Expressing support for designation of November 7 as annual "Victims of Communism Memorial Day".

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 679 Expressing support for designation of November 7 as annual ‘‘Victims of Communism Memorial Day’’. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 5, 2019 Mr. LIPINSKI (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. DUNCAN) sub- mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of November 7 as annual ‘‘Victims of Communism Memorial Day’’. Whereas the year 2017 marked 100 years since the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia resulting in the world’s first Com- munist regime under Vladimir Lenin, which led to dec- ades of oppression and violence under Communist re- gimes throughout the world; Whereas the people of the United States should always re- member the crimes committed by Communist regimes in the past century, and which are still being committed today; Whereas based on the philosophy of Karl Marx, communism has proven incompatible with the ideals of liberty, pros- perity, and dignity of human life, and has given rise to VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:19 Nov 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR679.IH HR679 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HRES 679 IH such infamous totalitarian dictators as Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot, Nicolae Ceausescu, the Castro brothers, and the Kim dynasty; Whereas Communist regimes worldwide have killed more than 100 million people and subjected countless others to the worst and widest spread human rights abuses known to history, with victims representing many different ethnicities, creeds, and backgrounds; Whereas through false promises of equality and liberation, Communist regimes have as a matter of government pol- icy robbed their own citizens of the rights of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association through coercion, brutality, and fear; Whereas the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for the Victims of Communism stated publicly in 2018 that ‘‘Marx’s de- fenders often say he cannot be held accountable for what Communist regimes did long after his life and death; but Marxist dictators who massacred their own people were applying Communist ideology to political practice’’; and Whereas President Donald Trump declared November 7, 2017, as National Day for the Victims of Communism, condemning communism as a political philosophy ‘‘incom- patible with liberty, prosperity, and the dignity of human life’’; and Whereas President Donald Trump issued a statement on No- vember 7, 2018, honoring the ‘‘memory of the more than 100 million people who have been killed and persecuted by communist totalitarian regimes’’ and reaffirming ‘‘steadfast support for those who strive for peace, pros- perity, and freedom around the world’’; and VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:19 Nov 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR679.IH HR679 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HRES 679 IH Whereas the States of Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsyl- vania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia have ei- ther established or introduced bills designating November 7 as ‘‘Victims of Communism Memorial Day’’ on an an- nual basis in their respective States; and Whereas the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit organization, authorized by a unanimous Act of Congress that educates people about the ideology, history, and legacy of communism and honors the people who have suffered and died under Communist regimes: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Victims of 2 Communism Memorial Day’’ to recognize the 100 3 million victims of Communist regimes; and 4 (2) requests the President of the United States 5 to issue a yearly proclamation declaring the National 6 Day for the Victims of Communism, commemorating 7 the victims of communism, and condemning the 8 crimes of Communist regimes, past and present. 9 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:19 Nov 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR679.IH HR679 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS