Protect Democracy in Burma Act of 2021

IIB 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1112 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 22, 2021 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations AN ACT To require a report on the military coup in Burma, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Mar 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1112.RFS H1112 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 HR 1112 RFS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Democracy in 2 Burma Act of 2021’’. 3 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 4 Congress finds the following: 5 (1) On March 14, 2005, the House of Rep- 6 resentatives agreed to H. Res. 135, which estab- 7 lished the House Democracy Assistance Commission 8 (later changed to the House Democracy Partnership, 9 hereafter referred to as ‘‘HDP’’) to work directly 10 with parliaments around the world to support the 11 development of effective, independent, and respon- 12 sive legislative institutions. 13 (2) HDP approved a legislative strengthening 14 partnership with Burma in 2016 and organized the 15 first congressional delegation to meet with the new 16 civilian-led government, led by State Counselor Aung 17 San Suu Kyi, and civil society leaders in May 2016. 18 (3) On February 2, 2021, the U.S. Department 19 of State assessed that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 20 leader of Burma’s ruling party, and President Win 21 Myint, the duly elected head of government, were de- 22 posed in a military coup on February 1, 2021. 23 (4) As part of the military coup, the Burmese 24 military declared martial law, suspended the civilian- 25 led government, and detained newly elected Members 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Mar 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1112.RFS H1112 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 HR 1112 RFS of Parliament in the capitol, Naypyidaw, thereby 1 usurping the role of the democratically elected gov- 2 ernment and parliament. 3 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 4 It is the sense of Congress that— 5 (1) due to the Burmese military’s seizure of 6 government through the detention of State Coun- 7 sellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and 8 other government leaders, Burma is not represented 9 by a democratically-elected government; 10 (2) the inability of newly elected Members of 11 Parliament to begin their official mandate due to the 12 Burmese military’s actions directly threatens the 13 democratic trajectory of Burma’s Parliament, and 14 thereby the country; 15 (3) the will and determination of those duly- 16 elected Members of Parliament who are taking it 17 upon themselves to continue serving as representa- 18 tives of the people through alternative methods of 19 communicating and convening should be lauded; and 20 (4) by preventing the Parliament from com- 21 pleting its work, the Burmese military has rendered 22 impossible and effectively nullified the international 23 collaborative relationships that have supported and 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Mar 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1112.RFS H1112 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 HR 1112 RFS strengthened the institution, including the Burmese 1 parliament’s partnership with HDP. 2 SEC. 4. POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES REGARDING BUR- 3 MA’S DEMOCRACY. 4 It is the policy of the United States to— 5 (1) condemn the military coup in Burma, to 6 urge the unconditional release of detained democrat- 7 ically-elected leaders and civil society members, and 8 to support a return to Burma’s democratic transi- 9 tion; 10 (2) instruct, as appropriate, representatives of 11 the United States Government to use the voice, vote, 12 and influence of the United States at the United 13 Nations to hold accountable those responsible for the 14 military coup in Burma; and 15 (3) engage with the Association of Southeast 16 Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN member 17 states to promote a return to Burma’s democratic 18 transition and democratic values throughout South- 19 east Asia, and support the centrality of ASEAN 20 within the regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific. 21 SEC. 5. REPORT. 22 Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact- 23 ment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to 24 the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Mar 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1112.RFS H1112 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 HR 1112 RFS Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 1 Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 2 Appropriations of the Senate a report on the military coup 3 in Burma, including a description of efforts to implement 4 the policy specified in section 4. 5 Passed the House of Representatives March 18, 2021. Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, Clerk. VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Mar 22, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1112.RFS H1112 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS