[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 66 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3411-S3412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     AWARDING THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Banking Committee be 
discharged from consideration of H.R. 4286.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4286) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to 
     Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in recognition of her courageous and 
     unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights and 
     democracy in Burma.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to note Senate passage of 
H.R. 4286, legislation that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to 
the jailed prodemocracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San 
Suu Kyi. The bill now goes to the President for his signature.
  I am pleased to report that this legislation has enjoyed broad 
bipartisan support. Once again I am joined in this effort by my friend, 
the senior Senator from California. Senator Feinstein and I introduced 
this legislation and it has 76 cosponsors. In this regard, I would like 
to thank Rich Harper of Senator Feinstein's staff and Lucy Bean of my 
staff for their work on the bill.
  When first established in 1776, the Congressional Gold Medal was 
given to military leaders for their achievements in battle. Since that 
time, it has become America's highest civilian honor, having been 
bestowed upon great friends of freedom such as Winston Churchill, 
Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr. Granting Suu Kyi the Gold 
Medal would continue that same tradition of honoring heroism in the 
defense of liberty.
  For more than 20 years, Suu Kyi's support for justice and democracy 
has placed her at odds with the tyranny and oppression of the Burmese 
junta, the State Peace and Development Council, SPDC. She and her 
supporters have combated the brutality of the junta with peaceful 
protest and resistance. She has chosen dignity as her weapon, and she 
has found allies around the world to aid her in her struggle.
  Despite the efforts of Suu Kyi and her allies, the SPDC will soon 
place a sham constitution before the people of Burma for an up-or-down 
vote. This might sound democratic, but no one is fooled. This proposed 
constitution includes language that would forbid Suu

[[Page S3412]]

Kyi from holding public office. Criticism of the document is a criminal 
offense. The true intent behind the proposed constitution is not the 
expansion of democratic principles. Its true purpose is to legitimize 
and make permanent the military junta and its brutal tyranny.
  By awarding Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal, we in Congress are 
letting the world know that the American people stand with Suu Kyi and 
the freedom-loving people of Burma and against the junta and the 
illegitimate charter it is propounding.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time, 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, there be no 
intervening action or debate, and that all statements relating to the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The question is on the third reading and passage of the bill.
  The bill (H.R. 4286) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.

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