On November 4, 2003, US Congressman Todd Akin from Missouri wrote in an email to Falun Gong practitioner:
"Thank you for contacting me regarding China's human rights abuses. "
"China's human rights record is atrocious. Its Communist leadership has, over more than five decades, fostered a policy of political and religious persecution, state-induced famines, false arrests and forced abortions. China's persecution of religion including Christians, Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners is one of the most outrageous aspects of its long time assault on human dignity."
"Our Declaration of Independence states that human rights come to us from the Creator, that they are self-evident and that they for all men. Based on this principle I believe that it is the responsibility of the United States to stand for freedom for all people and to pursue policies to help everyone enjoy their God-given liberty. "
"I support economic openness with China in part because by engaging in trade with the world's most populous nation, we will be able to inject our American ideals into its culture and government and thereby bring more freedom to that country. "
"However, I also believe that China's abuses need to be met head on. To that I end I recently sent a letter to the Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi, reminding him of China's dismal human rights record, admonishing him to encourage his government to respect basic human rights and informing him of my resistance to his efforts to discourage me from aiding Falun Gong practitioners and other victims of Chinese tyranny. I also have co-signed my colleague Representative Anna Eshoo's letter to Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi in an attempt to secure the release of Chinese political prisoner, Dr. Charles Li. "
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"Be assured that I will continue to encourage both the Congress and the Bush Administration to advocate on behalf of the millions of oppressed people on China. Thank you again for sharing your concerns with me. If I can be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact me. "
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