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Congressional Record—Senate S6234

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Congressional Record—Senate S6234 S6234 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 18, 2018 reporting on the Myanmar military’s cam- (3) reaffirms the central role that inde- further traumatizes survivors of suicide loss paign against the Rohingya, and Reuters pendent and professional journalism plays in and people with lived experience of suicide; journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were strengthening democratic governance, up- and doing fact-checking and interviewing eye- holding the rule of law, mitigating conflict, Whereas September is an appropriate witnesses to these and other events; and informing public opinion around the month to designate as ‘‘National Suicide Whereas, on December 12, 2017, Wa Lone world; Prevention Month’’ because September 10 is and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested by police and (4) urges the Secretary of State to make a World Suicide Prevention Day, a day recog- later charged with illegally possessing secret determination whether the actions by the nized internationally and supported by the government documents under the colonial Myanmar military constitute crimes against World Health Organization: Now, therefore, era Official Secrets Act; humanity or genocide and to work with be it Whereas Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have interagency partners to impose targeted Resolved, That the Senate— been in custody from December 12, 2017, to sanctions on Myanmar military officials re- (1) recognizes suicide as a serious and pre- the present, including before, during, and sponsible for these heinous acts through ex- ventable national and State public health after their trial; isting authorities; and problem; Whereas, one of the key prosecution wit- (5) calls on the President and the Secretary (2) supports the designation of September nesses in the trial, Police Captain Moe Yan of State— as ‘‘National Suicide Prevention Month’’; Naing, said in open court on April 20, 2018, (A) to reaffirm the importance of a free (3) declares suicide prevention as a pri- that he and others were ordered by the press in strengthening democratic govern- ority; Myanmar police chief to ‘‘trap’’ Wa Lone by ance, upholding the rule of law, mitigating (4) acknowledges that no single suicide pre- inviting the journalist to meet them at a conflict, and informing public opinion vention program or effort will be appropriate restaurant and to give him ‘‘secret docu- around the world; and for all populations or communities; ments’’—a meeting that Wa Lone attended (B) to engage immediately and at the high- (5) promotes awareness that there is no in the company of his colleague, Kyaw Soe est levels with the Government of Myanmar, single cause of suicide; and Oo, which led to the immediate arrest of the including by encouraging Aung San Suu Kyi (6) supports strategies to increase access to two journalists; to use her influence to secure the immediate high-quality mental health, substance abuse, Whereas Police Captain Moe Yan Naing and unconditional release of Wa Lone and and suicide prevention services. was subsequently sentenced to one year in Kyaw Soe Oo, as United States leadership is f jail for violating police discipline; critical to this issue. SENATE RESOLUTION 637—DESIG- Whereas, on September 3, 2018, Yangon f northern district judge Ye Lwin ruled that NATING SEPTEMBER 2018 AS Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo breached the co- SENATE RESOLUTION 636—RECOG- ‘‘NATIONAL KINSHIP CARE lonial-era Official Secrets Act and sentenced NIZING SUICIDE AS A SERIOUS MONTH’’ them each to seven years in prison with hard PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. HATCH labor; EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE , Whereas 83 Myanmar civil society organi- DESIGNATION OF SEPTEMBER AS Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Ms. zations have signed a statement condemning ‘‘NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVEN- HEITKAMP, Mr. DAINES, Mr. VAN HOL- the verdict; TION MONTH’’ LEN, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. JONES, Mr. Whereas the people of Myanmar, with as- BROWN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KAINE, Mr. sistance from the Department of State and Mr. CASSIDY (for himself, Mr. MUR- KING, Mr. CASEY, and Mr. SCHUMER) the United States Agency for International PHY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. submitted the following resolution; Development, have successfully grown their REED, and Mr. DONNELLY) submitted which was referred to the Committee cadre of ethical and hard hitting journalists, the following resolution; which was re- journalists who are adhering to the utmost on the Judiciary: professional standards and able to uncover ferred to the Committee on Health, S. RES. 637 Education , Labor, and Pensions: the abuses being committed in their own Whereas, in September 2018, ‘‘National country, and these journalists deserve the S. RES. 636 Kinship Care Month’’ is observed; international community’s support and Whereas suicide is the 10th leading cause of Whereas, nationally, 2,700,000 children are praise for taking on the risky job of fos- death in the United States and the second living in kinship care with grandparents or tering press freedom in their country, how- leading cause of death among individuals be- other relatives; ever nascent it is; tween the ages of 10 and 34; Whereas, nationally, 140,000 children in fos- Whereas United States Agency for Inter- Whereas, according to the Centers for Dis- ter care are placed with grandparents or national Development Administrator Mark ease Control and Prevention (referred to in other relatives, with more than 2,560,000 kin- Green released a statement calling the con- this preamble as the ‘‘CDC’’), 1 person dies ship children supported outside of the foster victions ‘‘an enormous setback for democ- by suicide every 12.3 minutes, resulting in care system; racy and the rule of law in Burma’’ and nearly 45,000 deaths each year in the United Whereas the percentage of kinship foster ‘‘urge[d] the Government of Burma to pro- States; children has increased more than 11 percent tect journalists and press freedom, which are Whereas, according to the Department of since 2006; the bedrocks of democracy and peace’’; Veterans Affairs, 20 members of the Armed Whereas the number of non-relative foster Whereas Vice President Mike Pence Forces on active duty, members of the re- parents continues to decrease and child wel- tweeted his concern over the sentence serve components of the Armed Forces who fare agencies are increasingly reliant on kin- against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for are not on active duty, or veterans die by ship families; ‘‘doing their job reporting on the atrocities suicide each day, resulting in more than 7,000 Whereas children in kinship care experi- being committed on the Rohingya people’’; deaths each year; ence improved placement stability, higher Whereas United States Ambassador to the Whereas the suicide rate in the United levels of permanency, and decreased behav- United Nations Nikki Haley described the States has steadily increased every year ioral problems; conviction as ‘‘another terrible stain on the from 1999 through 2016; Whereas kinship caregivers provide safety, Burmese government’’ and called for ‘‘their Whereas it is estimated that there are promote well-being, and establish stable immediate and unconditional release’’; more than 1,100,000 suicide attempts each households for vulnerable children; Whereas freedom of the press enhances year in the United States; Whereas grandparents and relatives resid- public accountability and transparency and Whereas more than half of individuals who ing in urban, rural, and suburban households therefore promotes adherence to the rule of die by suicide did not have a known mental in every State and territory of the United law and enforcement of universally recog- health condition; States have stepped forward out of love and nized human rights by all people; and Whereas, according to the CDC, many fac- loyalty to care for children during times in Whereas freedom of the press is a key com- tors contribute to suicide among individuals which parents are unable to do so; ponent of democratic governance and activ- with and without known mental health con- Whereas many kinship caregivers give up ism in civil society: Now, therefore, be it ditions, including challenges related to rela- their retirement years to assume parenting Resolved, That the Senate— tionships, substance abuse, physical health, duties for children; (1) calls for all the convictions against Wa and stress regarding work, money, legal Whereas grandparents and other relatives Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo to be nullified, for problems, or housing; are increasingly providing caring homes for the similar changes against many other jour- Whereas, according to the CDC, suicide re- children because of the opioid crisis; nalists currently awaiting trial to be sults in an estimated $44,600,000,000 in com- Whereas, because of parental substance use dropped, and for the immediate and uncondi- bined medical and work-loss costs in the disorders and other adverse childhood experi- tional release of these journalists; United States each year; ences, children in kinship care frequently (2) expresses concern about the Govern- Whereas the stigma associated with men- have trauma-related conditions; ment of Myanmar’s crackdown on journal- tal health conditions and suicidality hinders Whereas kinship care homes offer a refuge ists and press freedom throughout the coun- suicide prevention by discouraging at-risk for traumatized children; try; individuals from seeking life-saving help and Whereas kinship care enables a child— VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:46 Sep 19, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18SE6.042 S18SEPT1
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