Having won a second term in the U.S. Senate earlier this month, Florida Republican Marco Rubio is keeping his focus on international issues.
Rubio, a member of the Foreign Service Committee, turned to international issues last week, including teaming with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who came up short as Hillary Clinton’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, in unveiling the “Combating European Anti-Semitism Act.” The proposal mirrors a bill from the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism in the U.S. House, including two congressional representatives from South Florida, to examine growing ani-Semitism in Europe that was brought out last month.
“I am deeply concerned with the recent harassment and violence seen across Europe against Jews in schools and synagogues, as well as certain governments amplifying anti-Semitic messages,” Rubio said as he introduced the bill on Thursday. “America must prioritize working with European governments to combat this insidious global phenomenon. This bipartisan legislation will ensure the State Department has the information it needs to assess and understand the challenges so that we might combat European anti-Semitism in all its forms."
“I am alarmed by the steady increase in anti-Semitism we’re witnessing in America and Europe. We must be vigilant in reporting any incidents of anti-Semitism to ensure the safety, security and inalienable rights of Jewish communities,” said Kaine. “This legislation will help the State Department and Europeans work together to combat anti-Semitism and protect religious freedom for Jews and society at large.”
On the House side, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the chairwoman of the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, are two of the co-chairs of the taskforce which formed early last years. Other co-chairs include Republican U.S. Reps. Kay Granger of Texas, Peter Roskam of Illinois and Chris Smith of New Jersey, and Democratic U.S. Reps.Eliot Engel, Steve Israel and Nita Lowey of New York.
Last month, the eight House co-chairs explained in a joint statement why this bill was needed.
“It’s shocking that in the 21st century, anti-Semitism is gaining strength across Europe,” they said. “From taunts and threats on the street; to violent attacks in schools and synagogues; to governments amplifying anti-Semitic voices and messages, such as leaders in Hungary giving a prestigious state award to anti-Semitic writer Zsolt Bayer, many European Jews are being forced to reconsider whether there is still a future for them in their countries. This is unacceptable, and we will continue to call on leaders across Europe to speak out against this growing problem, strengthen partnerships with Jewish communities to help them develop safety standards, and foster cultures that respect diversity and inclusion of all minority groups, including Jews.
“Effectively confronting this problem requires a better understanding of its scope and depth,” they added. “This bill would require the administration to continue taking a hard look at anti-Semitism in Europe, providing a thorough assessment of trends and outlining what the United States and our partners are doing to meet this challenge. That way, we’ll have the best information available as we work to root out this pernicious threat and ensure that the commitment ‘never again’ remains a reality."
With anti-Semitism on the rise across the globe, the taskforce formed last year to serve as a forum for educating members on this distinct form of intolerance and to engage with the executive branch, foreign leaders, and civil society organizations for the sharing of best practices and cooperating on solutions to rebuff this disturbing trend. It also promotes Holocaust remembrance in concert with exploring innovative ways to teach tolerance and confront hate.
Besides that proposal last week, Rubio, who is the co-chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), teamed up with U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to bring out the
Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" which “would renew the United States’ historical commitment to freedom and democracy in Hong Kong at a time when its autonomy is increasingly under assault.”
“When the British handed over Hong Kong to the Chinese in 1997, Beijing promised Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy guaranteed under Basic Law,” said Rubio. “However, in recent years, Beijing has consistently undermined the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and infringed on the democratic freedoms the residents of Hong Kong are supposed to be guaranteed. This was on stark display over the last year with the abduction of the Hong Kong booksellers, the required loyalty oaths in the lead-up to the September LegCo elections, and last week with Beijing’s unprecedented intervention in Hong Kong’s legal system to block two democratically elected politicians from assuming office. China’s assault on democratic institutions and human rights is of central importance to the people of Hong Kong and to its status as a free market, economic powerhouse and hub for international trade and investment.
“The importance of this legislation was again impressed upon me today after meeting with pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, who became the face of the Umbrella Movement for many in late 2014,” Rubio. “Joshua is an impressive and thoughtful young man who, along with his fellow activists, represents the future of Hong Kong — a future that must not go the way of Beijing’s failed authoritarianism and one-party rule. It is critical in the days ahead that the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong be a vital U.S. interest and foreign policy priority. The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act reaffirms America’s support of the people of Hong Kong as they seek to oppose Beijing’s efforts to erode democratic institutions.”
“The United States must lead the world in ensuring that the Chinese government ceases any repressive acts in Hong Kong and abides by its three-decade-old international commitment to respect the autonomy of Hong Kong," Cotton said as the bill was unveiled. “This bill would empower the president to hold Beijing accountable and send a strong message to Chinese officials that attempts to undermine liberty in Hong Kong and walk away from their promises will not be without consequences. Hong Kong’s unique identity and traditions of liberty, rule of law, and a market-based economy can be a model for a China that is a more productive player on the international stage. U.S. foreign policy should encourage those traditions, and strongly warn Beijing against any diminishment of those values.”
Closer to home, on Tuesday, Rubio met with Cuban dissident Guillermo “Coco” Fariñas. After the meeting, Rubio said he would continue to stand against normalizing relations with the Castro regime.
“In the coming months and years, one of my top priorities will continue to be advocating for the God-given rights of Cuban dissidents like Guillermo ‘Coco’ Fariñas," Rubio said. “I appreciate his visit to Washington today, and stand with him and the many others who desire a freer and more prosperous future for all the Cuban people.”
Rubio also directed his fire towards President Barack Obama’s Cuba policies and expressed some hope that incoming President Donald Trump will prove matter on that front.
“By any objective measure, President Obama’s unilateral policy changes have failed, and they are not in the best interest of the American people or the people of Cuba,” Rubio said. “Rolling back President Obama's one-sided concessions to the Castro regime, a key campaign promise shared with President-elect Trump, will be a top priority for me next year. I will continue to fight to make sure civil society and dissidents from Cuba and other countries get more support from the United States than their oppressors.”
