Human Rights
Congresswoman Sanchez is proud to represent the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam and is committed to improving human rights for all people in Vietnam.
As a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, Congresswoman Sanchez continues to lead the House of Representatives in calling for religious freedom and social justice for the Vietnamese people. Congresswoman Sanchez believes the Government of Vietnam must be held accountable for its human rights violations before viable economic relations can be pursued.
In March of 2009, Congresswoman Sanchez authored a bi-partisan letter to major internet service providers that expressed concern regarding worsening internet restrictions in Vietnam. The Congresswoman urged these service providers to respect the privacy and free speech rights of the Vietnamese people by providing users with full internet access.
On December 10, 2008, Congresswoman Sanchez led her Congressional colleagues in commemorating International Human Rights Day and the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations' adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Congresswoman urged Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to uphold the Government of Vietnam's pledge to respect the civil and political rights of its citizens and release democracy activists Pham Thanh Nghien, Nguyen Hoang Hai, and other political prisoners.
On the first day of the 111th Congress, Congresswoman Sanchez and other members of the Vietnam Caucus introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling on the U.S. government to re-designate Vietnam a "Country of Particular Concern" for its gross violations of religious freedom. In the 112th Congress, Rep. Sanchez will continue to fight for the civil and political liberties of the Vietnamese people, particularly the freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, and open internet access.