[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3014-S3016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE YOUNG SOUTHEAST ASIAN LEADERS 
INITIATIVE TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE MEMBER 
 STATES OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS AND TO ADVANCING 
       THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION

  Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 465, S. Res. 392.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 392) recognizing the importance of 
     the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative to the 
     relationship between the United States and the member states 
     of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and to 
     advancing the policy of the United States in the Indo-Pacific 
     region.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations, with an amendment to strike all after the resolving clause 
and insert the part printed in italic, and with an amendment to strike 
the preamble and insert the part printed in italic, as follows:

       Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative 
     (YSEALI) was created in 2013 to build

[[Page S3015]]

     a cadre of emerging leaders in member states of the 
     Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the goal 
     of fostering regional cooperation and partnership with the 
     United States;
       Whereas YSEALI is composed of influential young leaders 
     between 18 and 35 years of age from ASEAN countries (Brunei, 
     Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, 
     Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and Timor-Leste who are 
     making a difference in their communities, countries, and the 
     region;
       Whereas 65 percent of the population of the ASEAN region is 
     under 35 years of age, and these 400,000,000 youth will 
     determine the future of the region for decades to come;
       Whereas YSEALI aims to further strengthen the enduring 
     partnership between the United States and ASEAN;
       Whereas YSEALI bolsters the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 
     pillar that seeks to build a people-centered, people-oriented 
     ASEAN community, as reiterated at the 52nd ASEAN Foreign 
     Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok in July 2019;
       Whereas YSEALI encourages its leaders to partner with each 
     other and the United States Government to address common 
     challenges, including economic growth, sustainable 
     development, education, and civic engagement;
       Whereas YSEALI academic and professional exchange programs 
     in the United States allow visiting leaders to experience the 
     culture and values of the United States first-hand, while 
     establishing personal and professional ties to experts, 
     institutions, organizations, companies, and local governments 
     in the United States;
       Whereas participants in YSEALI exchanges, upon returning to 
     their countries, help promote a positive understanding of the 
     United States;
       Whereas YSEALI allows United States experts to visit ASEAN 
     countries to share their expertise and work with YSEALI 
     alumni on projects that advance common goals;
       Whereas YSEALI programs in the Indo-Pacific region build 
     the capacity of civil society in the fields of human rights, 
     good governance, anti-corruption and transparency, social 
     entrepreneurship, and media literacy, which are key to the 
     Indo-Pacific efforts of the United States Government;
       Whereas YSEALI programming increases the visibility of the 
     United States in the Indo-Pacific region;
       Whereas, in seven years, YSEALI has grown into a thriving 
     community of more than 5,000 alumni and more than 140,000 
     virtual network participants;
       Whereas YSEALI alumni are already distinguishing themselves 
     as influential government officials, entrepreneurs, human 
     rights activists, journalists, social entrepreneurs, and 
     educators;
       Whereas outstanding YSEALI alumni include two former 
     Malaysian cabinet ministers and a Pulitzer Prize-winning 
     Burmese journalist imprisoned for investigating human rights 
     violations against the Rohingya;
       Whereas YSEALI alumni are valuable partners to embassies 
     and agencies of the United States overseas;
       Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public 
     Law 115-409; 132 Stat. 5387) (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``ARIA'') emphasized the importance of ASEAN to the United 
     States and supported the elevation of the relationship 
     between the United States and ASEAN to a strategic 
     partnership; and
       Whereas ARIA authorized $25,000,000 to be appropriated for 
     each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 to support Indo-
     Pacific young leaders initiatives, including YSEALI, the 
     ASEAN Youth Volunteers Program, and other people-to-people 
     exchange programs that focus on building the capacity of 
     democracy, human rights, and good governance activists in the 
     Indo-Pacific region: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the partnership of the United States with 
     young leaders in Southeast Asia;
       (2) recognizes the importance of the Young Southeast Asian 
     Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to--
       (A) advancing the soft power of the United States in 
     Southeast Asia; and
       (B) promoting human rights, democracy, and good governance 
     in the Indo-Pacific region;
       (3) emphasizes the key role of YSEALI in--
       (A) strengthening the relationship of the United States 
     with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations (ASEAN); and
       (B) elevating the profile and standing of the United States 
     as a major partner in the region;
       (4) stresses the importance of YSEALI in building 
     leadership capacity among civil society, governments, and 
     private enterprises in ASEAN member states and across 
     Southeast Asia; and
       (5) encourages the Department of State to promote the 
     YSEALI program to the maximum extent possible as a valuable 
     tool to advance mutually beneficial cooperation with partners 
     in the Indo-Pacific region.
  Mr. GARDNER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee-reported substitute amendment to the resolution be agreed to; 
that the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the committee-
reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to; that the preamble, as 
amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was 
agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 392), as amended, was agreed to.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows

                              S. Res. 392

       Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative 
     (YSEALI) was created in 2013 to build a cadre of emerging 
     leaders in member states of the Association of Southeast 
     Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the goal of fostering regional 
     cooperation and partnership with the United States;
       Whereas YSEALI is composed of influential young leaders 
     between 18 and 35 years of age from ASEAN countries (Brunei, 
     Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, 
     Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and Timor-Leste who are 
     making a difference in their communities, countries, and the 
     region;
       Whereas 65 percent of the population of the ASEAN region is 
     under 35 years of age, and these 400,000,000 youth will 
     determine the future of the region for decades to come;
       Whereas YSEALI aims to further strengthen the enduring 
     partnership between the United States and ASEAN;
       Whereas YSEALI bolsters the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 
     pillar that seeks to build a people-centered, people-oriented 
     ASEAN community, as reiterated at the 52nd ASEAN Foreign 
     Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok in July 2019;
       Whereas YSEALI encourages its leaders to partner with each 
     other and the United States Government to address common 
     challenges, including economic growth, sustainable 
     development, education, and civic engagement;
       Whereas YSEALI academic and professional exchange programs 
     in the United States allow visiting leaders to experience the 
     culture and values of the United States first-hand, while 
     establishing personal and professional ties to experts, 
     institutions, organizations, companies, and local governments 
     in the United States;
       Whereas participants in YSEALI exchanges, upon returning to 
     their countries, help promote a positive understanding of the 
     United States;
       Whereas YSEALI allows United States experts to visit ASEAN 
     countries to share their expertise and work with YSEALI 
     alumni on projects that advance common goals;
       Whereas YSEALI programs in the Indo-Pacific region build 
     the capacity of civil society in the fields of human rights, 
     good governance, anti-corruption and transparency, social 
     entrepreneurship, and media literacy, which are key to the 
     Indo-Pacific efforts of the United States Government;
       Whereas YSEALI programming increases the visibility of the 
     United States in the Indo-Pacific region;
       Whereas, in seven years, YSEALI has grown into a thriving 
     community of more than 5,000 alumni and more than 140,000 
     virtual network participants;
       Whereas YSEALI alumni are already distinguishing themselves 
     as influential government officials, entrepreneurs, human 
     rights activists, journalists, social entrepreneurs, and 
     educators;
       Whereas outstanding YSEALI alumni include two former 
     Malaysian cabinet ministers and a Pulitzer Prize-winning 
     Burmese journalist imprisoned for investigating human rights 
     violations against the Rohingya;
       Whereas YSEALI alumni are valuable partners to embassies 
     and agencies of the United States overseas;
       Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public 
     Law 115-409; 132 Stat. 5387) (referred to in this preamble as 
     ``ARIA'') emphasized the importance of ASEAN to the United 
     States and supported the elevation of the relationship 
     between the United States and ASEAN to a strategic 
     partnership; and
       Whereas ARIA authorized $25,000,000 to be appropriated for 
     each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 to support Indo-
     Pacific young leaders initiatives, including YSEALI, the 
     ASEAN Youth Volunteers Program, and other people-to-people 
     exchange programs that focus on building the capacity of 
     democracy, human rights, and good governance activists in the 
     Indo-Pacific region: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) celebrates the partnership of the United States with 
     young leaders in Southeast Asia;
       (2) recognizes the importance of the Young Southeast Asian 
     Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to--
       (A) advancing the soft power of the United States in 
     Southeast Asia; and
       (B) promoting human rights, democracy, and good governance 
     in the Indo-Pacific region;
       (3) emphasizes the key role of YSEALI in--
       (A) strengthening the relationship of the United States 
     with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations (ASEAN); and
       (B) elevating the profile and standing of the United States 
     as a major partner in the region;
       (4) stresses the importance of YSEALI in building 
     leadership capacity among civil society, governments, and 
     private enterprises in ASEAN member states and across 
     Southeast Asia; and
       (5) encourages the Department of State to promote the 
     YSEALI program to the maximum extent possible as a valuable 
     tool to advance mutually beneficial cooperation with partners 
     in the Indo-Pacific region.

[[Page S3016]]

  

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