Congressional Record—House H15239
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December 11, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H15239 imports imposed by the Block Burmese HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Block Burmese JADE Act will tighten JADE Act of 2007. Accordingly, certain pro- COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, the noose on this murderous regime, expand- visions of H.R. 3890 fall under the Commit- Washington, DC, December 10, 2007. ing what this body has already done to isolate tee’s jurisdiction. Hon. CHARLES B. RANGEL, There have been some productive conversa- Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, these criminals. Burma’s junta continues to tions between the staffs of our committees, Washington, DC. enrich itself from the country’s vast natural re- during which we have proposed some changes DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your sources while most of its people are mired in to H.R. 3890 that I believe help clarify the in- letter regarding H.R. 3890, the Block Bur- poverty. The generals and their families milk tent and scope of the measure. My under- mese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Ef- state-owned enterprises for all they’re worth, standing is that there is an agreement with forts) Act of 2007. getting their hands on much of the nearly $3 regard to these changes. I appreciate your willingness to work coop- billion in annual revenues from oil and gas, The following provisions of H.R. 3890 were eratively on this legislation and the mutu- among those changed, added, or removed be- ally agreed upon text that is being presented timber and gems. cause they fell within the Committee’s juris- to the House, including the amendments to By blocking further assets, imposing more diction: H.R. 3890 reported by the Committee on For- severe import restrictions on Burmese Section 3(a) (‘‘Annual Renewal of Resolu- eign Affairs, as described in your letter. I gemstones, and expanding the visa ban on tions No Longer Required’’): This subsection recognize that the bill contains provisions the regime’s cronies, we will further limit its was removed; Section 3(b) (Import Restrictions on that fall within the jurisdiction of the Com- comfort zone. The regime will be less able to Gemstones): This subsection was removed mittee on Ways and Means. I agree that the avoid U.S. sanctions—and U.S. companies and a new Section 3A (‘‘Prohibition on Im- inaction of your Committee with respect to will no longer be able to take tax deductions portation of Certain Jadeite and Rubies and the bill does not in any way prejudice the for investment in Burma. Articles of Jewelry Containing Jadeite or Committee on Ways and Means or its juris- These measures alone won’t bring about dictional prerogatives on this or similar leg- Rubies’’) was added; wholesale change in Burma. We need more New Section 3A(a) (‘‘Definitions’’) contains islation in the future. definitions for the terms ‘‘Appropriate Con- I will ensure that our exchange of letters help from our allies and from Burma’s neigh- gressional Committees,’’ ‘‘Burmese Covered be included in the Congressional Record. bors if we dare to hope for true freedom in Article,’’ ‘‘Non-Burmese Covered Article,’’ Cordially, that country. We need China to take a serious ‘‘Jadeite; Rubies; Articles of Jewelry Con- TOM LANTOS, stand on the right side of this issue instead of taining Jadeite or Rubies,’’ and ‘‘United Chairman. remaining—as usual—lined up against human States’’; Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I’m rights and human dignity. New Section 3A(b) (‘‘Prohibitions on Im- But this strengthening of our law—this portation of Burmese Covered Articles’’): proud to be an original cosponsor of this im- Provides that the President shall prohibit portant resolution strengthening the Burmese strengthening of our resolve—will take another the importation into the United States of Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and I concrete step in the right direction. It will also any Burmese covered article and use pro- want to thank my good friend and colleague, make an important statement to Burma’s bru- vided regulatory authority as necessary; and Chairman LANTOS, for his continued leadership tal dictators—and to the beleaguered pro-de- the President shall take actions to seek a on this issue. It’s an issue that concerns Mem- mocracy activists in that country struggling draft waiver decision by the Council on bers on both sides of the aisle and anyone under the yoke of military repression. Trade in Goods of the World Trade Organiza- Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speak- tion and adoption of a United Nations Gen- who cares about freedom and human rights. eral Assembly resolution; The despicable actions of Burma’s brutal re- er, I have no further requests for time, New Section 3A(c) (‘‘Requirements for Im- gime in recent months are only the latest and I yield back the balance of my portation of Non-Burmese Covered Arti- chapter in a long history of repression by that time. cles’’): Provides that the President, begin- country’s dictators. After their shocking murder The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ning 60 days after the date of enactment, and incarceration 2 months ago of peaceful question is on the motion offered by shall require certain actions by the export- the gentleman from New York (Mr. ing country, exporter and importer as a con- demonstrators, including Buddhist monks—the MEEKS) that the House suspend the dition of importing non-Burmese covered ar- very symbols of the Burmese people’s desire ticles into the United States to ensure that for peace—the Government thugs hope that rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3890, as the imported articles do not contain Bur- our attention will turn elsewhere. They hope amended. mese jadeite or rubies; that the international outcry over the violence The question was taken; and (two- New Section 3A(d) (‘‘Inapplicability’’): Ex- and humiliation of this fall will die down. But thirds being in the affirmative) the empts certain imports from the require- we are all too aware of the history of this re- rules were suspended and the bill, as ments of the Act; amended, was passed. New Section 3A(e) (‘‘Enforcement’’): Pro- gime to let that happen. vides that Burmese covered articles and non- If we turn our attention elsewhere, the re- The title was amended so as to read: Burmese covered articles imported into the gime will intensify the abuse and repeat these ‘‘A bill to amend the Burmese Freedom United States in violation of the Act are sub- crimes again and again. Since the 1988 and Democracy Act of 2003 to impose ject to all applicable laws of the United slaughter of several thousand peaceful dem- import sanctions on Burmese States; onstrators, the story of Burma has been a gemstones, expand the number of indi- New Section 3A(f) (‘‘Sense of Congress’’): constant saga of harassment, violence, and viduals against whom the visa ban is Provides that the President should take the applicable, expand the blocking of as- necessary steps to negotiate an international torture. The inhumane treatment of Nobel agreement similar to the Kimberley Process Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is sets and other prohibited activities, Certification Scheme for conflict diamonds; only the most glaring example of the regime’s and for other purposes.’’ and efforts to stifle democracy—unfortunately there A motion to reconsider was laid on New Section 7 (‘‘Waiver of Competitive are many others that don’t get as many head- the table. Need Limitation Under Generalized System lines. f of Preferences For Certain Articles of India and Thailand’’): Provides for the reinstate- Members may recall that I have mentioned HONORING THE LIFE OF THOMAS ment of Generalized System of Preferences in the past how the military regime in Burma ‘‘TOMMY’’ MAKEM locked up a 19-year-old student from my dis- (duty-free treatment) for specified Thai and Ms. SHEA-PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I Indian jewelry. trict, Michelle Keegan, who had traveled to move to suspend the rules and agree to To expedite this legislation for floor con- Burma in 1998 to mark in a peaceful way the the resolution (H. Res. 768) honoring sideration, the Committee will forgo action 10th anniversary of those 1988 massacres. on this bill and will not oppose its consider- the life of Thomas ‘‘Tommy’’ Makem. She and others were sentenced to 5 years in ation on the suspension calendar. This is The Clerk read the title of the resolu- jail for distributing small leaflets calling for de- done with the understanding that it does not tion. in any way prejudice the Committee or its mocracy in Burma. The text of the resolution is as fol- I, and others, were outraged, and agitated jurisdictional prerogatives on this, or simi- lows: lar legislation, in the future. for the release of these young people. They H. RES. 768 I would appreciate your response to this wouldn’t let us into the country, but they letter, confirming our understanding with couldn’t keep us quiet. If not for the attention Whereas Thomas ‘‘Tommy’’ Makem was born on November 4, 1932 in Keady, County respect to H.R. 3890, and would ask that a of the U.S. Congress and the American peo- copy of our exchange of letters on this mat- Armagh, in Northern Ireland; ter be included in the record. ple—and for the international pressure that re- Whereas Thomas Makem emigrated from Sincerely, sulted—who knows what would have hap- Ireland to Dover, New Hampshire in 1955, CHARLES B. RANGEL, pened to these students in the prisons of after having won the All-Ireland Champion- Chairman.