Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on 70 years of VOA broadcasting to China – BBG Watch

BBG Watch, an independent website managed by former and current employees of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), has released a full transcript of Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s special video statement on the 70th anniversary of Voice of America (VOA) broadcasting to China. BBG Watch reported that while her statement did appear on the VOA Chinese website, the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Public Affairs Office refused employee requests to issue a press release on the 70th anniversary reception hosted on Capitol Hill by Congressman Dana Rohrabaher on December 6, 2011 and on the statement by the Chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The BBG wanted to end VOA broadcasts to China on October 1, 2011 but was prevented from taking this step due to a bipartisan opposition in Congress. Congresswoman Ileana-Ros Lehtinen recorded this statement of support for VOA broadcasts to China in early December, 2011.
Statement by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairwoman on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Hi, my name is Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and I have the high honor of chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And in that capacity I would like to officially congratulate the Voice of America for 70 years of outstanding broadcasting to China.
You are bringing that light of information and that freedom of the press to an oppressed people. So thank you VOA for 70 years of excellence in broadcasting and may you be continuing to shine that light of freedom of the press for the people of China.
But we hope that soon we won’t need such broadcasts because the people of China will be free, because the press will not be interfered with, and the people will have free access to the flow of information. But, meanwhile, we need the Voice of America’s broadcasts to China.


Link to the video of the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, congratulating the Voice of America (VOA) on the 70th anniversary of VOA broadcasting to China.