Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021
Floor Speech
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1112) to require a report on the military coup in Burma, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1112
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On March 14, 2005, the House of Representatives agreed to H. Res. 135, which established the House Democracy Assistance Commission (later changed to the House Democracy Partnership, hereafter referred to as ``HDP'') to work directly with parliaments around the world to support the development of effective, independent, and responsive legislative institutions.
(2) HDP approved a legislative strengthening partnership with Burma in 2016 and organized the first congressional delegation to meet with the new civilian-led government, led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and civil society leaders in May 2016.
(3) On February 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of State assessed that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's ruling party, and President Win Myint, the duly elected head of government, were deposed in a military coup on February 1, 2021.
(4) As part of the military coup, the Burmese military declared martial law, suspended the civilian-led government, and detained newly elected Members of Parliament in the capitol, Naypyidaw, thereby usurping the role of the democratically elected government and parliament. SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) due to the Burmese military's seizure of government through the detention of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other government leaders, Burma is not represented by a democratically-elected government;
(2) the inability of newly elected Members of Parliament to begin their official mandate due to the Burmese military's actions directly threatens the democratic trajectory of Burma's Parliament, and thereby the country;
(3) the will and determination of those duly-elected Members of Parliament who are taking it upon themselves to continue serving as representatives of the people through alternative methods of communicating and convening should be lauded; and
(4) by preventing the Parliament from completing its work, the Burmese military has rendered impossible and effectively nullified the international collaborative relationships that have supported and strengthened the institution, including the Burmese parliament's partnership with HDP. SEC. 4. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES REGARDING BURMA'S DEMOCRACY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) condemn the military coup in Burma, to urge the unconditional release of detained democratically-elected leaders and civil society members, and to support a return to Burma's democratic transition;
(2) instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the United States Government to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the United Nations to hold accountable those responsible for the military coup in Burma; and
(3) engage with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN member states to promote a return to Burma's democratic transition and democratic values throughout Southeast Asia, and support the centrality of ASEAN within the regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific. SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report on the military coup in Burma, including a description of efforts to implement the policy specified in section 4.
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Mr. MEEKS. 1112, as amended.
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking Mr. Connolly for this important bill before us today.
The Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021 is a timely measure that ensures the United States is not silent when a military coup supplants democracy. It also directs strong U.S. engagement with our partners at the U.N. and ASEAN because we are always stronger when we are united.
In 2015, decades of brutal military rule gave way to what many hoped would be a new era of reform and democratization in Burma. That hope was short-lived, and the Tatmadaw began to show its true colors as it engaged in a genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority.
Now, a little more than 5 years after the democratic opening that it helped usher in, the military has halted Burma's democratic experiment.
By all accounts, Burma's November 2020 parliamentary elections were credible, and claims of widespread fraud have been debunked by election-monitoring authorities. The United States condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the actions of the Burmese military and its violent crackdown and killing of protesters. But we cannot stand alone.
To be most effective, the United States must work with our partners in the region in condemning the Tatmadaw's brutal actions in supporting democracy and respect for the election outcome.
Madam Speaker, that is exactly what this bill sets out to do. It makes clear where the U.S. stands. It promotes multilateral cooperation as we work to hold the Burmese military accountable and call for a return to Burma's democratic transition. It also ensures reporting to Congress so that we can properly review U.S. policy.
Madam Speaker, this is a very important bill that sends a message to the people of Burma and to the entire world, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), an esteemed member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and author of this important bill.
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the distinguished chairman of the House Democracy Partnership.
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I am proud to advocate the passage of H.R. 1112, the Protect Democracy in Burma Act; and H. Res. 134, a resolution condemning the military coup taking place in Burma.
I commend Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for their leadership. As chairman of the House Democracy Partnership, I am happy to work alongside Representative Connolly to champion this bill, and I commend Representative Levin for his good work, as well.
What is going on in Burma demands action. The very foundation of Burmese democracy and, consequently, the country's international standing now hang in the balance as a result of the Burmese military's reckless action. The situation is deteriorating rapidly, with Burmese military and security forces violently attacking and rounding up peaceful protestors, civil servants, community leaders, journalists, and even emergency medical personnel. The death toll is now estimated at 200.
The democratically elected Government of Burma, to be sure, had serious flaws, but it had made significant progress in improving the lives of Burmese citizens. The House Democracy Partnership had begun to work with the democratically elected parliament, as had the National Democratic Institute. The International Republican Institute had begun to work on local governance. That progress must be consolidated, built on, and expanded, not washed away by the greed of a few generals in fear of losing their wealth, losing the control they exercise at the expense of the Burmese people.
I strongly support the Biden administration's decision to place sanctions on senior military leaders and military-owned businesses. The economic and political pressure must be intense.
We must do more, including working with our friends and allies in the region, particularly members of the ASEAN community, to keep up the drumbeat, to keep up the pressure, for the junta to step down and to restore the democratically elected government.
We must do all we can, and time is not on our side. These two bills are a beginning. They signify a unified and urgent sense on the part of the House that this coup simply must be reversed and democratic government restored in Burma.
Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand with colleagues today in solidarity, and I urge support of these two bills.
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the esteemed gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for his leadership, and I thank the ranking member as well.
Madam Speaker, I stand here today to recognize the hardworking Burmese Americans who are here, who are fighting every day for their friends and their relatives in their native land.
On February 1, 2021, hours before the Burmese Parliament was to convene in a new session, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burma ruling party; and President Win Myint, the duly-elected head of government, were deposed in a military coup.
How shameful.
As that coup was done, violence prevailed. And as violence prevailed, people lost their lives.
This is a worthy act of condemnation. I also support H. Res. 134, the resolution condemning the coup in Burma, and condemning the still detaining of Aung San Suu Kyi to her place of residence. She is in danger.
So I rise today to support H.R. 1112, which declares: ``It is the policy of the United States to instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the United States Government to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the United Nations to hold accountable those responsible for the military coup in Burma.''
The legislation also directs that not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this act that Congress gets a report from the Secretary of State as relates to the military coup in Burma, and provide a description of the efforts taken by the United States to help the people of Burma restore their democratic form of government.
I want to cite a constituent in my district--first of all, the people from Burma who have been generous in their help of Houstonians, their fellow Houstonians, in Hurricane Harvey, in the freeze, in COVID-19-- Mr. Mouton, who has provided resources to all of the people in the area representing the community of those from Burma. He has been generous in his support when people have been in need. That is what people from Burma here in the United States do.
So this statement that we are making is to say that we are standing with the freedom fighters. We are standing with those who believe in democracy.
And I want to salute the Parliament. The Parliament and the duly elected members of the Burmese Parliament who have taken it upon themselves to continue serving as representatives of the people through alternative methods of communicating and convening is courageous and laudable and inspires the respect of freedom-loving people everywhere.
It is our goal, as we stand on the floor of the House, for the American peoples' voices to be heard through H.R. 1112, the Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021, and H. Res. 134, the resolution condemning the coup in Burma, and to support the American-Burmese community.
Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the Committee on the Judiciary and the Member of Congress for the Eighteenth Congressional District of Texas, the home of a large and vibrant Burmese community, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1112, the ``Protect Democracy In Burma Act of 2021,'' which condemns the military coup in Burma and calls for the unconditional release of detained democratically-elected leaders and civil society members and declares it the policy of the United States to support a return to Burma's democratic transition.
Madam Speaker, on February 1, 2021, hours before Burmese Parliament was to convene in a new session Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's ruling party, and President Win Myint, the duly elected head of government, were deposed in a military coup on February 1, 2021.
As part of the military coup, the Burmese military declared martial law, suspended the civilian led government, and detained newly elected Members of Parliament in the capitol, Naypyidaw, thereby usurping the role of the democratically elected government and parliament.
The inability of newly elected Members of Parliament to begin their official mandate due to the Burmese military's actions directly threatens the democratic trajectory of Burma's Parliament, and thereby the country.
By preventing the Parliament from completing its work, the Burmese military has rendered impossible and effectively nullified the international collaborative relationships that have supported and strengthened the institution, including the Burmese parliament's partnership with HDP.
Because of the Burmese military's seizure of government through the detention of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other government leaders, Burma is not represented by a democratically-elected government.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 1112 declares it to be the policy of the United States to instruct, as appropriate, representatives of the United States Government to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the United Nations to hold accountable those responsible for the military coup in Burma.
The legislation also directs the representatives of the United States Government to engage with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN member states to promote a return to Burma's democratic transition and democratic values throughout Southeast Asia and support the centrality of ASEAN within the regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific.
Finally, the legislation directs that not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a report on the military coup in Burma and a description of efforts taken by the United States to help the people of Burma restore their democratic form of government.
Madam Speaker, the will and determination of those duly elected Members of the Burmese Parliament who are taking it upon themselves to continue serving as representatives of the people through alternative methods of communicating and convening is courageous, laudable, and inspires the respect of freedom loving people everywhere.
That is why I strongly support H.R. 1112, the ``Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021,'' and urge my colleagues to join me in voting for its passage.
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Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.
Madam Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Connolly for introducing this legislation, and I want to thank Ranking Member McCaul and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for making sure that we have a singular voice going forward.
The world cannot turn a blind eye to the violence perpetrated by the Burmese military. With this important measure, the United States sends a clear signal that we stand with the people of Burma in their longstanding pursuit for democracy, and a strong message to the Burmese military, or to anyone, for that matter, who fail to uphold the will of the people.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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