September 17, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 161 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 161
(Senate - September 17, 2020)
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[Pages S5698-S5699] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I rise to commemorate the International Day of Democracy. Since 2007, September 15 has offered an opportunity each year to reflect on the democratic values that we cherish and to recommit ourselves to promoting them around the world. The democratic project is especially important at this moment. Although some communities are experiencing greater rights and freedoms than ever before, there is also an alarming trend of democratic backsliding in many corners of the globe. Countries that were becoming increasingly open and egalitarian are moving back toward authoritarianism under unlawful, oppressive leaders. Meanwhile, countries that were already unfree are suffering even more disturbing civil and human rights abuses. If we turn a blind eye to these developments, it will embolden bad actors to continue undermining freedom, peace, and equality. The United States must lead all democracy-loving people in calling out subversions of democratic rights wherever they exist and holding those responsible to account. One country that requires our urgent attention is China. The Government of China has not adhered to democratic norms for a long time, but we should never allow that failure to normalize ongoing human rights abuses such as the vicious opposition to the Uighurs. International nongovernmental organizations have documented China's mass surveillance, arbitrary detention, torture, and political indoctrination of these communities for no reason other than their religious and cultural differences. We must do everything possible to fight for the freedom and equality of the Uighurs to help end this atrocity. We also need to stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong. Beijing's attempt to circumvent Hong Kong's independent legal system with a far-reaching, oppressive national security law is dangerous and in complete disregard of the one-country, two-system principle. I am likewise disturbed that the Hong Kong government inexplicably postponed the September regional elections for another year. The people of Hong Kong deserve to see their democratic aspirations realized and protected. I am pleased that there is bipartisan, strong support in the U.S. Senate and in the House for the people of Hong Kong, and I joined with Senator Rubio in introducing legislation to make that clear. China is certainly not the only place where democratic rights are threatened. We need to look closer to home, as well, to countries like Venezuela. In Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro's illegal regime has produced one of the worst humanitarian crises by plundering the country's resources for personal gain and using the distribution of food as a tool for social control. Maduro has completely ignored the Venezuelan people's call to return to democracy and is using the current global pandemic as an opportunity to consolidate his own power. In addition to addressing quasi-dictatorships in the Western Hemisphere, we must maintain pressure on the so-called ``last dictator'' of Europe, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. While Lukashenko's near three-decade rule has been full of corrupt power grabs and crackdowns and dissent, his behavior surrounding the recent Presidential election demonstrates a new level of lawlessness. Lukashenko refused to certify opposing candidates and then imprisoned them. He claimed victory through clearly fraudulent election results. He restricted the free flow of information by shutting down the internet and targeting journalists. And he oversaw the brutal repression of protesters, including many instances of Belarusian security forces repeatedly torturing detained civilians. Lukashenko knows that the Belarusian people are ready for a new democratic chapter that does not include him. Instead of stepping aside to serve the interests of his country, he has abandoned the rule of law in order to protect his own power. It is no surprise that Lukashenko has appealed to Vladimir Putin to endorse this tyrannical approach. President Putin is, after all, a veteran when it comes to destabilizing democracies. He has done so not only in his own country of Russia, where he overcomes dissent by changing the constitution to secure his rule and poisoning political opponents, but also in other parts of the world. That includes his continuous attempts to undermine our democracy here in the United States. President Trump has completely failed to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for abusing his own people's human rights and attacking the United States. Even worse, President Trump appears to have taken a page out of Putin's book, suggesting that if he were not reelected this November, he may not accept the results of that election. It is a sad commentary on the state of our domestic affairs that we have to take such a ludicrous statement seriously. We know that global democracy is in trouble when the leader of the United States is copying undemocratic heads of state instead of condemning them. These are but a few snapshots of what is happening in many countries around the world. If there is anything that I have learned in my many years of public service, it is that we can never take democracy--and all the freedoms, rights, and opportunities it entails--for granted. My work in the House and the Senate on the Helsinki Commission really embodies that commitment to stand up for human rights. The Helsinki Final Act made it clear that all States in Europe, the former Soviet Union, United States, and Canada embraced not only democratic principles and human rights of good governance but also the principle that we have a right to challenge the compliance with those commitments in any other member state. It is not interfering in their internal matters; it is holding them to the commitments they made in the Helsinki Final Act. Democracy is fragile. It must be constantly tended to and protected to survive and flourish. Therefore, while we have a responsibility to monitor the status of democracy in other parts of the world, we have a parallel duty to safeguard and tend to our democracy here at home. I cannot remember a more dangerous time for American democracy since the Civil War. To protect our democracy, we must protect the ability of every individual to exercise her or his right to vote. In the middle of a pandemic, that means expanding the ability to vote by mail so that we do not force people to choose between participating in our democracy or protecting their health. We need to make sure that State and local election boards get the resources they need to cover the costs of mail-in voting, and we need to defend the strength, integrity, and impartiality of the U.S. Postal Service. Our President also openly invites foreign powers to interfere in our election, and his encouragement has been effective. The same external factors that we know influenced the elections in 2016 are once again actively planning to interfere in the upcoming election. Regardless of party affiliation, we should all be able to unite in pursuit of a healthy, functioning democracy. That requires us to take action against the foreign actors seeking to spread misinformation and divide Americans for their own benefit. When we fail to protect democracy in the United States, it has consequences all over the world. After he was confronted about his recent brutal crackdown on protesters, journalists, and opposition members, Belarus President Lukashenko said that the United States ``should sort out their own affairs'' before attempting to interfere in Belarus. His statements made clear that President Trump and his administration and supporters' undemocratic behavior is eroding our credibility on the global stage as a voice for human rights. Let today, International Day for Democracy, be a reminder for us to stand up in defense of democracy, whether we are talking about China, Venezuela, Belarus, or here in our own backyard. The world is counting on us. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Braun). The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to use, during my remarks, two [[Page S5699]] exhibits of the Federal aid application form. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. ____________________
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