NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - The US Senate on Thursday approved a measure to block travel visas for foreign officials who engage in religious persecution or promote forced abortions and sterilizations.

      The measure, an amendment to the $252 billion defense spending bill, was originally sponsored by Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Arkansas, and was targeted at officials of the Chinese Communist government. Facing defeat, the bill was changed to apply to all officials of foreign governments and added the practice of genital mutilation to the list of offenses. The practice is generally done in some Muslim countries as a means of control of young women, but is condemned by most governments and Islamic religious leaders.

      Supporters of the measures said Clinton's trip to China earlier this month had failed to stem human rights abuses by the Chinese government, noting the detention of more than 20 Chinese dissidents since the summit. The House has already approved a $250 billion defense spending bill, and the differences will be worked out in a House-Senate conference committee.