Condemning the United Nations decision to appoint China a seat on its Human Rights Council.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. RES. 919 Condemning the United Nations decision to appoint China a seat on its Human Rights Council. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 10, 2020 Mr. STEUBE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning the United Nations decision to appoint China a seat on its Human Rights Council. Whereas, on April 1, 2020, China was appointed to a United Nations Human Rights Council panel; Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has been criticized for being influenced by countries widely perceived as having poor human rights records; Whereas China rejected recommendations made by the Human Rights Council related to human rights activists, extrajudicial detention, freedom of belief, freedom of ex- pression, and the rights of ethnic minorities; Whereas some countries called on China to ensure greater protections of the rights of ethnic minorities; VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR919.IH HR919 2 •HRES 919 IH Whereas China violated basic privacy rights by spying on its own people; Whereas during the COVID–19 outbreak, China further sup- pressed religion in the country by destroying places of worship or placing them under heavy surveillance; Whereas in 2018, the United States left the Council; Whereas in 2018, the Department of State released its Coun- try Reports on Human Rights Practices, highlighting China for engaging in some of the worst human rights violations; Whereas former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called the Council ‘‘a protector of human rights abusers, and a cesspool of political bias’’; Whereas former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted that ‘‘China was appointed on Wednesday to a UN Human Rights Council panel where it will play a key role in picking the world body’s human rights investigators—including global monitors on freedom of speech, health, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention. You can’t make this up!’’; Whereas United States Government senior officials have ex- pressed concerns about the completeness and timeliness of information China is reporting on COVID–19; and Whereas China’s failure to be transparent with global leaders about the outbreak has cost thousands of lives: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) condemns the United Nations decision to 2 appoint China a seat on its Human Rights Council; 3 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR919.IH HR919 3 •HRES 919 IH (2) demands serious reform if the United States 1 is going to remain in the United Nations and pro- 2 vide funding to countries that ignore basic human 3 rights; and 4 (3) holds China and the United Nations ac- 5 countable for human rights violations. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR919.IH HR919