In the News

Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) and U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, were joined by Reps. Rohrabacher (R-CA), Poe (R-TX), Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Brownley (D-CA), Farr (D-CA), and Valadao (R-CA), in reintroducing H. Res. 343, a resolution condemning state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups.

Statement by Connolly: “In the face of international condemnation, the Chinese Communist Party continues its brutal campaign against the spiritual movement of Falun Gong. The movement’s peaceful practitioners are persecuted and live in constant fear of state-sponsored abuse. This resolution advocates on behalf of their basic human rights and freedom and I hope my colleagues will continue to support strong advocacy on behalf of Falun Gong practitioners.”  

Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “The Chinese regime’s gruesome practice of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience is a barbarous violation of human rights and must be stopped. All people have the inherent and fundamental human right to practice their spiritual beliefs without fear of harassment, including Falun Gong followers. China should immediately end its systematic campaign of propaganda, imprisonment, and abuse against those who practice Falun Gong, release all prisoners of conscience, and allow an independent investigation into its state-sanctioned organ harvesting. I urge all my colleagues in the House to join Gerry and myself in cosponsoring and passing this resolution to help draw attention to the horrific human rights abuses, treatment, and persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.”