Committee also passes measure condemning organ harvesting in China

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), passed H.R. 4678, legislation prohibiting the president from giving U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to Cuba without congressional approval. 

On passage of H.R. 4678, Chairman Royce said: “The White House admits the Castro regime is sure to press for control of the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay next week.  And though the administration currently states it has no plans to give away the base, we must protect against executive overreach during this administration, and the next, and the next.  Because as we have seen before – whether it be unfulfilled pledges of consultation with Congress prior to any Cuba policy change, or the 11th hour lifting of missile restrictions as part of the Iran nuclear deal – administration plans can change very quickly.”

“The U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay is critical to our national security and humanitarian operations that have saved countless lives.  In fact, senior military officers view it as ‘indispensable.’  This important legislation will assert the longstanding constitutional and legal authority of Congress to determine its future.”

Additionally, the Committee passed the following measure: 

  • as amended, H. Res. 343, introduced by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People’s Republic of China, including from large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners and members of other religious and ethnic minority groups.

A summary of the Committee action, including adopted amendments, is available HERE.

###