Senator Lankford Praises Congressional-Executive Commission on China Report

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today praised the release of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s (CECC) yearly report, his first as a new member of the Commission. As part of the CECC’s mandate, a report detailing their findings is submitted annually to the President and Congress. The CECC was created in October 2000 by Congress to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China. Lankford was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on August 6, 2015.

“Americans believe in the basic dignity of every person from every perspective,” said Lankford. “Over the history of our nation we have worked to right our wrongs and we challenge other nations to do the same. The time has come for China to confront its record on human rights. The annual report of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China not only highlights human rights abuses and violations, but makes recommendations for how to address them. As a new member of this worthy Commission, I believe this report is vitally important to our work in Foreign policy. The protection and advocacy of basic human rights around the world is a responsibility that America and Congress must take seriously. Our values are our greatest export to the world, especially in nations like China.”

The report released by CECC identified 19 human rights and rule of law issues areas and offered specific recommendations on ways to progress the issues of human rights within the US-China relationship. The report reveals the disturbing deterioration of human rights conditions that pose a direct challenge to U.S. national interests and U.S.-China relations. The report details problems regarding human trafficking, religious persecution, internet freedom, and population control, among other issues. In the report’s recommendations, the Commissioners identify a need for a top-down reformulation of U.S. human rights diplomacy with China.

The CECC consists of nine bi-partisan Senators, eight bi-partisan Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. 

CLICK HERE to access the 2015 CECC report. 

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