Condemning the Government of Saudi Arabia's continued detention and alleged abuse of women's rights activists.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 129) condemning the Government of Saudi Arabia's continued detention and alleged abuse of women's rights activists, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 129.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Frankel and Wagner for their leadership in bringing this measure forward.

The treatment of women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia, their unjust imprisonment, is a serious problem.

Since May 2018, the Government of Saudi Arabia has arrested prominent women's rights activists and imposed travel bans on numerous others. Many of them are longtime supporters of ending the ban on a woman driving and abolishing the male guardianship system.

At least 10 women's rights activists have been subjected to psychological and physical abuse, including sexual violence, beatings, electric shocks, and sleep deprivation.

The State Department reported, in 2018: ``Women continued to face significant discrimination under law and custom, and many remain uninformed about their rights,'' and ``women also face discrimination in courts where, in the most cases, the testimony of one man equals that of two women.''

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia temporarily released four women activists. This is a step in the right direction, but not nearly enough.

Mr. Speaker, American foreign policy is at its best when we put our values at the center of everything we do, and when a partner country like Saudi Arabia tramples on human rights, it is incumbent on us to speak out just as we would do with respect to a nation hostile to the United States.

With this resolution, we are sending a clear message. It condemns the Government of Saudi Arabia's continued detention of these activists. It also urges an end to the male guardianship system and calls on the United States Government to designate the perpetrators of serious human rights violations under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.

We must continue to call on the Saudi Government to release these women immediately. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, let me again thank my colleagues for their hard work on this measure, and let me thank Mr. Wilson for his hard work.

Mr. Speaker, when we see abuses of human rights around the world, when we see women treated as second-class citizens and denied basic dignity, we need to speak out. We need to speak out whether it is an adversary or friend. That is what is demanded of American leadership. It is what sets us apart from other powers on the global stage.

The treatment of women in Saudi Arabia is abhorrent. The jailing of activists is unacceptable. And it is one more roadblock in our relationship with a country that has been and should continue to be an important partner.

I hope it changes soon, along with a lot of other things, so that we can get back on track.

Mr. Speaker, I support the measure, I urge all Members to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 129, Condemning the Government of Saudi Arabia's Continued Detention and Alleged Abuse of Women's Rights Activists.

Last year, we were all heartened by the news that Saudi Arabia was planning to lift its longstanding ban on women driving. We hoped that this would be a sign that the kingdom would finally shed its notoriously harsh policies toward women, such as the guardianship system under which women cannot make decisions without the permission of a male relative.

Tragically, we were mistaken. The kingdom has detained and reportedly tortured several of the activists who had long campaigned for more rights for women, including the right to drive. While some of these activists have been temporarily released, they continue to face trial for their peaceful protests.

This resolution calls on Saudi Arabia to release these peaceful activists and to hold accountable those who tortured them. It also calls on Saudi Arabia to end the guardianship system.

We welcomed reports from the past week that Saudi Arabia may loosen a few select restrictions within the guardianship system, but it is far past time for women in Saudi Arabia to make their own decisions about their lives.

The United States has a responsibility to advocate for human rights all over the world, including the right for peaceful dissent.

While we value our strategic partnership and alliance with Saudi Arabia, our partnership does not let the kingdom off the hook for abuses of fundamental human rights.

Today, the United States House of Representatives calls on Saudi Arabia to do better, to treat its women as citizens with full and equal rights, and to release and exonerate the peaceful dissidents who have long campaigned for human rights, including the rights of women.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank Chairman Engel, Representative Frankel, Representative Wagner, and the Foreign Affairs Committee members for their bipartisan work to advocate on behalf of the women of Saudi Arabia, including human rights activists.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.