proven to be worth its weight in gold.

We stand here today to criticize the Human Rights Council, which has an obsessed view of one country and only one country in terms of a human rights agenda, because we know that the U.N. can do better than they did in the creation and the rules governing that council.

I ask you to support this resolution because I believe that, while the council is still in its infancy, we can work to maximize the chances that it develops into a respected and forceful champion of human rights, not simply another proxy in the vitriolic campaign against Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 557) strongly condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses in various countries, while choosing to unfairly target Israel by including it as the only country permanently placed on the Council's agenda, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

I want to thank Representative Campbell for bringing this issue to the floor.

It has long been my view that the United Nations can be, and in many cases is, a very, very useful organization. It gives the countries of the world a chance to come together in one place and discuss issues that they can work together on but, perhaps as importantly, to discuss their differences. It was set up so that, hopefully, that process would reduce more violent conflict, that they could discuss these issues, figure out a way to work together, and move forward.

I also feel that it is a very appropriate role of the United Nations to look throughout the world and see where injustice is being done, identify it, and try to fix it.

Unfortunately, too many times that becomes politicized and focused, and in particular it becomes politicized and focused on the nation of Israel. With all of the problems that are going on throughout the world, all of the countries, all the despotic governments out there causing no ends of grief for their people, the one country that the United Nations continues to focus on is a free democracy in the Middle East, Israel. And they continually focus on them to the exclusion, in many cases, of far, far greater problems in other parts of the world.

Now, certainly I recognize the United Nations should be involved in the Middle East. There is unquestionably a conflict there between Israel and their neighbors in the Palestinian territories. Resolving that difference and helping the Palestinian people to set up their own country that will protect its people is incredibly important. But, again, unfortunately, the focus of the U.N. seems more to criticize and attack Israel to the exclusion of other problems.

So I want to thank Mr. Campbell for bringing this resolution, which very simply asks, I guess, the United Nations to stop doing that, to stop focusing on Israel, and to have a broader focus on the problems of the world and do not unfairly criticize the nation of Israel. It undermines, rather than helps, any effort to resolve the conflicts in the Middle East.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

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

Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures on September 25. If I were present for rollcall votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of the following bills:

Roll 895, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H.R. 1400, To enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by imposing additional economic sanctions against Iran, and for other purposes.

Roll 896, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 584: Supporting the goals and ideals of ``National Life Insurance Awareness Month.''

Roll 897, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Con. Res. 210: Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month.

Roll 898, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 663: Supporting the goals and ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars Day.

Roll 899, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 548: Expressing the ongoing concern of the House of Representatives for Lebanon's democratic institutions and unwavering support for the administration of justice upon those responsible for the assassination of Lebanese public figures opposing Syrian control of Lebanon.

Roll 900, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 642: Expressing sympathy to and support for the people and governments of the countries of Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico which have suffered from Hurricanes Felix, Dean, and Henriette and whose complete economic and fatality toll are still unknown.

Roll 901, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 557: Strongly condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses in various countries, while choosing to unfairly target Israel by including it as the only country permanently placed on the Council's agenda.

Roll 902, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Table the Motion to Appeal the Ruling of the Chair.

Roll 903, September 25, 2007: On Ordering the Previous Question. H. Res. 675--Rule providing for consideration of the SCHIP bill.

Roll 904, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 675--Rule providing for consideration of the SCHIP bill.

Roll 905, September 25, 2007: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to the Resolution. H. Res. 95--Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the goals and ideals of Campus Fire Safety Month, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, I was not present for votes as I was in Little Rock, Arkansas attending the 50th Anniversary commemorating the integration of Little Rock Central High School by the Little Rock Nine.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 895, H.R. 1400, the Iran Counter- Proliferation Act of 2007, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 896, H. Res. 584, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Life Insurance Awareness Month, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 897, H. Con. Res. 210, Supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 898, H. Res. 663, Supporting the goals and ideals of Veterans of Foreign Wars Day, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 899, H. Res. 548, Expressing the ongoing concern of the House of Representatives for Lebanon's democratic institutions and unwavering support for the administration of justice upon those responsible for the assassination of Lebanese public figures opposing Syrian control of Lebanon, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 900, H. Res. 642, Expressing sympathy and support

for the people and governments of the countries of Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico which have suffered from Hurricanes Felix, Dean, and Henriette and whose complete economic and fatality toll are still unknown, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 901, H. Res. 557, Strongly condemning the United Nations Human Rights Council for ignoring severe human rights abuses in various countries, while choosing to unfairly target Israel by including it as the only country permanently placed on the Council's agenda, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 902, H. Res. 675, Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 903, H. Res. 675, on the Previous Question on providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 976, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for small businesses, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 904, H. Res. 675, on agreeing to the resolution, Providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to H.R. 976, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax relief for small businesses, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``Aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 905, H. Res. 95, Campus Fire Safety Month, I would have voted ``Aye.''