| The Devastating Crisis In Eastern Congo |
January 3, 2013 |
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Christopher Smith, R-NJ
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"Mr. Speaker, last month the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights held a hearing which examined U.S. policy regarding the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This conflict was exacerbated by Rwanda’s interventions in neighboring eastern Congo, as documented by the release of three United Nations reports last year. These reports confirmed Rwanda’s support of militia who have ravaged and continue to plague this region. The State Department was unavailable to testify at our September 19th hearing on this issue, and the subcommittee promised at that time to follow-up when State was available to testify."
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| Greater Exports To Africa |
December 11, 2012 |
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Richard Durbin, D-IL
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"A recent New York Times article illustrated an even greater cost—a far more deadly side of Chinese involvement in Africa. It dealt with the resurgence of ivory poaching in Uganda and Kenya and the DRC. It is a resurgence that has resulted in tens of thousands of elephants being slaughtered over the past several years and, get this, it is a resurgence fueled by Chinese demand—as much as 70 percent of the ivory is smuggled to China. In fact, the article goes on to say that there is growing evidence that ivory poaching actually increases in elephant-rich areas where Chinese construction workers are building roads."
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| Recognizing The Honorable Elma Teresa Salinas Ender |
November 30, 2012 |
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Henry Cuellar, D-TX
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"Currently, Judge Ender serves as chair for the Board of Judges overseeing the Auditor and on the Indigent Defense Services Oversight Committee for the Webb County Judiciary. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law and a B.B.A. from University of Texas in Austin, with a major in accounting. She holds a Certificate in Commercial and International Arbitration from the University of Houston Law School, A. A. White Dispute Resolution Center and certificates in dispute resolution from the National College for the Judiciary, the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at the University Of Texas School Of Law, and the DRC in Austin, Texas. Appointed in 1995 by then Governor George Bush, as an ad hoc committee member, Judge Ender worked to rewrite the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Appointed by Governor Mark White in 1986, she served on a Task Force charged with drafting professional standards to be used to certify juvenile detention centers. She has served as President, Vice President and 4th Administrative District Representative for the Texas District Judges’ Association."
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| Examining The Role Of Rwanda In The Drc Insurgency |
September 19, 2012 |
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Christopher Smith, R-NJ
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"Mr. Speaker, I held a hearing that examined U.S. policy toward Rwanda following the release on June 26th of a United Nations report confirming Rwanda’s support of rebels who have ravaged the provinces of North and South Kivu in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC. In the aftermath of the 1994 genocide until the issuance of this report, the international community declined to comment on Rwanda’s interventions in the DRC. We need to better understand the devastation caused by these interventions and gauge how the United States can play a helpful role in bringing this crisis to an end."
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| U.S. Policy Toward Post Election Democratic Republic Of The Congo |
February 3, 2012 |
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Christopher Smith, R-NJ
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"Prior to yesterday, the Subcommittee last examined the situation in the DRC in a hearing in March of last year, when the storm clouds were gathering in advance of the November elections. The DRC is now struggling with the aftermath of those elections. Opposition political parties and civil society, especially the Catholic Church, appear unwilling to accept the results of the presidential and legislative elections. Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi received 32 percent of the votes, but he believes he was cheated out of votes that would have made him the winner in the elections. He has staged a presidential swearing-in ceremony and announced that he will form a government. He also has called on supporters to march with him to government headquarters. However, government armed forces have surrounded his home since the presidential results were announced on December 9, and even his aides have been prevented from meeting with him."
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