Senator Patrick Leahy

Washington DC: The Senate Appropriations Committee, headed by Senator Patrick Leahy, recently released the official committee report to the State Department appropriations bill, including the following significant provisions on Tibet. The Committee report serves as guidelines for utilisation of appropriated funding for the US Administration and hence, assumes significance in the operation of the State Department.

The report writes in the section, Tibet, Documents and other Materials: “Funds appropriated by the act should not be used to produce or disseminate documents, maps, or other materials that recognise or identify Tibet, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan autonomous counties and prefectures, as part of the PRC, until the Secretary of State reports to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of the PRC has reached a final negotiated agreement on Tibet with the Dalai Lama or his representatives or with democratically-elected leaders of the Tibetan people.”

Language in an Appropriations Committee report conveys Congressional guidance on how agencies use appropriated funds.  According to the Congressional Research Service, “agencies treat these directives seriously, and the appropriations committees expect that agencies will generally comply with report directives”.

“This is a strong expression of support for Tibet by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Tibet has been historically independent but the middle way is the only way forward, a win-win solution for both the Chinese and Tibetan people.  This statement reinforces the fact that if China desires international legitimacy, it must reach a resolution with His Holiness or elected representatives of the Tibetan people,” says Representative Ngodup Tsering. He expressed “sincere gratitude to Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Richard Shelby, Chair and Vice Chair respectively, of the Appropriations Committee for their support”.

Filed by Office of Tibet, Washington-DC

Senator Richard Shelby