Congressman Frank Wolf statement on House Floor on Catholic churches

China Aid Association
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
   Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I heard Mr. English speaking and wanted to come over to add my support for this resolution.
   Frankly, this whole place ought to be packed with people speaking on behalf of this resolution. Today in China, the Catholic Church is being severely persecuted. Why has the administration been silent, and other than this resolution, why has the Congress been relatively silent?
   There are a number of Catholic bishops that are in jail today, as stated in the New York Times piece the other day. There is also the issue of what they have done to the Vatican with regard to the Chinese Communist Government. Evangelical church leaders are being persecuted. I just wanted to put my two cents in with regard to support of this.
   For Members who just think this is another political thing, this is a moral issue.
   Isaiah says, “Learn to do right, seek justice, encourage the oppressed.” By passing this resolution, we encourage the oppressed.
   Isaiah goes on to say in Isaiah 59, “The Lord looked and was displeased there was no justice.” When the Lord looks at China, he has got to be displeased that there is no justice.
   Isaiah goes on to say, “He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene.” Fortunately, Mr. English, Mr. Smith and Mr. Lantos are intervening.
   But this Congress has to do more, and this administration’s silence is becoming deafening on this issue. The condition in China with regard to the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, the Uighurs, the Buddhists is worse today after President Hu left than before President Hu came.
   I want to thank the gentlemen for cosponsoring this. We ought to have a roll call vote. Frankly, everybody ought to vote on this issue because this would send a message to the Chinese Communist Government that this Congress will become again like the Congress was during the 1980s during the Reagan administration and will not stand for it.