By Uyghur Times Staff
June 16, 2025 – Washington, D.C.
A group of ten Democratic U.S. Senators has called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to preserve the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), amid an ongoing reorganization of the department that may lead to the bureau’s restructuring or closure.
The lawmakers raised concerns following a notice sent to Congress last month indicating that most offices within the DRL could be closed under the current reorganization plan. The DRL has played a prominent role in promoting democracy and human rights in countries such as China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
In a letter addressed to Secretary Rubio, who served in the Senate for 14 years before being appointed Secretary of State by former President Donald Trump, the senators warned that the proposed changes could diminish the Department’s commitment to democracy and human rights. The letter, dated last Thursday and released to the press on Monday, described the reorganization as a “structural and substantive demotion” of human rights priorities.
The signatories include Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Dick Durbin, Chris Coons, Tim Kaine, Jeff Merkley, Cory Booker, Brian Schatz, Chris Van Hollen, Jacky Rosen, and Peter Welch. They appealed to Rubio’s long-standing record on supporting dissidents and emerging democracies, referencing his past remarks about the importance of U.S. advocacy for people under authoritarian regimes.
“As you stated in a 2017 subcommittee hearing, ‘millions of people around the world who live in societies dominated by fear and oppression look to the United States of America to champion their cause,’” the senators wrote. “There are no greater champions more capable of advancing this noble cause than the dedicated staff in DRL.”
Rubio, in a public statement issued on May 29, defended the reorganization as the result of “thoughtful and deliberative work” involving feedback from lawmakers, department staff, and external stakeholders. He said the proposed changes aim to make the department “more agile” and better positioned to protect U.S. interests globally.
The future of the DRL remains uncertain as discussions over the reorganization continue.
