Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a Congressional Joint Resolution to prevent the sale of $53 million worth of arms to the Government of Bahrain.

As I witness the series of extraordinary events that are sweeping across the Arab world, I am reminded of our own history, and America's struggle that led to the ideas that are enshrined in our Constitution. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The right of people to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances. The Arab Spring, reminds us that these freedoms are indeed universally sought.

The United States should stick up for individuals seeking such freedoms. not reward those who violently suppress such aspirations.

Selling weapons to the Government of Bahrain right now is about as backwards as a teacher giving the playground bully a pair of brass knuckles instead of putting him in detention. When the rulers of Bahrain are committing human right abuses against peaceful protesters, should we really be rewarding this type of behavior?

First, some context. Protests erupted in Bahrain on the heels of protests in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, as part of what is being called the Arab Spring. For many years the Shiite majority of Bahrain has been ruled by a Sunni royal family that has excluded most Shiites from political power and economic opportunity. When the people of Bahrain went to the streets to protest, the government responded with crushing force. Police opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, killing seven and seriously wounding hundreds. Protestors and dissident leaders were rounded up and arrested.

It is estimated that 30 people have been killed by government security forces since the start of these largely peaceful protests. Government agencies also fired more than 2,500 people suspected of sympathizing with the protestors and their democratic demands. A special military court was established by decree and has convicted over 100 people on dubious grounds.

Recently, 20 doctors who were caught treating wounded protestors were sentenced to prison terms as long as 15 years. One of the doctors said she was tortured and threatened with rape while in custody. In explaining the reason for her offense, the doctor said ``My only crime is I did my job; I helped people.'' Amnesty International has pointed out that an increasing number of cases involving civilians arrested are now being primarily tried in military court, without due process.

Human Rights Watch also reports that four people have died in custody. Their suspected cause of death is torture, and medical neglect. Leading political opposition figures who are demanding democratic reforms have been sentenced, in some cases, to life in prison, solely for their role in organizing peaceful protests.

Life in prison just for trying to hold their government democratically accountable. Just because they want the same opportunities as their Sunni neighbors. Just because they want to petition their government for a redress of grievances. I read these reports and I ask myself what our own constitutional framers would have to say about such actions.

So what's the Administration's response to Bahrain's actions? What's our government's response to these human rights violations? Well, Mr. President, the Administration has publicly called for an end to the violence. Secretary Clinton has said that the murder of unarmed protesters must stop.

However, at the same time, the Administration formally notified Congress on September 14 of its plans to sell the ruling regime of Bahrain 44 Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, over 200 anti-tank missiles and 50 bunker buster missiles, 48 missile launchers, spare parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, technical and logistics support services, among other things, all for 53 million dollars. The State Department also notified Congress that it is preparing to send $15.5 million in Foreign Military Financing to Bahrain.

Like I said we are giving the bully brass knuckles--and then some.

Should our country really reward a regime that has stifled its citizen's freedom of speech; a regime that has openly fired on peacefully assembled protestors; a regime who has tortured doctors for simply treating their fellow citizens?

I cannot support this sale while these abuses continue. That is why I, along with my colleague Congressman MCGOVERN in the House of Representatives, am introducing this Congressional joint resolution. I hope my colleagues will join me in sending a message to Bahrain that we will not reward human rights abuses.

To quote from the President's address to the United Nations General Assembly last month: ``Something is happening in our world. The way things have been is not the way they will be. The humiliating grip of corruption and tyranny is being pried open. Technology is putting power in the hands of the people. The youth are delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship, and rejecting the lie that some races, religions and ethnicities do not desire democracy.'' Well it is clear that the people of Bahrain desire greater democracy and opportunity and we should not be rewarding their oppressors with an arms sale at this time. Colleagues, please join me in cosponsoring this Congressional joint resolution.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the joint resolution be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the text of the joint resolution was ordered to be printed in the Record

Source