Rep. Grothman Newsletter- Prisoners of Conscience in Vietnam

What's Ahead

1. Prisoners of Conscience in Vietnam.

2. Finding Answers on Afghanistan.

3. Weekly Roundup.

4. My Contact Information.

Prisoners of Conscience in Vietnam

Y Pum Bya is a Protestant leader of the Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ, and Y Yich is a Protestant pastor of the Degar Protestant Church. Both are staunch advocates for religious freedom in Vietnam.

In April of 2018, Y Pum Bya was arrested by Vietnamese authorities following allegations of “spreading false information about Vietnam's violations of minority rights and religious freedom”. While imprisoned, he was allegedly interrogated about his religious activities, tortured, and forced to sign commitments to stop worshipping. In early 2019, Y Pum Bya was sentenced to 14 years in prison for “undermining national unity policy”. He remains imprisoned today.

Like Y Pum Bya, Y Yich was arrested in Vietnam for “undermining national unity policy” and sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2013. Y Yich was accused of meeting with prisoners of conscience and spreading Degar Protestantism, a religious movement not approved by the Vietnamese government. Vietnamese authorities have reportedly tortured Yich in prison, leading to deteriorating health conditions, while also denying him access to medical care.

Many Americans do not know the horrors of communism and the human rights abuses that happen daily in communist countries like Vietnam, but the stories of Y Pum Bya and Y Yich remind us of the importance of America's role as a leader to promote and defend religious freedom on the world stage. The Vietnamese government deserves condemnation because nobody should be persecuted, hurt or killed because of their religious beliefs.

Religious persecution in Vietnam did not start with Pum Bya and pastor Yich, but it could end with their release, along with the release of all Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience and the cessation of the country’s systematic trampling of religions that threaten their communist rule.

I have "adopted" Y Pum Bya and Y Yich through the Defending Freedoms Project of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in order to share their stories and expose the human rights violations that persist around the world. I'm using my voice in Congress to urge my colleagues to sponsor Prisoners of Conscience in places like Vietnam, China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia so we can shine a light on the heinous human rights abuses that take place as a result of religious persecution around the world.

Learn more about the Defending Freedoms Project here.

Learn more about Y Pum Bya here.

Learn more about Y Yich here.

Learn more about the human rights abuses in Vietnam here.

Finding Answers on Afghanistan

As Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee's Subcommittee on National Security, I am in close contact with Congressman James Comer (R-KY), Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, to identify issues that call for government oversight and follow through with investigations.

Over a year after the fact, Americans are rightfully left with many questions about the aftermath of our chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), John Sopko, already has an investigation underway into our botched withdrawal. Upon its completion, Inspector General (IG) Sopko will submit his independent assessment of U.S. engagements in Afghanistan to Congress.

Unfortunately, the SIGAR investigation has not made much progress as a result of the Biden Administration questioning the SIGAR's authority. In other words, President Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal is in desperate need of oversight, and the Administration is currently failing to fully cooperate with the SIGAR investigation.

This week, Congressman Comer and I sent a letter to IG Sopko with an inquiry into the obstacles preventing him from securing critical information for his investigation into the Biden Administration’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Any attempts by this Administration to delay or deny providing required information to IG Sopko are unacceptable and can mount to obstruction.

The American people deserve answers on Afghanistan.

Click the image above to read more in The Hill

Weekly Roundup

This week, I had a wonderful visit to Hennings Cheese in Kiel. This family-owned small business has contributed to Wisconsin becoming America’s premier cheese producer since its founding in 1914.

Click the above image for more information

It was great to stop by and speak with the staff at Broadway Popcorn in downtown Sheboygan Falls this week!

Congratulations to Isaac Wieland for earning the rank of Eagle Scout! I was glad to attend your Court of Honor in Kohler to commend you on this achievement.

It was my pleasure to congratulate the management of Oostburg Concrete on the 75th anniversary of this successful family-owned business in the Sixth District. Congratulations on 75 years of excellence, and here’s to 75 more!

Contact Me

As your Congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the Sixth District.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).

Sincerely,

Glenn Grothman
Member of Congress