Dear Friends:

I am pleased to offer my best wishes to you as you continue your journey to raise awareness about the continued persecution of practitioners of Falun Gong in China.

As you know, the government of the People's Republic of China continues to forbid practitioners of Falun Gong to practice their faith, a nonviolent form of religious belief with millions of practitioners in China. I have long supported the right of citizens throughout the world to practice their faith without the fear of persecution and intimidation from the state, and developments such as these continue to trouble me. Please be assured I will continue to work to ensure that all citizens have the freedom to practice their religious and spiritual beliefs in an open manner.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to address this audience, and I wish you continued success on your journey.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Gephardt House Democratic Leader