[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 103 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)] [Senate] [Page S5804] SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS ______ SENATE RESOLUTION 198--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION SHOULD TURN OVER EDWARD SNOWDEN TO UNITED STATES AUTHORITIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mr. GRAHAM (for himself and Mr. Schumer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: S. Res. 198 Whereas Edward Snowden leaked classified information to various sources including the Guardian and the Washington Post; Whereas Mr. Snowden fled the United States to Hong Kong on May 20, 2013, with multiple laptops containing highly classified information; Whereas, on June 5, 2013, the press reported classified information relating to the national security of the United States; Whereas Mr. Snowden's actions have compromised the national security of the United States; Whereas, on June 9, 2013, Mr. Snowden publicly stated, ``I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong.''; Whereas, on June 23, 2013, Mr. Snowden departed Hong Kong en route to Moscow, Russia; Whereas Mr. Snowden has been staying on Russian territory in the Sheremetyevo Airport since his arrival; Whereas the Sheremetyevo Airport is part of the sovereign territory of the Russian Federation; Whereas, on June 14, 2013, the United States Government filed a criminal complaint against Edward Snowden for charges under section 641 (relating to theft of Government property), section 793(d) (relating to unauthorized communication of national defense information), and section 798(a)(3) (relating to the willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person) of title 18, United States Code. Whereas Mr. Snowden has stated his intentions to continue to leak classified information and poses a continuing threat to the security of the United States; Whereas Mr. Snowden has applied for asylum in at least 21 countries, including a number of countries with some of the worst human rights records, including the Russian Federation, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Ecuador; Whereas, on July 16, 2013, Mr. Snowden applied for temporary asylum in the Russian Federation in order to facilitate his transit to Latin America; Whereas the Department of State Human Rights Report for 2012 cites the Russian Federation's restrictions on civil liberties and the denial of due process, allegations of torture and excessive force by law enforcement officials; life-threatening prison conditions; interference in the judiciary and the right to a fair trial; abridgement of the right to privacy; restrictions on minority religions; widespread corruption; societal and official intimidation of civil society and labor activists; limitations on the rights of workers; trafficking in persons; and attacks on migrants and select religious and ethnic minorities; Whereas, on July 6, 2013, President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro offered asylum to Snowden, stating, ``In the name of America's dignity. . . I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to Edward Snowden.''; Whereas the Department of State Human Rights Report for 2012 cites the Government of Venezuela for corruption, inefficiency, and politicization in the judicial system; government actions to impede freedom of expression; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; government use of the judiciary to intimidate and selectively prosecute political, union, business, and civil society leaders who were critical of government policies or actions; government harassment and intimidation of privately-owned television stations, other media outlets, and journalists throughout the year, using threats, fines, property seizures, targeted regulations, and criminal investigations and prosecutions; and failure to provide for due process rights, physical safety, and humane conditions for inmates, which contributed to widespread violence, riots, injuries, and deaths in prisons; Whereas, on June 25, 2013, President of Russia Vladmir Putin stated that the Russian Federation would never extradite Edward Snowden to the United States; Whereas, on July 16, 2013, White House spokesman Jay Carney stated that Mr. Snowden should be expelled from the Russian Federation and returned to the United States to face trial, stating, ``He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident. He is accused of leaking classified information.''; and Whereas, on July 16, 2013, President Putin stated that Mr. Snowden ``came to our territory without invitation, we did not invite him'' and that ``[we] have certain relations with the United States and we don't want [Snowden] to damage our ties'': Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that-- (1) the Government of the Russian Federation's continued willingness to provide shelter to Edward Snowden is negatively impacting bilateral relations with the United States; (2) the Government of the Russian Federation should immediately turn Edward Snowden over to the appropriate United States authorities so he can stand trial in the United States; (3) the President should consider options, including recommending a different location for the September 2013 G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, should the Russian Federation continue to allow shelter for Mr. Snowden; and (4) the United States Government should consider all economic and diplomatic options when pursuing Mr. Snowden. ____________________