Congressional Record—House H1563
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March 18, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1563 States at the United Nations to hold By preventing the Parliament from com- The world cannot turn a blind eye to accountable those responsible for the pleting its work, the Burmese military has ren- the violence perpetrated by the Bur- military coup in Burma.’’ dered impossible and effectively nullified the mese military. With this important The legislation also directs that not international collaborative relationships that measure, the United States sends a later than 90 days after the date of the have supported and strengthened the institu- clear signal that we stand with the enactment of this act that Congress tion, including the Burmese parliament’s part- people of Burma in their longstanding gets a report from the Secretary of nership with HDP. pursuit for democracy, and a strong State as relates to the military coup in Because of the Burmese military’s seizure message to the Burmese military, or to Burma, and provide a description of the of government through the detention of State anyone, for that matter, who fail to up- efforts taken by the United States to Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win hold the will of the people. help the people of Burma restore their Myint, and other government leaders, Burma Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- democratic form of government. is not represented by a democratically-elected ance of my time. I want to cite a constituent in my government. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The district—first of all, the people from Madam Speaker, H.R. 1112 declares it to question is on the motion offered by Burma who have been generous in their be the policy of the United States to instruct, the gentleman from New York (Mr. help of Houstonians, their fellow as appropriate, representatives of the United MEEKS) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1112, as Houstonians, in Hurricane Harvey, in States Government to use the voice, vote, and amended. the freeze, in COVID–19—Mr. Mouton, influence of the United States at the United The question was taken; and (two- who has provided resources to all of the Nations to hold accountable those responsible people in the area representing the thirds being in the affirmative) the for the military coup in Burma. rules were suspended and the bill, as community of those from Burma. He The legislation also directs the representa- amended, was passed. has been generous in his support when tives of the United States Government to en- people have been in need. That is what A motion to reconsider was laid on gage with the Association of Southeast Asian the table. people from Burma here in the United Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN member states States do. to promote a return to Burma’s democratic f So this statement that we are mak- transition and democratic values throughout CONDEMNING MILITARY COUP IN ing is to say that we are standing with Southeast Asia and support the centrality of BURMA the freedom fighters. We are standing ASEAN within the regional architecture of the with those who believe in democracy. Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I move Indo-Pacific. And I want to salute the Parliament. to suspend the rules and agree to the Finally, the legislation directs that not later The Parliament and the duly elected resolution (H. Res. 134) condemning the than 90 days after the date of the enactment members of the Burmese Parliament military coup that took place on Feb- of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit who have taken it upon themselves to ruary 1, 2021, in Burma and the Bur- to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the continue serving as representatives of mese military detention of civilian the people through alternative meth- Committee on Appropriations of the House of leaders, calling for the release of all ods of communicating and convening is Representatives and the Committee on For- those detained and for those elected to courageous and laudable and inspires eign Relations and the Committee on Appro- serve in Parliament to resume their the respect of freedom-loving people priations of the Senate a report on the military duties, and for other purposes. everywhere. coup in Burma and a description of efforts The Clerk read the title of the resolu- It is our goal, as we stand on the taken by the United States to help the people tion. floor of the House, for the American of Burma restore their democratic form of gov- The text of the resolution is as fol- peoples’ voices to be heard through ernment. lows: H.R. 1112, the Protect Democracy in Madam Speaker, the will and determination H. RES. 134 Burma Act of 2021, and H. Res. 134, the of those duly elected Members of the Bur- Whereas the military of Burma (herein- resolution condemning the coup in mese Parliament who are taking it upon them- after referred to as the ‘‘Tatmadaw’’) held Burma, and to support the American- selves to continue serving as representatives power in Burma between 1962 and 2011; Whereas provisions in the 2008 Constitu- Burmese community. of the people through alternative methods of communicating and convening is courageous, tion of Burma, written by the Tatmadaw, al- Madam Speaker, as a senior member of the locate 25 percent of parliamentary seats to Committee on the Judiciary and the Member laudable, and inspires the respect of freedom the Tatmadaw, conferring powers on the of Congress for the Eighteenth Congressional loving people everywhere. Tatmadaw that have been used to suppress District of Texas, the home of a large and vi- That is why I strongly support H.R. 1112, basic rights, including freedoms of expres- brant Burmese community, I rise in strong the ‘‘Protect Democracy in Burma Act of sion, assembly, and association; support of H.R. 1112, the ‘‘Protect Democracy 2021,’’ and urge my colleagues to join me in Whereas, in 2010, Burma conducted its first In Burma Act of 2021,’’ which condemns the voting for its passage. election, which was neither free nor fair, military coup in Burma and calls for the uncon- Mr. MCCAUL. Madam Speaker, I under the new Constitution, and which was yield myself such time as I may con- boycotted by the National League for De- ditional release of detained democratically- mocracy (NLD); elected leaders and civil society members and sume. Madam Speaker, Members across the Whereas Burma conducted elections in No- declares it the policy of the United States to vember 2015, in which the NLD came to support a return to Burma’s democratic transi- aisle share the same concerns about power; tion. Burma’s military coup, and the brutal Whereas Burma’s November 8, 2020, elec- Madam Speaker, on February 1, 2021, human rights violations it has caused. tions resulted in the NLD securing enough hours before Burmese Parliament was to con- This bill ensures that the United seats in Parliament to form the next govern- vene in a new session Daw Aung San Suu States of America’s condemnation of ment, notwithstanding the disenfranchise- Kyi, the leader of Burma’s ruling party, and this coup is a matter of record, and it ment of more than 1,500,000 voters, mostly President Win Myint, the duly elected head of asks the administration to report to from ethnic minority communities in Congress on this critical issue. Kachin, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, and government, were deposed in a military coup Chin states; on February 1, 2021. Madam Speaker, I urge my col- Whereas the Tatmadaw conducted a coup As part of the military coup, the Burmese leagues to support this measure, and I against the civilian government on February military declared martial law, suspended the yield back the balance of my time. 1, 2021, hours before Parliament was to con- civilian led government, and detained newly Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield vene in a new session; elected Members of Parliament in the capitol, myself such time as I may consume for Whereas the Tatmadaw claimed they had Naypyidaw, thereby usurping the role of the the purpose of closing. evidence of parliamentary election fraud per- democratically elected government and par- Madam Speaker, again, I want to petrated by the NLD and Burma’s Union liament. thank Mr. CONNOLLY for introducing Election Commission, an allegation that this legislation, and I want to thank contradicted the judgment of several inde- The inability of newly elected Members of pendent election monitoring organizations Parliament to begin their official mandate due Ranking Member MCCAUL and my col- that the electoral process and outcome were to the Burmese military’s actions directly leagues on the other side of the aisle credible despite minor irregularities; threatens the democratic trajectory of Burma’s for making sure that we have a sin- Whereas the Tatmadaw has detained un- Parliament, and thereby the country. gular voice going forward. lawfully State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:16 Mar 19, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K18MR7.060 H18MRPT1 ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with HOUSE H1564 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 18, 2021 President Win Myint, and other leaders of (5) calls on the President of the United monitoring organizations found that the NLD, as well as prodemocracy activists States and the Secretary of State to— the electoral process and outcome were from the 88 Generation and other civil soci- (A) encourage both the return to power of credible, even despite minor irregular- ety leaders; all members of the civilian government and, Whereas the Tatmadaw has charged State subsequently, constitutional reforms to ad- ities.