(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today commented on the release of a revised “outcome document” for the United Nations Durban Review Conference on Racism (Durban II), to be held in April of 2009. The document reaffirms the entire original Declaration and Program of Action of the first Durban Conference, which was an anti-Semitic hate-filled event. This proposed text singles out Israel for criticism while ignoring those who propagate racism and intolerance, while also aiming to restrict freedom of expression in the name of preventing “Islamophobia.” Ros-Lehtinen has urged the U.S. to refrain from attending from Durban II, proposed legislation to prevent U.S. funds from being used in any way to support that conference, and held a meeting in June with foreign diplomats, State Department officials, Members of Congress, human rights groups and other non-governmental organizations to discuss an alternative forum to combat discrimination and intolerance. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: