Condemning the attacks on peaceful protesters and supporting an immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise in support of H. Res. 432, and I want to commend my good friend and colleague, Mr. Kildee, for his leadership on this issue. I also want to commend the incredible work of Chairman Engel for all he has done on this issue, as well as Chairwoman Bass and Mr. Bilirakis and others here.

Mr. Speaker, I am here today to express my unwavering support for the people of Sudan in their long-held desire to live in a democratic nation, a nation where all the Sudanese people live in dignity and where their rights and freedoms are respected and protected.

For three decades, the people of Sudan have suffered under the brutal, genocidal regime of Omar al-Bashir. They were murdered, mutilated, bombed, starved, imprisoned, tortured, and raped by Bashir's army, air force, police, intelligence unit, and paramilitary allies, formerly known as the Janjaweed and now organized as the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces.

Villages were burned to the ground, churches destroyed, radio stations and the press shut down, protests violently repressed, and food and medicine denied to populations at risk.

Last December, the people of Sudan rose up in massive protests across the

country and said: Enough. No more. The time for change is now.

On April 11, Bashir was removed from office by the Sudanese military. But instead of turning the government over to the civilian-led council, they took power for themselves.

On May 16, 92 Members of Congress sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the administration expressing support for a civilian-led transition in Sudan and concern about the military's escalating violence against the peaceful protesters, which I include in the Record.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, May 16, 2019.

Hon. Mike Pompeo,

Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State,

Washington, DC.

Steven Mnuchin,

Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Department of the Treasury,

Washington, DC.

Dear Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mnuchin: We write to

express our deep concern about the current situation in Sudan

and our support for a rapid transfer of power to a civilian-

led transitional government committed to laying the

foundations for democracy in the country. This is a critical

moment for Sudan, one that came about because the Sudanese

people took to the streets to demand it. It is also critical

for the United States to support Sudanese citizen's demands

for real democratic change.

We welcome the April 18th statement by the State Department

supporting ``a transition to a peaceful and democratic Sudan

led by civilians who represent the diversity of Sudanese

society,'' and expressing support for the ``will of the

Sudanese people'' for ``a transitional government that is

inclusive and respectful of human rights and the rule of

law.'' We appreciate the efforts of the Africa Bureau to

update congressional offices about the changing situation in

Sudan. We also acknowledge the African Union's condemnation

of the military takeover as a coup d'etat and its demand that

the military ``step aside and hand over power to a

transitional civilian-led political authority, in accordance

with the will of the people'' by June 3rd. We also welcome

U.S. efforts to bring together like-minded nations and donors

to emphasize international support for a civilian-led

transition.

The military leadership who have taken power are attempting

to create the appearance of change, but elements and

structures of the old regime remain. The Transitional

Military Council (TMC) does not meet the aspirations so

clearly articulated by months of peaceful pro-democracy

protests that demanded an inclusive, civilian-led democratic

change. A government dominated by the military is not the

goal of the Sudanese people and the longer the protestors'

demands remain unfulfilled, there is increased probability of

conflict like the violence against protestors, deaths and

injuries that occurred this week.

We support your decision to continue Sudan's designation as

a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) and to suspend Phase II

discussions. Congress also has a role to play in law

regarding changes to Sudan's status as a state sponsor of

terrorism. We encourage close consultation with and the

consent of Congress should the Administration seek to alter

the SST designation or provide further economic relief to

Sudan, actions which at the current moment would be

inappropriate and premature. We understand that rapidly

changing events on the ground might require a corresponding

change in U.S. policy and we are ready to work as equal

partners in decisions that advance civilian democratic

governance, respect for human rights, including religious

freedom, and rule of law.

The United States must send a clear message that the path

to international credibility and American partnership will

only come through credible civilian leadership. We encourage

you to use all mechanisms and leverage to facilitate, as

quickly as possible, an inclusive civilian-led transition to

democratic governance. The United States should make clear to

foreign governments that have expressed support for the TMC

that a civilian transition that reflects the will of the

Sudanese people is nonnegotiable.

In this regard, we are dismayed by the announcement from

the Governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

(UAE) that they intend to provide Sudan with $3 billion in

budget support and aid. We urge you to use all appropriate

diplomatic and political channels to discourage such a

transfer of funds. If funds are disbursed, this will likely

encourage the TMC to delay a civilian-led transition.

The Sudanese people will rightly determine matters of

justice regarding the crimes of the previous regime, given

the millions of people who suffered and perished under its

deliberate and repressive actions. It is important for you,

Mr. Secretaries, to emphasize that former President Bashir

and other officials and military officers of his regime are

internationally indicted for war crimes, crimes against

humanity and the crime of genocide. It is an urgent matter of

international law that they face trial and judgement on these

charges.

There are additional actions that we strongly encourage you

to take in your respective capacities as Secretary of State

and Secretary of the Treasury:

When a civilian-led transitional council is established--

one supported by the pro-democracy movement and the Sudanese

people--it is vital that the United States press for

unimpeded access by international humanitarian aid agencies

so that they may finally deliver, without interference or

conditions, emergency relief to populations in conflict areas

such as South Kordofan, Blue Nile and northern Darfur. We

understand this is also a current priority for the U.S. and

other aid donors, but unobstructed delivery of humanitarian

aid to these regions is likely to remain stalled until

inclusive civilian rule is established.

To support and increase the capacity of civilian leadership

and civil society, the United States should provide

transitional civilian authorities and entities with technical

and capacity-building assistance.

The United States, in consultation with Congress, should

signal its willingness to engage with and support

international financial institutions in aiding Sudan once

civilian-led transitional authorities are in place and

functioning.

The State Department should not issue visas to any Sudanese

official to travel to the United States until credible

civilian-led government is in place and functioning

independently. Nor should any Sudanese or TMC official be

issued a visa who has been internationally indicted, or who

might be subject to justice in Sudan for war crimes, crimes

against humanity or genocide.

Treasury, in consultation with the State Department and

relevant congressional committees, should continue to use the

sanctions authorities provided under the Global Magnitsky

program to target key Sudanese individuals, officials,

entities and networks.

Recognizing Sudan's extensive corruption, money-laundering

operations and theft of state resources, it is critical for

the United State to provide leadership on preventing funds

from being moved out of the country during this period when

the former Bashir regime is being pushed aside but current

regime structures remain in place. The Treasury Department

should issue public advisories to banks and other financial

institutions regarding the risk of such capital flight and

other high-risk transactions from Sudan, such as the gold

trade. This would be an action like the one taken by Treasury

in 2014 related to Ukraine. It is also critical that the

Treasury Department continue to track and respond

aggressively to similar transfers of funds that occurred

prior to Bashir's downfall.

Thank you for your attention to these urgent concerns and

recommendations. We look forward to working together and

developing a new policy framework consistent with American

values and the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

Sincerely,

James P. McGovern; Ann Wagner; Karen Bass; Jeffrey A.

Merkley; Todd Young; Christopher H. Smith; Chris Van

Hollen; Tina Smith; Gary C. Peters; Roger F. Wicker;

Richard J. Durbin; Richard Blumenthal; Elizabeth

Warren.

Eliot L. Engel; Barbara Lee; Adam B. Schiff; Nita M.

Lowey; Frank Pallone, Jr.; Maxine Waters; Zoe Lofgren;

Raul M. Grijalva; Michael T. McCaul; Gus M. Bilirakis;

Barry Loudermilk; Steve Watkins, Mark Meadows; Elijah

E. Cummings; John A. Yarmuth; John Lewis.

Naydia M. Velazquez; David Trone; Chellie Pingree; Gwen

S. Moore; Gregory W. Meeks; Yvette D. Clarke; Jan

Schakowsky; Donald M. Payne, Jr.; Peter A. DeFazio;

Eleanor Holmes Norton; Sheila Jackson Lee; Grace Meng;

Jared Huffman; Bonnie Watson Coleman; Federica S.

Wilson; Joaquin Castro.

Earl Blumenauer; Mike Doyle; Pramila Jayapal; Jim Costa;

David N. Cicilline; Suzanne Bonamici; Steve Cohen;

Ilhan Omar; Jamie Raskin; Bobby L. Rush; Mark Pocan;

Daniel T. Kildee; Andy Levin; Seth Moulton; Chrissy

Houlahan; Jennifer Wexton.

Jose E. Serrano; Donald S. Beyer, Jr.; Alan S. Lowenthal;

Darren Soto; Val Butler Demings; Henry C. ``Hank''

Johnson, Jr.; Stephen F. Lynch; Ruben Gallego; Anna G.

Eshoo; Emanuel Cleaver, II; Peter Welch; Albio Sires;

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.; Andre Carson; Lori Trahan; Mark

DeSaulnier.

Paul D. Tonko; Danny K. Davis; Ron Kind; Ro Khanna; Rosa

L. DeLauro; Ann McLane Kuster; William R. Keating;

Adriano Espaillat; Katherine M. Clark; Brian Higgins;

Richard E. Neal; Joseph P. Kennedy, III; Eddie Bernice

Johnson; Ayanna Pressley; Norma J. Torres.

Mr. Speaker, we had good reason to be concerned. Just 2 weeks later, in a clear demonstration of how little has changed, the Sudanese police and RSF, under the leadership of the Transitional Military Council's second in command, General Hemeti violently attacked the unarmed protesters, killing, wounding, and raping hundreds.

In an act of great cowardice and complicity, the Sudanese military chose to withdraw from the scene or stood by and watched the attack, doing nothing to protect the people. The Transitional Military Council then shut down the internet so information about the massacre couldn't come out. Last week,

they were forced to restore the internet, and the world has now seen hundreds of videos documenting this heinous crime.

On Saturday, thousands demonstrated to mark the 40 days since the deadly crackdown. Right now, African mediators are attempting to broker the details of a power-sharing agreement between the forces of freedom and change people's alliance in the Transitional Military Council.

I hope that they are successful in reaching a deal that guarantees a genuine civilian-led transition and democratic governance, but I don't want to see the civilian-led democratic reform movement undermined and forced to accept a bad deal, one where power and the corrupt and brutal structures of the former regime remain under military control.

Mr. Speaker, like so many of my colleagues, I have been engaged on the issue of Sudan for nearly 15 years. On April 28, 2006, I led Members of Congress, religious, and NGO leaders in an act of civil disobedience at the Sudanese Embassy to highlight the atrocities taking place in Darfur. It was my first of three such direct actions.

On May 1 of that year, I joined over 50 of those people on The National Mall to protest the genocide in Darfur. I took my young son and daughter to see how people from all walks of life came together in solidarity with the people of Sudan and demanded action.

Mr. Speaker, my children are now grown and in college, so I am not exaggerating when I say that what we are seeing happening today in Sudan is a once-in-a-generation moment for the people of Sudan. We cannot be silent.

Along with all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I want the people of Sudan to know that we stand with them, that we have always stood with them, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 432) condemning the attacks on peaceful protesters and supporting an immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan, 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. 432.

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

Mr. Speaker, let me first thank Representatives Kildee, Bilirakis, and McGovern, our Speaker pro tempore, for their hard work on this measure. I was glad to join as an original cosponsor, as well.

Sudan is at a critical moment, Mr. Speaker. Three months ago, when the Transitional Military Council, the TMC, seized power, one of my top concerns was when the reins will be turned over to civilian authorities. Despite the possibility of a breakthrough between the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change, the FFC, I remain concerned that Sudanese security forces intend to tighten their grip on power once again and even more. The sad fact is, for the overwhelming majority of its history since independence, Sudan has been ruled by military dictatorships.

This group, the TMC, has shown the world who they really are, and it is not a pretty picture. On June 3, they turned on the peaceful prodemocracy movement, committing a brutal massacre at the movement's sit-in site.

Following that atrocity, the TMC shut the internet down in a blatant attempt to slow the momentum of antigovernment protestors and kill the prodemocracy movement in its infancy.

Now that internet access has slowly been restored, the world is getting its first glimpses of deeply disturbing images: Sudan's citizens being murdered, tortured, or raped in Khartoum and across the country last month.

These troubling developments start to make sense when we look at the cast of characters involved. The deputy of the TMC, General Mohamed Hamdan ``Hemeti,'' leads the Rapid Support Forces. We know them as the Janjaweed, and we know that they have on their hands the blood of the Darfur genocide. Now, they are turning their violent tactics against the broader Sudanese population.

These are the same thugs responsible for the repression and economic mismanagement that characterized Omar al-Bashir's three blood-soaked decades in power. He is gone, but they continue to drive the country into the ground.

Thankfully, the Sudanese people are resilient. They continue to fight for their country's future, even in the face of violence and repression. Their civil society and diaspora networks have helped to shine a light on what the people in Sudan are enduring. They have had enough, and the United States and partners around the world need to have their backs.

This resolution underscores Congress' desire to see a civilian-led transition in Sudan, a transition free from violence and bloodshed. It is a good resolution. I am glad the House is considering it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass), chairwoman of the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the chairman of the Rules Committee and one of the most vocal Members on Sudan in Congress. He has done great work for many years.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal), the co-chair of the Progressive Caucus.

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

Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank Mr. Kildee, Mr. Bilirakis, and, of course the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McGovern.

What happens in Sudan in the coming weeks and months is a high priority for the United States. It is in our national security interest to support a peaceful, civilian-led political transition in Sudan and is consistent with our values to support the democratic aspirations of a people who have suffered under a brutal, violent rule for so long.

I urge all Members to join me in supporting this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Engel, the chairman, for his leadership on this issue, and my friends Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Wilson, and, obviously, Mr. McGovern, who have been working on this with me, along with Congresswoman Bass.

Congress cannot sit idly by while one nation kills its own people, blocks all communication to the outside world, and commits serious human rights violations. The people of Sudan, like all people, deserve the ability to determine their own future. They deserve a civilian-led democratic society. They deserve to not have to live in constant fear of violence.

It is for these reasons that we offer this resolution to affirm the position of the United States Congress, despite views that we may differ on, on other matters, and that we come together, Democrats and Republicans, across the political spectrum to denounce the trampling of human rights that is taking place in Sudan, to call on the Transitional Military Council to immediately stop any violence against those civilian protestors, and to begin the immediate transition to a civilian-led government.

The Sudanese people have a right to be free. They have a right to a democratic society. They have a right to not have to deal with the kind of oppression that they have experienced.

This resolution also lays out some very clear areas where Sudan simply has to improve if it wants to have a

productive relationship with the U.S. I believe that the U.S. should be engaged with Sudan, but we have to insist that the Sudan that we engage with and that the Sudan that we work with is a nation that is led by its own people and not subjected to the horrific examples of persecution that we have seen.

For three decades, the people of Sudan have suffered under terrible repression. Now that we have this moment where the page is turned, the worst thing would be to succeed one terrible period of oppression with another. That is why it is somewhat hopeful to see that there are some signs that some view as reason for optimism.

We have to make sure that this transition to a civilian-led government is something that actually takes place and that we don't allow Sudan to simply go back to the kind of military-led repression that we saw under Bashir. That is completely unacceptable.

While the situation is fluid, we have an opportunity to state with a very clear voice from the Congress of the United States, from the American people, to the people of Sudan and to the people of the world that the world is watching. We are paying attention to what takes place. We have a stake in the freedom of the people of Sudan.

That is why we are speaking up with one voice today. I am honored to join with my colleagues, as I said, across the aisle and across the political spectrum to speak with one voice on this subject. Congress has a chance to make a difference on this. The people of the United States stand with the people of Sudan. We deserve better, and they deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, I call on all of my colleagues to join us in this resolution and call for freedom and justice for the people of Sudan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H. Res. 432, condemning the attacks on the Sudanese people peacefully protesting their right to have a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan. The legislation emphasizes a positive and productive relationship between the United States and Sudan and demands significant political reforms and more accountability.

The situation in Sudan escalated in December 2018 and has been unstable ever since. The Transitional Military Council used Sudanese security forces to shoot peaceful protesters, leaving bodies in the Nile River. They shut down the internet for a month to try and disparage citizens from a united front and blocked journalists from doing their jobs, a clear violation of the freedom of the press.

The people of Sudan have the right to assemble and demand that the Sudanese security forces negotiate without being killed or wounded. The international community and its partners must continue to demand that the security forces stop assaulting their own citizens and adhere to the July 5 agreement.

The recent attempted coup was a ploy to try and deter the agreement, and the Transitional Military Council nor the civilian-led faction must deviate from this process. This agreement is too important, and the future of Sudan is at stake.

The agreement would potentially end months of atrocities and gross human rights abuses that have destabilized the country. The negotiated deal would have five Military Council members, five civilian members, and one civilian member chosen by both parties. The military member would lead the council for the first 21 months and then transition into a civilian-led council thereafter. This is a step in the right direction because both the Transitional Military Council and civilian- led groups negotiated the settlement.

I am also calling on the Sudanese Traditional Military Council to immediately open up the internet because it was a clear violation of the freedom of the press. Journalists must also be able to do their jobs and report and write on stories without being intimidated or physically harmed.

I support this resolution because it encourages the rights and freedoms of all Sudanese people and their right to peacefully protest and assemble and their right to a civilian-led government.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution condemning the attacks on peaceful protestors and supporting an immediate peaceful transition to a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan. I thank Congressman Kildee, Congressman Bilirakis, and Chairman Engel for their leadership on this issue.

For months, thousands of Sudanese peacefully took to the streets to protest the brutal and oppressive dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir. In April, he was removed from office.

I condemn the brutal attacks against peaceful protestors that took place on June 3. Over 120 people were killed, and hundreds more were wounded. The security forces responsible for carrying out and orchestrating these heinous attacks must be held accountable.

While we are hopeful that the July 5 agreement on the composition of a transitional government will be officially signed and set into motion, there is still much more to be done to advance a true civilian- led democracy. We cannot tolerate spoilers of this process, particularly those who look to support the status quo and the military regime in Khartoum.

I support the diplomatic efforts of Special Envoy Booth and commend President Donald Trump's administration for convening high-level working groups to align other countries in supporting a peaceful and democratic future for Sudan. We must continue our engagement at the highest levels to stand with the Sudanese people and their struggle for freedom and democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the primary Republican cosponsor of this measure.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank my colleagues for offering this timely resolution to condemn the brutal attacks on peaceful protesters and stand in solidarity with the people of Sudan.

The United States must continue our efforts to support a civilian-led democratic government in Sudan and take action against those who wish to undermine the will of the Sudanese people.

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