Mrs. Kelly, we are delighted to welcome you here. I know that you have been extremely busy with your own subcommittee's affairs, dealing with the crisis in NATO and other important issues. At the same time, I also know of your deep interest in the United Nations. where you have served as our country's delegate, and your concern for the cause of human rights. Because of your record of activity in these fields, it is fortuitous that we have you as our leadoff witness today. We will be glad to receive your testimony at this time.

STATEMENT OF HON. EDNA F. KELLY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Mrs. KELLY. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman.

May I express my appreciation for your very kind and considerate remarks, and also may I express my personal thanks for permitting me to be the first witness, due to the fact, as you have said, that I must go to a meeting of the conferees on our foreign aid bill, but more important, I appreciate being here as the first witness, because of my deep concern, as you have already said, for the human rights resolution which the United States supported in 1963, and for your action as soon as possible on these particular bills.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in urging your subcommittee to give full and favorable consideration to the bill H.R. 16849 and the several companion bills, proposing the establish ment of a United States Committee on Human Rights to prepare for participation by our Nation in the observance of the International Human Rights Year.

As you know, Mr. Chairman, this legislation is responsive to the action of the United Nations General Assembly which, in 1963. designated the year 1968 as the International Human Rights Year and invited all member states to observe it as the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

I had the honor to have served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations at the time the 18th General Assembly discussed and resolved this issue.

I was deeply interested in it, and so was, I know, our late principal representative to that organization, Ambassador Adlai Stevenson.

We must also remember that another great American, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, had very much to do with the successful consideration and adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For these reasons, and because I believe that we ought to demonstrate our continuing concern for United Nations efforts to advance human rights, we ought to approve the legislation before you.

Let me say a word or two about the bill itself.

The bill provides for the appointment of a United States Committe on Human Rights to be composed of 11 members-2 from the House of Representatives, 2 from the Senate, and 7 from private life, designated by the President of the United States.

The functions of this committee would be advisory and coordinatin in nature. The committee would conduct studies to determine how the United States should participate in the observance of the Inter national Human Rights Year, and coordinate private and govern mental efforts during the year of the observance.

Ibr The committee would probably function for 3 fiscal years-1967 through 1969 so that there would be an effective followup to the actions, decisions, and recommendations which may emerge during the U.S. observance of the International Human Rights Year.

I may add that the committee would undoubtedly attract active support and cooperation of the many organizations and institutions in our country which are already interested and active in advancing human rights.

This, in brief, is the purpose, and the content, of the legislation before you,

I hope, Mr. Chairman, that this legislation will be enacted promptly, so that adequate time may be available for the selection of the most qualified members of the United States Committee on Human Rights, for the organization of the committee's staff, and for the initiation of plans and studies which should lead to an effective participation by the United States in this important observance.

I should like to add one final thought:

We have just devoted nearly 3 weeks to an exhaustive debate of the Civil Rights Act of 1966. This is just one of the steps which the Congress, and our Nation as a whole, have taken to assure proper respect for the basic inherent human rights of all of our citizens. But we have also taken many other steps-on different levels of government and in the private sector to promote the achievement of that goal. And we have made great progress in this field in recent years.

Unfortunately, the world hears all too little about out positive, achievements in the area of assuring respect for human rights. The excesses of some groups-the problems which still plague our societyare widely advertised. But our positive achievements are not. Änd many people here and abroad get an erroneous impression of the conditions which prevail in our country.

This is something which needs to be corrected. While continuing in our efforts to advance the cause of human rights, we must not ignore what this great free society has accomplished with the consent of an overwhelming majority of its people. And we must take care not to tear down what we have built already simply because we admit that there is still more to be done.

I hope that the proposed United States Committee on Human Rights can help us in this regard. And I again commend the legislation before you to your earnest consideration.

Thank you.

Mr. FASCELL. Thank you, Mrs. Kelly.

I certainly appreciate your thoughts and views on this legislation. I heartily concur with you that we need to make a positive presentation of our accomplishments all over the world.

I think that perhaps the international conference, or the celebration of the International Year would give the United States that opportunity to accomplish this goal in a proper forum. I commend

you for that idea.

I want to thank you very much for appearing. I know that you have to get to your conference committee. We will be delighted to hear from you again on the subject before we conclude, if you so

desire.

Mrs. KELLY. If I can help in any way, you know I will be available. I want to commend you for taking this action, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Mr. FASCELL. We have some other members of the Foreign Affairs Committee who wish to testify. We will hear from them as they arrive.

Now we are very pleased to call on one of our distinguished delegates and colleagues, the Honorable Seymour Halpern, of New York, who introduced the original legislation in the House and who has been long and deeply concerned in the cause of human rights and is a strong advocate of U.S. observance and participation in the International Human Rights Year.

Congressman Halpern, we will be very pleased to hear from you. STATEMENT OF HON. SEYMOUR HALPERN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Mr. HALPERN. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to say that I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to comment upon the bill, H.R. 12306, which I introduced on January 25, 1966.

The purpose of the legislation is to prepare for the American observance of International Human Rights Year in 1968

H.R. 12306 fulfills a recommendation made by the Citizens Committee on Human Rights of the White House Conference on International Cooperation. The Committee, chaired by Prof. Louis B. Sohn of the Harvard Law School, issued its report in December of

1965.

The legislation, in effect, responds to the action taken by the General Assembly of the United Nations which, in 1963, determined that the year 1968 should be designated as International Human Rights Year in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I am pleased that 16 of our colleagues in the House have cosponsored the measure. Subsequently, following my own action in the House, Senator Joseph S. Clark, of Pennsylvania, joined by 25 cosponsors, introduced the legislation in the other body, which is now pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as S. 3101. The bill has thus awakened impressive congressional attention and support.

In a letter to the Honorable Thomas E. Morgan, chairman of the full Foreign Affairs Committee, the Department of State expressed its full support of H.R. 12306, on May 12. The Assistant Secretary of State, the Honorable Douglas MacArthur, wrote at the time that the proposal "demonstrates the continuing concern of the United States for U.N. efforts to advance human rights in line with our support for the Universal Declaration in 1948."

As I have already stated, H.R. 12306 implements a recommendation put forward by one of the groups participating in last year's White House Conference on International Cooperation. Noting that 1968 is designated as International Human Rights Year, and that advance planning should be undertaken immediately, the Citizens Committee on Human Rights proposed that a representative U.S. committee be appointed as early as possible "to carry through a program of activity at the State, local, and national level."

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The Department of State, in its May 8 letter to the chairman outlining its views, wrote:

A Committee established by Act of Congress will attract immediate support and cooperation from the many U.S. organizations and institutions already interested in advancing human rights. The U.N. resolution designating 1968 as International Human Rights Year urges intensification of domestic efforts and educational programs.

I wish to emphasize that the Bureau of the Budget-I know this is important-voiced no objection to the legislation from the standpoint of the administration's program. It did, however, suggest four amendments of a technical nature. In themselves they do not alter the substance of the bill and thus, as sponsor of the legislation, I want to assure members of the committee that the Bureau's recommendations, endorsed by the State Department, should not raise any problems and are fully acceptable.

H.R. 12306 establishes a United States Committee on Human Rights charged with preparing for this country's observance of International Human Rights Year, 1968. The committee shall consist of 11 members, 2 of them from the House and 2 from the Senate, appointed respectively by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. The remaining seven members are to be designated by the President. As originally drafted, it was my intent that these seven persons be chosen from private life exclusively, preferably from the academic community. However, the State Department evidently felt that the President should have greater discretion to appoint committee members, choosing also from Government and semipublic sources. I am now inclined to agree, and hence concur with the suggested amendment to delete the phrase "from private life" from subsection 2(a) (3).

As recommended by the State Department, the Chairman of the proposed committee is to be appointed by the President, rather than the committee itself, which I heartily commend.

Also suggested was a new provision, substituting for the bill's subsection 2(e), which would cover per diem and travel expenses incurred by committee members, making these procedures conform with usual practice. The Bureau of the Budget, it seems, neglected to consider an alteration of section 5(c) in order to render it consistent with their change in section 2(e). Therefore, I propose the following amendment:

Delete the words "including travel time" from section 5(c).

I additionally support a new provision, titled subsection 4 (c), which would authorize the General Services Administration to make administrative services available on a reimbursable basis, as recommended by the State Department and Budget Bureau. All these proposed changes, as submitted by the executive branch, are in the hands of the committee and I have no objection.

The principal duty of the committee proposed by H.R. 12306 is to conduct studies and formulate plans which would make U.S. observance of International Human Rights Year an effective undertaking. The committee is authorized to initiate meetings and seminars concerning human rights on the Federal, State, and local levels,

It is expected to study the past and present official role of the United States in the human rights field. Based mainly upon its review, the committee is directed to submit a report to the President not later than July 1967, for transmittal to the Congress, recommending steps

whereby the United States can effectively participate in International Human Rights Year, and second, suggesting means whereby our Government can enhance the role and acceptance of human rights around the world. The Committee will continue to function throughout 1968.

I am pleased, Mr. Chairman, that H.R. 12306 has drawn enthusiastic support from many circles outside of Government. In order that the subcommittee be acquainted with this expression, I would like to submit several letters which reflect the widespread interest and backing which the bill has engendered.

First, a letter from Professor Sohn of Harvard who, as Chairman of the White House group, recommended the action which H.R. 12306 provides.

Second, a letter from the International Commission of Jurists, a nongovernmental organization of lawyers, situated at Geneva, Switzerland, having consultative status with the United Nations. In their letter to me dated February 1, 1966, the Commission supports H.R. 12306 and refers to its worldwide campaign for human rights, launched in conformity with the U.N. resolution making 1968 International Human Rights Year.

Third, a letter from Morris B. Abram, the U.S. representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. He stated in his letter of August 5 that passage of this bill would meet an

immediate need. * * * In our own country, organizations, universities and other agencies are already alert. They can work more effectively in cooperation with a Presidential Committee.

Fourth, a letter from Sol M. Linowitz, chairman of the executive board of the American Jewish Committee.

Fifth, a letter from Gladys A. Tillett, U.S. representative on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Sixth, a letter from Clark Eichelberger, Chairman of the Commission to Study the Organization of Peace.

Seventh, a letter from I. L. Kenen, executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Eighth, a letter from the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith.
Mr. FASCELL. We will be happy to receive them for the record.
(The correspondence referred to follows:)

Hon. SEYMOUR HALPERN,
House Office Building,

Washington, D.C.

LAW SCHOOL OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY,
Cambridge, Mass., February 14, 1966.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN HALPERN: Thank you for your letter of February 10 and for enclosing a copy of your bill proposing the establishment of a United States Committee on Human Rights to prepare for the United States participation in the observance of the year 1968 as International Human Rights Year.

I am very grateful for your effort to implement the report of the Committee on Human Rights to the White House Conference on International Cooperation I have written to Senator Clark asking him to present a similar bill in the Senate, and I have written to the White House asking for their support for the bill. understand that several private organizations are also interested in helping to secure early enactment of the bill.

With best wishes, I remain

Sincerely yours,

LOUIS B. SOHN, Bemis Professor of International Law.