Mr. Speaker, during Saddam Hussein's reign, the Kurdish people in northern Iraq suffered horrific atrocities. Today much has changed for the people of Kurdistan, but for many Iraqi Christians, there is still change needed in that emerging democracy.
Dangerous living conditions, terrorist attacks and forced immigration are still taking a toll. Discrimination against certain groups, such as Iraqi Christians, continues to prevent children from attending their classes and their parents from fully engaging in society. A shameful history of human rights suppression in the region has still not ended.
I call upon the government to use every diplomatic tool available to work with the Iraqi government to ensure that basic ideals of religious freedom are respected and protected. The people of Ninawa and all Iraqi Christians deserve our support and our protection. I believe that by speaking out and by constructive engagement we can help make this a reality.