Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.

I thank the distinguished chairman and I thank my colleagues, my fellow member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos, and the ranking member, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Certainly, I have indicated already to Chairman Wexler thanks for his continued leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise, of course, to acknowledge and certainly support recognizing the 186th anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrating Greek and American democracy. Greece has been a long-term model, if you will, for the principles of democracy. Any of us who have had the honor of learning the Greek philosophers throughout our academic training know that the principles they have enunciated have been strong and lasting.

With that in mind as I celebrate the 186th anniversary, I commend my friends in Greece for their continued deliberations dealing with the issue of divide between the Turks and Greece, and I look forward to an opportunity that resolutions will come about that would solve some of those problems.

Might I, Mr. Wexler, also indicate my support for H. Res. 64, which speaks to the freedom of press and particularly expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. I say that in recognition of the principles of freedom of press. Whenever we have had the opportunity to interact in bilaterals through Members of Congress or parliamentarians, one of the key issues that are discussed is the right of the voice of the opposition, or the voice of difference to be expressed. I hope that this particular legislation will pass with a firm statement by this Congress that we are, if you will, asking for his release.

Might I also support H. Res. 107. I am an original cosponsor of this legislation calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas and Hezbollah. Let me say this, I have met with one of the family members of one of the captive soldiers.

I think what is important in this statement, because we know that King Abdullah just a few days ago came to this Congress and said, we can make a difference in the Palestinian-Israeli issue. This happens to be soldiers that are in Lebanon, and, frankly, I think the point should be made that Israel has, in fact, done what they said they would do in pulling back.

Whenever you get agreements that are kept, promises that are kept, then it seems that in the course of international collegiality or international decorum or international protocol that you have the opportunity to receive your soldiers back home, your loved ones back home. These young men, who are still being held, Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, remain in captivity, even though the United Nations has, through passing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, imposed a ceasefire on the Lebanon-Israel border. The resolution called for, and I quote, the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers. Even in the United Nations, which has a place for disparate voices and has a place for disagreement, we find that there is a call for their release.

So I would hope that this particular legislation is not taken as a negative, but it is taken in compliance with the United Nations' interests in countries, recognizing when agreements are made that we can move forward on the agreement, and the captivity of soldiers of another sovereign nation certainly argues against having a world forum that really works.

The United Nations has managed with all its difficulties to be a world forum. It has made a statement that they should be released. I would hope there would be enough resolve in Hezbollah and certainly in Hamas and others and in Lebanon, that whatever your viewpoint, you certainly should have the view to provide comfort to these families and have their loved ones returned.

So I ask again for support of the underlying bill; that is, H. Res. 228, and I add my support for H. Res. 64; and as a cosponsor of H. Res. 107, I add my support for that.

I conclude by simply saying that we have an opportunity to accept the challenge of King Abdullah in the way that we must know how to do it, and that is engagement and resolve for the best of all people in the Mideast. I hope that we will do so, and I would say to my friends in Lebanon, a good step and a good start would be the release, unconditional release of these soldiers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 107, which calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas and Hezbollah and expresses the Congress's support for a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. Speaker, while the fighting between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah has subsided, one of the initial causes for the war, has not yet been addressed. Three young men, Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev, and Ehud Goldwasser, remain in captivity.

The fighting last summer ended when the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1701, which imposed a ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border. That resolution unequivocally called for ``the unconditional release of the abducted Israeli soldiers.''

Therefore, their ongoing captivity is ignoring the will of the international community. Indeed, Hamas and Hezbollah have not even allowed access to the Israeli captives by competent medical personnel and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 107 expresses this Congress's vision for ``a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the creation of a viable and independent Palestinian state living in peace alongside of the State of Israel.'' But this vision cannot be achieved by continuing to hold these soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah.

The United States cannot turn a blind eye when citizens of a fellow democracy fall prey to terrorists acts. Israeli soldiers must be released without delay and without preconditions, as the Security Council demands. That is also our demand. We will remain committed to the soldiers' freedom--for the sake of peace and to move toward a just resolution to these conflicts in the Mid East.

Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution sponsored by Mr. Ackerman, the chairman of the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee. I urge all my colleagues to do so as well.

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution which marks this family member and what has happened to him as a prisoner of conscience in Bangladesh.

When we see what happened to him after advocating the cause of religious reconciliation between Muslims and Jews, we see the condition of Salah Choudhury after a severe beating which he was subjected to.

This resolution urges the government of Bangladesh to drop all charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.

Mr. Choudhury now faces charges of sedition, treason and blasphemy. He faces these charges because of his belief in an interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims, and because of articles that he published critical of Islamic extremism. Under Bangladeshi law, sedition is a crime punishable by death.

Mr. Choudhury was detained in November 2003 at Zia International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on his way to board a flight for Tel Aviv simply to participate in the annual Hebrew Writers Conference. Mr. Choudhury's passport was seized, along with considerable sums of money and several personal items. On that same day, the police raided his home, his newspaper, and seized files, computers and other valuables.

Since Bangladeshi law currently prohibits travel to Israel, Choudhury was first cited for a minor passport violation, but he was subsequently charged with sedition and accused of espionage as an Israeli spy and incarcerated indefinitely. He was subjected to harsh interrogation techniques and received no treatment for a debilitating case of glaucoma.

After being denied due process, Choudhury languished in jail for 17 months until one tireless human rights champion, and my constituent, Dr. Richard Benkin, began a personal odyssey to free Shoaib Choudhury. Dr. Benkin met Mr. Choudhury through a pro-Israel Internet Web site, and Dr. Benkin brought this situation to my attention and now before the House. All together, we sought for his freedom, and shortly thereafter, we did succeed in getting Choudhury's release from jail, finally reuniting him with his wife and two children.

Following Shoaib's release, a senior Bangladesh government official made numerous public pledges that all pending legal action against Mr. Choudhury would be dropped. Nevertheless, the government pressed forward with formal sedition charges.

Mr. Choudhury has won the recognition of international human rights and freedom of expression organizations for his courage. He was honored by PEN U.S.A.'s Freedom to Write Award and was presented with the American Jewish Committee's prestigious Moral Courage Award in absentia in Washington, D.C. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom intervened and wrote a letter to Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher calling on the U.S. Government to strengthen the voices of moderation in countries like Bangladesh where the rule of law, democratic institutions, and respect for human rights are under assault by violent extremists. The commission identified Mr. Choudhury as one of those voices.

But despite such international attention, the persecution of Choudhury has persisted. Mr. Choudhury's newspaper offices were bombed by Islamic extremists in July 2006, and he was attacked by a mob in his office on October 5, 2006, where this very picture was taken. A judge with alleged ties to Islamic extremist groups then ruled that Choudhury must stand trial for his life for sedition.

Bangladesh today is at a crossroads. Much-anticipated elections were postponed due to irregularities, and a state of emergency was declared. In a country with 150 million people packed into a land mass smaller than Iowa, 85 percent of whom are Muslim, it is critically important for Bangladesh to demonstrate its commitment to democratic institutions, to religious freedom, and to human rights. For his message of moderation and interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Jews, Mr. Choudhury is facing unjust criminal charges in an effort to silence him. The House of Representatives sends a clear message today that we will not allow an outspoken advocate for religious freedom to be quelled by intolerance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in this resolution and would like to thank Chairman Lantos for his friendship and support in bringing this up and for his tireless advocacy on behalf of human rights of all as co-chairman of the Human Rights Caucus. I also want to thank Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her support on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

I would like also to thank our ambassador to Bangladesh, Patricia Butenis, for her outstanding work at Embassy Dhaka. Her team has been vigorously monitoring this case, attending Mr. Choudhury's legal proceedings, and making strong public statements on his behalf.

I also want to thank Dr. Richard Benkin, sitting in the gallery today, for his unrelenting pursuit of justice on behalf of Shoaib Choudhury. I am proud to join Dr. Benkin in this endeavor and look forward to one day when we may even host Shoaib Choudhury in our very own Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Lastly, I want to thank the best congressional human rights staffer that I have ever had: Jeff Phillips had worked tirelessly on behalf of an African prisoner of conscience for months until he finally won his release. Now he has seized on Shoaib's case and made it a cause in the United States, in Canada, in Europe, and the subcontinent. He, we, have all been inspired by Shoaib and Dr. Benkin, and we hope by this resolution this case and a potential death sentence against Shoaib can be lifted. Shoaib is not a criminal, and he should not become a martyr. He is a model for interfaith tolerance and discussion between all of those of different faiths in the world.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to

the resolution (H. Res. 64) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend my friend and colleague Mark Kirk from Illinois as well as that of Mrs. Lowey of New York for their leadership on this important human rights case.

With passage of this resolution, Congress will firmly indicate its view that the government of Bangladesh should immediately release a Bangladeshi journalist whose only apparent crime is to attempt to visit the democratic nation of Israel.

Mr. Speaker, Bangladesh has undergone great political turmoil in recent months, and the nation is now being ruled by a caretaker government. As Bangladesh moves towards a new round of elections, it is imperative that the rule of law and freedom of the press be preserved.

The current government has set out an agenda to reform Bangladesh's political system and to stem corruption. We have seen lately the arrest of many previously high-ranking government officials. It is my sincere wish that the standards of responsible governance survive under the caretaker government until free and fair elections take place, elections that I hope will happen in the near term.

In this time of great political turmoil in Bangladesh, it is truly inexplicable that the government would focus its scarce resources on prosecuting a journalist.

Mr. Choudhury believes in interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims as an alternative to religious extremism, and has been commended by the international community for such bravery of thought.

Gaining the respect and concern of organizations like the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Mr. Choudhury has shown immense resiliency after facing numerous political and physical threats.

Mr. Choudhury's actions are courageous, not criminal, and it is time for the government of Bangladesh to take decisive action and drop all pending charges. The political leadership of Bangladesh should focus on getting its own house in order instead of mindlessly prosecuting someone for trying to promote international peace and stability.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she might consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the distinguished Chair of the appropriations subcommittee on Foreign Operations and the cosponsor of this resolution before us.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Boozman, the gentleman from Arkansas, for his expeditious handling of this on the floor. I want to thank both Mr. Kirk and Mrs. Lowey for bringing this resolution to our attention and to also note the great spirit of nonpartisanship that we have on this matter and hope that that could splash over and spill over and overwhelm some prevailing attitudes on both sides so that we might bring this kind of approach and dedication to all of the legislation that we have before us this session.

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

I thank the gentleman for yielding; and, Mr. Speaker, I want to especially thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) and Mrs. Nita Lowey for their hard work in bringing this thoughtful resolution to the House floor today.

I was in Bangladesh about 3 weeks ago where I had the opportunity to meet with the new caretaker government, that leadership, as well as the leaderships in the two main political parties that are vying for power and have held power the last several decades. In fact, I met with our ambassador and members in the business community.

But one of the highlights and I think the most significant thing that I had an opportunity to do was to meet with the gentleman, Shoaib Choudhury, who is a journalist, and we have heard much talk about his situation this morning. But I think the gravity of it is significant, and I think it is important that this House is taking this action today.

Mr. Choudhury is a journalist in Bangladesh, known for his viewpoints which are favorable to expanding dialogue between Muslims and Jews and Christians and for developing ties with Israel. As was indicated, he was actually arrested on his way to Israel at the airport, and he is also trying to have more equality relative to religion and especially his observance and opposition to Islamic extremism, which unfortunately is on the rise in Bangladesh and in a number of regions.

Just as Islamic extremism and fundamentalism have been a danger in other areas of the world, it is a real problem in Bangladesh, and he has had the courage to speak out on this important issue.

Unfortunately, in a place where journalists are not necessarily given broad freedom of speech as our media would have here in this country, Mr. Choudhury was arrested and charged with sedition and accused of espionage and unjustly incarcerated for 17 months during which he received less than adequate treatment for glaucoma and other conditions from which he suffers. He is now facing charges which could bring the death penalty under Bangladesh law.

Now, several government leaders indicated that they do not intend to pursue the death penalty in this particular case; but when one considers the actions for which Mr. Choudhury was charged, this is not a person that should be jailed in the first place. This is a person who should be honored, as he has been around the world. You have to admire his strength and his resilience.

I asked him how he was being treated and spoke with him about the prospects for his trial. His next trial appearance was supposed to be February 28. At the time of my visit, Mr. Choudhury was encouraged by recent government assurances that his charges might be dropped or that they did not intend to go forward with the death penalty; but as it turns out, a radical Islamist-affiliated judge recently signed an order forcing the trial and the court proceedings to proceed. He is being accused of a threat to the security of Bangladesh. So much for a fair trial and just treatment.

This is something that really should get the attention not only of this House but the world.

This bipartisan resolution on the floor today urges the Bangladeshi Government to drop all charges against Mr. Choudhury. The United States Congress should show Mr. Choudhury that he can count on our full support and that the success of fledgling democracies such as Bangladesh lies squarely on the very freedoms that Mr. Choudhury embodies.

I am glad to be a cosponsor of this important resolution. I thank the Speaker for recognizing this and urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 228) recognizing the 186th anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrating Greek and American democracy.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to pay tribute on Greek Independence Day to one of America's most important European allies, Greece, and one that holds immeasurable importance to millions of Americans.

I would also like to thank my good friend from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), who has been a leading supporter of U.S.-Greek relations in Congress.

Western civilization as we know it today is undeniably connected to Greece. For every American, Greece is known as the cradle of democracy. As a nation that still seeks to perfect its democracy in civic society, America looks to Greece and its universally known philosophers and leaders for political inspiration and wisdom. In fact, the very word ``democracy'' is a Greek word. The history of Greek independence is inspiring, especially given America's own history and drive for independence from tyranny and oppression. Greeks have been willing to fight for independence, sacrifice for the sake of freedom, and have stirred others to do the same.

As a Member of Congress with a large Greek-American community, I am especially pleased that we are passing this resolution today, which also highlights the extraordinary contributions of a community that has contributed greatly to the shared prosperity of our Nation. Today, the Greek-American community remains the bedrock in the unbreakable bond between the United States and our ally, Greece. As ambassadors of goodwill between the United States and Greece, Greek Americans have for decades shaped this long-standing friendship, creating a partnership based on freedom, democracy and peace.

Today, some 5 million Americans claim Greek ancestry, with understandable pride. Greece is one of less than a handful of nations that have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States in every major war of the 20th century. Our close relations became even closer after World War II. The Truman Doctrine helped save Greece from communism, indeed helped save it for the Western world, and the Marshall Plan helped pave the way for economic success.

In 1952, Greece joined NATO, formalizing the deep mutual commitment of Greece and the rest of the western world to protecting freedom. Now, as an integral member of the EU for two decades, Greece has become increasingly prosperous, a democratic role model for the nations of the world.

Greece remains a critical strategic partner in today's post-Cold War world. We cooperate closely in promoting peace and stability in the Balkans. Athens has supported efforts to settle the Cyprus problem and to end the divide on the island. And I am especially supportive of Greece's critical efforts in recent years to resolve historic differences with its neighbor, Turkey, including supporting that country's membership in the EU.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Greek people on the 186th anniversary of their independence and strongly support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, 5\1/2\ minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Maloney), who also is the cochair of the Hellenic Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I too want to thank Mr. Poe. And we also do not have any more speakers, so we will yield back.

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