Letter to Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on 10th Anniversary, December 20, 2018

December 20, 2018

The Honorable James P. McGovern
The Honorable Randy Hultgren
Co-Chairs
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
4150 O’Neil Federal Building
200 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representatives McGovern and Hultgren:

As Chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I am pleased to congratulate you and all the staff of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on your tenth anniversary.

The protection of life and dignity of the human person is at the heart of Catholic social teaching. This Committee on International Justice and Peace works to promote justice, human rights and dignity in countries around the world where those rights and dignity are threatened.  The promotion of these values also forms the core of what it means to be an American.  The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights attest to our firm belief in the equality of humanity and the fact that we are all endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights.

Ten years ago, Congress committed itself to elevate the protection of human rights overseas when it created the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.  Since then the Commission has worked to highlight and defend the cases of countless people whose rights had been violated.  The Commission has shed light on numerous countries whose governments had trampled on the rights and dignity of their people and the Commission has taken up the cause of many vulnerable groups such as refugees, or minorities who have suffered persecution at the hands of their governments or society.

The IJP Committee and Catholic Relief Services were pleased and honored to work with you and the Committee staff to hold a briefing on Sudan done by the Most Reverend Macram Max Gassis, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of El Obeid a couple years ago.  I look forward to future opportunities of this kind.  

Wishing you continued success and blessings in your future work, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio
Archbishop of the Military Services
Chair, Committee on International Justice and Peace

Letter-to-Tom-Lantos-HRC-from-Archbishop-Broglio-2018-12-20.pdf