HR 9 — Falun Gong; persecution by Chinese Communist Party.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 22103606D I HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.

9 OfferedE January 17, 2022 N Condemning the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party.

TN Patrons––Avoli,R Kory,Agreed Batten,to Bulova,by Campbell,the R.R.,House Davis,of Delaney,Delegates, Edmunds,February Fowler,11, Freitas,R2022 Greenhalgh, Guzman, Head, LaRock, March, McGuire, McNamara, McQuinn, Mullin, Plum, Runion, Tata, VanValkenburg, Walker, Ware, Watts, Webert, Williams, Wilt, Wright and Wyatt O –––––––––– D Referred to Committee on Rules –––––––––– U WHEREAS, Falun Gong, a spiritual practice involving meditative "qigong" exercises and centerCdcentered on the values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, became immensely popular in China in the late 199WHEREAS,L in1990s, Julywith 1999,multiple theestimates Chineseplacing Communistthe Partynumber (CCP)of soughtpractitioners toat eradicateupwards Falunof Gongn;70 million;

anEand L through an intensive, nationwide persecution, and since then, hundreds of thousands of practitioners have E been detained extralegally in Chinese slave labor camps, detention centers, and prisons, where physical and mental torture is common;

and D WHEREAS, international media and human rights organizations have documented extensive usage of forced labor by inmates, including large numbers of Falun Gong practitioners, in prisons and labor camps throughout China, and the products of those camps are often exported to overseas markets, including the United States;

andandproducts 343,of condemningthose systematic,camps state-sanctionedare organoften harvestingexported fromto practitionersoverseas ofmarkets, FalunWHEREAS, Gongin andJune other2016, prisonersthe ofU.S. conscience in China;

andHouse Rof WHEREAS,Representatives inunanimously 1996,passed FalunHouse GongResolution was343, introducedcondemning insystematic, Virginia,state-sanctioned whereorgan thereharvesting arefrom nowpractitioners many 9 volunteer-run practice sites offering free meditation and exercises classes, and where dozens of Falun Gong survivors have come to reside after experiencing imprisonment, torture, forced labor, and medicalother testsprisoners thatof canconscience be used to determine organ compatibility in China;

and H volunteer-run practice sites offering free meditation and exercises classes, and where dozens of Falun 9 Gong survivors have come to reside after experiencing imprisonment, torture, forced labor, and medical R tests that can be used to determine organ compatibility in China;

and WHEREAS, Chinese labor camps and prisons generate huge amounts of revenue for the Chinese government through an extensive system of slave labor in which Falun Gong practitioners, members of 33 religious and ethnic minorities, and other prisoners of conscience are routinely forced, under inhumane 34 working conditions, to manufacture goods for export to Western countries, including the United States,States,e 35 in flagrant violation of international agreements against such practices;

and 36 WHEREAS, despite little media coverage of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, more than 5,000 Virginia residents have signed petitions to their local governments, and more than 20 Virginia localities have adopted related resolutions condemning the CCP's atrocities against Falun Gong practitioners initiesin China,ChiWHEREAS, includingFalun theGong usepractitioners ofhave forcedmade organcontributions harvestingto communities throughout the Commonwealth, and slaveall labor;Virginians stand in solidarity with Falun Gong practitioners in their pursuit of freedom of belief;

and WHEREAS, FalunVirginia Gongresidents practitionersmust havebe madefully contributionsinformed toof communitiesthe throughoutpossibility thethat Commonwealth,merchandise available in locWHEREAS, Virginia residents and allthe Virginiansmedical standcommunity in solidaritythe withCommonwealth must also be fully informed about the risks of travel to China for organ transplants to help prevent citizens from unwittingly becoming accomplices to the state-sponsored forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners inand theirother pursuitprisoners of freedomconscience; of belief;

andnow, WHEREAS,therefore, Virginiabe residentsit mustRESOLVED, beThat fullythe informedHouse of Delegates condemn the possibilitypersecution thatof merchandiseFalun availableGong inpractitioners localby storestheRESOLVED areFURTHER, That the productsHouse of Delegates strongly condemns the imprisonment, torture, slave laborlabor, systemand state-sponsored forced organ harvesting used against Falun Gong practitioners in China;China and demands an immediate end to the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party;

andand, WHEREAS,be it to the Governor of Virginia, the members of the Virginia residentsCongressional Delegation, and the medicalVirginia communityDepartment inof theHealth, Commonwealthrequesting mustthat alsothey befurther fullydisseminate unwittinglycopies becomingof accomplicesthis resolution to thetheir state-sponsoredrespective forcedconstituents organso harvestingthat fromthey Falunmay Gongbe practitionersapprised andof otherthe prisonerssense of conscience;the House of Delegates in this matter.

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates condemn the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the House of Delegates strongly condemns the imprisonment, torture, slave labor, and state-sponsored forced organ harvesting used against Falun Gong practitioners in China and demands an immediate end to the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party;

and, be it to the Governor of Virginia, the members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation, and the Virginia HR9 2 of 2 Department of Health, requesting that they further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the House of Delegates in this matter.