October 5, 2004 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation introduced by Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) calling on the Chinese government to end its oppression of Falun Gong practitioners in China and its intimidation of Falun Gong supporters in the United States. Both Congresswomen introduced separate legislation to protect Falun Gong practitioners and supporters in China and the United States, but decided to work together in the 108th Congress in order to get legislation through the U.S. House. “In 1999, the Chinese government began its brutal crackdown against Falun Gong practitioners on the mainland and shockingly, China’s campaign against the Falun Gong has extended to the United States,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey. “H. Con. Res. 304 is about protecting human rights and democracy from a foreign government that would try to interfere with our democratic process. I hope that this legislation will bring attention to the scores of Falun Gong practitioners who have been killed, the thousands who have been imprisoned and the intimidation by the Chinese government that is occurring on American soil.” “This is the United States of America, cradle of freedom and democracy. We will not sit idly by as the Chinese regime infringes upon the rights of our citizens and residents who practice Falun Gong,” said Rep. Ros-Lehtinen. H.Con.Res. 304 demands the immediate end of harassment, detention and imprisonment of detainees in China who are exercising their rights to freedom of religion, expression and association, as protected in the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China. In particular, the Resolution cites the detention of Dr. Charles Lee, a resident of Menlo Park, California and a U.S. citizen, who has reportedly been mentally and physically tortured since being detained by Chinese authorities earlier this year. Also, the Resolution calls for the U.S. Attorney General to investigate abuses of Chinese officials in the United States and mentions efforts by the Chinese government to silence the Falun Gong movement in the United States by assaulting practitioners in New York City and Chicago and, intimidating local American government officials to rescind their support of the Falun Gong. These leaders include the City Supervisor of San Francisco, and the Mayor of Saratoga, California.