[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 126 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 95
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 126
Recognizing the vital importance of the Mekong River to Southeast Asia
and the role of the Mekong-United States Partnership in supporting the
prosperity of the region.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 28, 2023
Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Sullivan) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
June 13, 2023
Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the vital importance of the Mekong River to Southeast Asia
and the role of the Mekong-United States Partnership in supporting the
prosperity of the region.
Whereas the Mekong River supports the livelihoods of approximately 60,000,000
people, making it the most important river in Southeast Asia and one of
the most important rivers in the world;
Whereas the Mekong-United States Partnership, comprising the United States,
Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, and the predecessor of
that partnership, the Lower Mekong Initiative, have contributed greatly
to the economic, social, and human resources development of the
countries in the Mekong River Basin and the protection of the Mekong
River;
Whereas the United States has longstanding diplomatic relations with the
countries in the Mekong River Basin, including a nearly 200-year-old
relationship with treaty ally Thailand;
Whereas the development of the countries in the Mekong River Basin is critical
for the unity, economic strength, and institutional development of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a strategic partner of the
United States;
Whereas the Mekong River is increasingly imperiled by the threats from
worsening and extreme changes in the environment, coupled with the
construction of upstream dams that have altered the natural flow of the
river and vital ecological processes supported by natural flow;
Whereas, since 2019, the flow of water in the Mekong River during the wet
season has been abnormally low;
Whereas the Nuozhadu and Xiaowan Dams in China account for more than 50 percent
of the water storage of all dams in the Mekong River Basin and can
restrict up to 10 percent of the total wet season flow of the Mekong
River, exacerbating drought conditions downstream;
Whereas the Mekong River Commission is an integral partner in ensuring the
long-term health of the Mekong River;
Whereas the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy can be a
leader in supporting river development and protection;
Whereas the Mekong Dam Monitor, funded partly by the Mekong-United States
Partnership, has provided essential data and information about the
impacts of hydropower dams along the Mekong River to the people and
governments of the Mekong River Basin to allow them to prepare for
irregular water flows and mitigate the economic and environmental
impacts of those flows;
Whereas the Mekong River has become a hub for criminal elements to traffic in
drugs, people, and wildlife, undermining the rule of law in the
countries in the Mekong River Basin and impacting the world through the
proliferation of illegal drugs and fauna that can cause spillover of
zoonotic diseases;
Whereas the international community has committed to support the development of
countries along the Mekong River through internationally recognized
development goals;
Whereas the Friends of the Mekong, which includes the countries in the Mekong
River Basin, the United States, Australia, the European Union, Japan,
New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Asian Development Bank, the
Mekong River Commission Secretariat, and the World Bank, is committed to
supporting the shared principles that have underpinned peace and
prosperity across the Indo-Pacific for decades;
Whereas close coordination and collaboration with civil society groups
throughout the Mekong River Basin is essential to the protection of the
Mekong River;
Whereas, among the countries in the Mekong River Basin, there has been a
negative trend toward the detention and detainment of civil society
actors and journalists and an increase in violations of human rights;
Whereas the February 1, 2021, military coup in Burma was illegal and unjustified
and has resulted in more than 2,000 deaths, more than 1,000,000 people
displaced, and tens of thousands of people in detention, and continued
violence threatens the stability of the entire region, especially those
countries along the borders of Burma; and
Whereas diaspora communities from countries in the Mekong River Basin are a
vital part of the United States and help build thriving people-to-people
ties between those countries and the United States that lead to strong
commercial, civil society, and cultural ties: Now, therefore, be it
Whereas the Mekong River supports the livelihoods of approximately 60,000,000
people, making it the most important river in Southeast Asia and one of
the most important rivers in the world;
Whereas the Mekong-United States Partnership, comprising the United States,
Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, and the predecessor of
that partnership, the Lower Mekong Initiative, have contributed greatly
to the economic, social, and human resources development of the
countries in the Mekong River Basin and the protection of the Mekong
River;
Whereas the United States has longstanding diplomatic relations with the
countries in the Mekong River Basin, including a nearly 200-year-old
relationship with treaty ally Thailand;
Whereas the development of the countries in the Mekong River Basin is critical
for the unity, economic strength, and institutional development of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a strategic partner of the
United States;
Whereas the Mekong River continues to be affected by environmental changes,
coupled with the construction of upstream dams that have altered the
natural flow of the river and vital ecological processes supported by
natural flow;
Whereas, since 2019, the flow of water in the Mekong River during the wet season
has been abnormally low;
Whereas the Nuozhadu and Xiaowan Dams in China account for more than 50 percent
of the water storage of all dams in the Mekong River Basin and can
restrict up to 10 percent of the total wet season flow of the Mekong
River, exacerbating drought conditions downstream;
Whereas the Mekong River Commission is an integral partner in ensuring the long-
term health of the Mekong River;
Whereas the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy can be a
leader in supporting river development and protection;
Whereas the Mekong Dam Monitor, funded partly by the Mekong-United States
Partnership, has provided essential data and information about the
impacts of hydropower dams along the Mekong River to the people and
governments of the Mekong River Basin to allow them to prepare for
irregular water flows and mitigate the economic and environmental
impacts of those flows;
Whereas the Mekong River has become a hub for criminal elements to traffic in
drugs, people, and wildlife, undermining the rule of law in the
countries in the Mekong River Basin and impacting the world through the
proliferation of illegal drugs and fauna that can cause spillover of
zoonotic diseases;
Whereas the international community has committed to support the development of
countries along the Mekong River through internationally recognized
development goals;
Whereas the Friends of the Mekong, which includes the countries in the Mekong
River Basin, the United States, Australia, the European Union, Japan,
New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Asian Development Bank, the
Mekong River Commission Secretariat, and the World Bank, is committed to
supporting the shared principles that have underpinned peace and
prosperity across the Indo-Pacific for decades;
Whereas close coordination and collaboration with civil society groups
throughout the Mekong River Basin is essential to the protection of the
Mekong River;
Whereas, among the countries in the Mekong River Basin, there has been a
negative trend toward the detention and detainment of civil society
actors and journalists and an increase in violations of human rights;
Whereas the February 1, 2021, military coup in Burma was illegal and unjustified
and has resulted in more than 2,000 deaths, more than 1,000,000 people
displaced, and tens of thousands of people in detention, and continued
violence threatens the stability of the entire region, especially those
countries along the borders of Burma; and
Whereas diaspora communities from countries in the Mekong River Basin are a
vital part of the United States and help build thriving people-to-people
ties between those countries and the United States that lead to strong
commercial, civil society, and cultural ties: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
<DELETED> (1) expresses sincere concern over the
environmental, economic, and humanitarian threats to the Mekong
River and the communities of the Mekong River and continued
support to counter those threats; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) declares it is the policy of the United States
Government to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) through the Mekong-United States
Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong, promote the
economic and environmental well-being of the people of
Mainland Southeast Asia in the 5 countries through
which the Mekong River flows, namely, Burma, Cambodia,
Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) support a whole-of-government approach
in providing and coordinating Federal aid and
assistance throughout the Mekong River Basin under the
Mekong-United States Partnership, including
programmatic support provided by the Department of
State, the United States Agency for International
Development, and other Federal agencies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) contribute to the development of
quality infrastructure, the development of national
electricity markets, cross-border energy trade, the
facilitation of cross-border transport, clean energy
acceleration and deployment, the development of micro,
small, and medium enterprises, agriculture,
transportation, the facilitation of trade and
investment, strengthened subregional production
linkages and supply chains, digital infrastructure, and
the digital economy in the Mekong River
Basin;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) promote engagement and buy-in of the
United States private sector to support inclusive
economic growth, resilience, global health, education,
and long-term development in the region;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) leverage the expertise of the United
States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and
other partners in high-quality infrastructure to
support the economic development needs of the countries
in the Mekong River Basin;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) support the development of quality
infrastructure, including through projects financed by
the United States International Development Finance
Corporation, as appropriate, in the countries in the
Mekong River Basin;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) encourage all members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations to view the
environmental, humanitarian, and economic threats to
the Mekong River as a danger to the entire
region;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) promote effective water use policies,
natural resources management, and environmental
conservation and protection, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) through support for a
technically sound, well-coordinated, and
consensus-based approach to managing the shared
resources of the Mekong River Basin;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) through support for
environmental conservation, protection, and
resilience in the Mekong subregion;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iii) by enhancing the capacity of
countries in the Mekong River Basin in the
sustainable conservation and management of
natural resources, including fishery resources,
for sustainable food security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) continue the important work that
provides vital data and monitoring to the people and
Governments of the Mekong River;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (J) support the development of the
capacity of the region to respond to a variety of
threats, including countering transnational crime such
as trafficking of drugs, wildlife, timber, and persons,
and criminal activity associated with illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing, and to improve
health security, including emergency preparedness and
response for pandemics and epidemics, cybersecurity,
and disaster response and preparedness and humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (K) promote the development of human
capital through education, medical and public health
partnerships, vocational training, youth empowerment,
women's economic empowerment, gender equality,
university cooperation, and educational and
professional exchanges;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (L) work together with countries in the
Mekong River Basin to combat pollution, over fishing,
natural resource degradation, and the effects that
changes in the global climate systems are having on the
Mekong River, and the communities that depend on the
river, and to support the abilities of such communities
to adapt and build resilience capacities of those
countries;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (M) encourage all countries in the Mekong
River Basin to provide timely early warning for natural
and unnatural operations of the river;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (N) support freedom of expression in the
countries in the Mekong River Basin through promoting
independent journalism and the freedom to access
information;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (O) continue to call for the cessation of
violence in Burma and support the return of Burma to a
path of inclusive democracy, so that it can fully
contribute to regional development;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (P) prioritize the strengthening of
people-to-people ties through United States exchange
programs such as the Fulbright Program, the Peace
Corps, the International Visitors Leadership Program,
and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative
Program, including the Young Southeast Asian Leaders
Initiative Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (Q) recognize that strong democratic
institutions, the promotion and protection of
fundamental freedoms, independent civil society, and
free and fair elections are central to implementing the
shared vision of a Mekong River region, and an Indo-
Pacific region, that is free, open, secure, and
prosperous.</DELETED>
That the Senate--
(1) expresses sincere concern over the environmental,
economic, and humanitarian threats to the Mekong River and the
communities of the Mekong River and continued support to
counter those threats; and
(2) declares it is the policy of the United States
Government--
(A) to, through the Mekong-United States
Partnership and the Friends of the Mekong, promote the
economic and environmental well-being of the people of
Mainland Southeast Asia in the 5 countries through
which the Mekong River flows, namely, Burma, Cambodia,
Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam;
(B) to support providing and coordinating Federal
aid and assistance throughout the Mekong River Basin
under the Mekong-United States Partnership, including
programmatic support provided by the Department of
State, the United States Agency for International
Development, and other Federal agencies;
(C) to contribute to the development of quality
infrastructure, national electricity markets, cross-
border energy trade, cross-border transport, greater
energy access, the development of micro, small, and
medium enterprises, agriculture, transportation, the
facilitation of trade and investment, strengthened
subregional production linkages and supply chains,
digital infrastructure, and the digital economy in the
Mekong River Basin;
(D) to promote engagement and buy-in of the United
States private sector to support inclusive economic
growth, resilience, global health, education, and long-
term development in the region;
(E) to leverage the expertise of the United States,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, and other
partners in high-quality infrastructure to support the
economic development needs of the countries in the
Mekong River Basin;
(F) to support the development of quality
infrastructure, including through projects financed by
the United States International Development Finance
Corporation, as appropriate, in the countries in the
Mekong River Basin;
(G) to encourage all members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations to view the environmental,
humanitarian, and economic threats to the Mekong River
as a danger to the entire region;
(H) to promote effective water use policies,
natural resources management, and environmental
conservation and protection, including--
(i) through support for a technically
sound, well-coordinated, and consensus-based
approach to managing the shared resources of
the Mekong River Basin;
(ii) through support for environmental
conservation, protection, and resilience in the
Mekong subregion; and
(iii) by enhancing the capacity of
countries in the Mekong River Basin on
conservation and management of natural
resources, including fishery resources, for
long-term food security;
(I) to continue the important work that provides
vital data and monitoring to the people and Governments
of the Mekong River;
(J) to support the development of the capacity of
the region to respond to a variety of threats,
including countering transnational crime such as
trafficking of drugs, wildlife, timber, and persons,
and criminal activity associated with illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing, and to improve
health security, including emergency preparedness and
response for pandemics and epidemics, cybersecurity,
and disaster response and preparedness and humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief;
(K) to promote the development of human capital
through education, medical and public health
partnerships, vocational training, youth empowerment,
women's economic empowerment, gender equality,
university cooperation, and educational and
professional exchanges;
(L) to work together with countries in the Mekong
River Basin to combat pollution, over fishing, natural
resource degradation, and the effects that
environmental changes are having on the Mekong River,
and the communities that depend on the river, and to
support the abilities of such communities to adapt and
build resilience capacities of those countries;
(M) to encourage all countries in the Mekong River
Basin to provide timely early warning for natural and
unnatural operations of the river;
(N) to support freedom of expression in the
countries in the Mekong River Basin through promoting
independent journalism and the freedom to access
information;
(O) to continue to call for the cessation of
violence in Burma and support the return of Burma to a
path of inclusive democracy, so that it can fully
contribute to regional development;
(P) to prioritize the strengthening of people-to-
people ties through United States exchange programs
such as the Fulbright Program, the Peace Corps, the
International Visitors Leadership Program, and the
Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Program,
including the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative
Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam; and
(Q) to recognize that strong democratic
institutions, the promotion and protection of
fundamental freedoms, independent civil society, and
free and fair elections are central to implementing the
shared vision of a Mekong River region, and an Indo-
Pacific region, that is free, open, secure, and
prosperous.
Calendar No. 95
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 126
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the vital importance of the Mekong River to Southeast Asia
and the role of the Mekong-United States Partnership in supporting the
prosperity of the region.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 13, 2023
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble