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Letter to John Kerry, Secretary of State, and Michael Froman, U.S. Trade Representative - End Trade Negotiations with Brunei

Letter

By: Lois Frankel, Luis Gutiérrez, John Conyers, Jr., Sam Farr, Anna Eshoo, Joyce Beatty, Ted Deutch, Ami Bera, John Garamendi, Tony Cárdenas, André Carson, Tammy Duckworth, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dan Kildee, Steve Israel, Rosa DeLauro, Jim McGovern, Chellie Pingree, Rick Nolan, Jim McDermott, Frederica Wilson, Jerry Nadler, Jared Polis, Albio Sires, Sean Maloney, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Pete Visclosky, Gary Peters, Bobby Scott, Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison, Louise Slaughter, Elijah Cummings, Rush Holt, Jr., Judy Chu, Bill Enyart, Danny Davis, Al Green, Donna Edwards, Mike Doyle, Jr., Elizabeth Esty, Brian Higgins, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeem Jeffries, Dina Titus, Jan Schakowsky, Mike Michaud, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Carolyn Maloney, Juan Vargas, George Miller, Allyson Schwartz, Collin Peterson, Eleanor Norton, Frank Pallone, Jr., Paul Tonko, Eric Swalwell, Mark Pocan, Katherine Clark, Annie Kuster, Steven Horsford, Steve Cohen, Joe Garcia, Alcee Hastings, Sr., Alan Grayson, Matt Cartwright, Lois Capps, Sheila Jackson Lee, Peter DeFazio, Bill Keating, Hank Johnson, Jr., Tim Bishop, Marcy Kaptur, Henry Waxman, John Tierney, Nita Lowey, Patrick Murphy, Betty McCollum, Nydia Velázquez, José Serrano, Jackie Speier, Alan Lowenthal, Raul Ruiz, Linda Sánchez, Beto O'Rourke, Grace Napolitano, Grace Meng, Bob Brady, Janice Hahn, Lloyd Doggett II, Julia Brownley, Mike Capuano, Corrine Brown, Bruce Braley, Eliot Engel, Jared Huffman, Ann Kirkpatrick, David Cicilline, John Lewis, Jim Langevin, Mike Honda, John Dingell, Xavier Becerra, Mark Takano, Carol Shea-Porter, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Adam Schiff, Bobby Rush, Ben Luján, Jr., Brad Sherman, Dan Maffei, Kyrsten Sinema, Chris Van Hollen, Jr., Gwen Moore, Tim Ryan, Peter Welch, John Yarmuth
Date: June 12, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Trade

Dear Secretary Kerry and Ambassador Froman:

We write to express our concern over the Government of Brunei Darussalam's recently adopted penal code, which threatens the human rights of minority groups including women, religious minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, and urge you to insist that Brunei address these human rights violations as a condition of the United States participating with them in any further Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations.

As Members of Congress, we believe that protecting fundamental human rights is a cornerstone of American values and must always be a priority in our relations, both diplomatic and economic, with foreign countries. The United States is committed to protecting the rights of religious minorities, LGBT individuals and women across the globe. Moreover, time and again, the United States has spoken out against anti-LGBT activity and discriminatory laws in countries like Nigeria and Uganda and against unequal protection of women, in countries such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, and against the persecution of religious minorities in the Central African Republic, China, and Pakistan.

Brunei's adoption of the revised penal code legalizes violence against its citizens, constituting torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. The United States must make it clear that we will not tolerate such abuses. International trade partners have much to gain from an economic relationship with the United States, and our trade agreements should insist that participating countries adhere to internationally recognized civil, political, and human rights standards. Targeting LGBT individuals or religious minorities and opening the door for discrimination and violence against women is a threat we cannot overlook, and should trade agreements like the TPP go into effect with the participation of human rights violators, the United States would lose its leverage to provide economic pressure on countries to reverse unacceptable policies.

As the world's largest economy, the United States holds a significant place in world affairs and must use this position to address human rights atrocities in countries like Brunei. According with all applicable rules and regulations, we urge you to insist that Brunei address these human rights violations as a condition before the United States enter into any trade negotiations.


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