[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2382 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2382

             To promote a return to democracy in Thailand.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 17, 2007

   Mr. Kirk introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
             To promote a return to democracy in Thailand.

    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 ``Thailand Democracy Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On September 19, 2006, the military and police of the 
        Kingdom of Thailand overthrew the elected government of Prime 
        Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. At the time, the premier was in 
        New York City for a meeting of the United Nations General 
        Assembly.
            (2) General Boonyaratkalin, leader of the military coup, 
        suspended the constitution and dissolved the Cabinet, both 
        houses of Parliament, and the Constitutional Court of Thailand.
            (3) On September 21, 2006, the Department of State issued a 
        statement saying, ``There's no justification for a military 
        coup in Thailand or in anyplace else . . . we certainly are 
        extremely disappointed by this action. It's a step backward for 
        democracy in Thailand.''.
            (4) Following the military coup, the United States 
        suspended $24 million in bilateral assistance to the Thai 
        Government.
            (5) Eight months after the military coup, despite promises 
        by the military leaders to the contrary, Thailand still has not 
        drafted a permanent constitution, held a referendum, or called 
        for elections.
            (6) On December 30, 2003, the President notified Congress 
        that he designated the Kingdom of Thailand as a major non-NATO 
        ally of the United States for purposes of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act.
            (7) The benefits Thailand enjoys as a result of its major 
        non-NATO ally status include--
                    (A) allowing it to participate in certain counter-
                terrorism initiatives;
                    (B) allowing it to purchase depleted uranium anti-
                tank rounds;
                    (C) giving it priority delivery of military 
                surplus;
                    (D) loaning it equipment and materials for 
                cooperative research and development projects and 
                evaluations;
                    (E) permitting it to use United States financing 
                for the purchase or lease of certain defense equipment;
                    (F) giving it preferential treatment with respect 
                to reciprocal training;
                    (G) expediting its export processing of space 
                technology; and
                    (H) permitting its corporations to bid on certain 
                Department of Defense contracts for the repair and 
                maintenance of military equipment outside the United 
                States.

SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF DESIGNATION OF THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND AS A 
              MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY.

    (a) Termination of Designation.--The designation of the Kingdom of 
Thailand as a major non-NATO ally of the United States pursuant to 
paragraph (1) of section 517(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(Presidential Determination No. 2004-16; 69 Fed. Reg. 2053) shall be 
deemed to have been terminated by the President pursuant to paragraph 
(2) of such section irrespective of the requirement to notify Congress 
pursuant to such section.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (a) shall be effective for the 
        period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
        ending on the date on which the Secretary of State certifies to 
        the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of 
        Thailand has drafted a new constitution, held a national 
        referendum to approve the new constitution and scheduled a date 
        for national democratic elections to elect a new government 
        under the new constitution.
            (2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate 
        congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to authorize the President to issue a separate designation of 
Thailand as a major non-NATO ally of the United States pursuant to 
section 517(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for the period 
during which subsection (a) is in effect.
                                 <all>