[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 109 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 APPROVING THE RENEWAL OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED IN THE BURMESE 
                FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY ACT (H.J. RES. 83)

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PETER T. KING

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 22, 2010

  Mr. KING of New York. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.J. 
Res. 83, a resolution approving the renewal of import restrictions 
contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act (P.L. 108-61). I am 
proud to have once again introduced this legislation this year with the 
gentleman from New York, Mr. Crowley.
  In 2003 Congress passed the Burmese Freedom & Democracy Act, 
legislation that I co-authored with my friend, the late Tom Lantos. 
President Bush signed this bill into law and we have reauthorized these 
import restrictions every year since. The legislation bans imports from 
Burma and the issuance of visas to those officials affiliated with the 
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the military junta that 
rules Burma and brutally represses its people. This law also bans U.S. 
financial transactions that involve individuals or entities connected 
with the SPDC.
  These sanctions are critically important to keeping the pressure on 
the Burmese junta. The government continues to have one of the worst 
human rights record in the world and routinely violates the rights of 
Burmese citizens, including the systematic use of rape as a weapon of 
war, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, 
as well as slave and child labor. The Burmese regime has destroyed more 
than 3,500 ethnic villages, displaced approximately 2,000,000 Burmese 
people, more than 500,000 of which are internally displaced, and 
arrested approximately 2,100 individuals for expressing critical 
opinions of the government. And it continues to detain Aung San Suu 
Kyi, the head of the National League for Democracy and the 
democratically elected leader of Burma.
  We must continue to stand with the Burmese people and expose the 
despicable and reprehensible actions of the SPDC. Sanctions are 
critical to putting pressure on the junta. In 2008, Congress passed and 
President Bush signed into law Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act (P.L. 
110-286) which bans the importation of Burmese gems into the United 
States and freezes the assets of Burmese political and military 
leaders. But we still need others to follow ours and the EU's lead. The 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations 
Security Council (UNSC) must impose multilateral sanctions against 
Burma's military regime including a complete arms embargo.
  Finally, it is my hope that the Obama Administration promptly 
implements all the provisions of the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act, 
appoints a Special Coordinator for Burma, and supports the 
establishment of UNSC Commission of Inquiry on Burma.
  I urge adoption of the resolution.

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