HRES515-119

That the House of Representatives— recognizes “A Day of Compassion”; congratulates His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday and affirms its recognition of his outstanding contributions to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious understanding; affirms the Tibetan people’s fundamental human rights and freedoms, including their right to self-determination and the protection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity; reiterates as outlined in the Tibetan Policy and Support Act that the identification and installation of Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders are within the authority of the Tibetan Buddhist faith community, in accordance with their inalienable right to religious freedom and a future 15th Dalai Lama is a matter that should be determined solely by the present 14th Dalai Lama; reiterates that any attempt by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to identify or install Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders, including a future 15th Dalai Lama, is invalid interference in the right to religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists around the world, including in Tibet and in the United States; and encourages that this resolution be presented to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as an expression of esteem and respect.