[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S449-S452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONDEMNING THE MILITARY COUP THAT TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 1, 2021, IN 
                                 BURMA

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 26 S. Res. 35.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 35) condemning the military coup that 
     took place on February 1, 2021, in Burma and the Burmese 
     military's detention of civilian leaders, calling for an 
     immediate and unconditional release of all those detained and 
     for those elected to serve in parliament to resume their 
     duties without impediment, and for other purposes.

  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:

                               S. Res. 35

       Whereas Burma's November 8, 2020, elections resulted in the 
     National League for Democracy party securing enough seats in 
     Parliament to form the next government, notwithstanding the 
     disenfranchisement of more than 1,500,000 voters, mostly from 
     ethnic minority communities in Kachin, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, 
     Shan, and Chin states;
       Whereas, on January 28, 2021, the Union Election Commission 
     rejected allegations by the military of Burma (the 
     ``Tatmadaw'') that fraud played a significant role in 
     determining the outcome of the November 2020 elections;
       Whereas, on February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw and its aligned 
     Union Solidarity and Development Party (``USDP'') conducted a 
     military coup against the civilian government hours before 
     Parliament was to convene in a new session, resulting in the 
     military junta illegally detaining State Counsellor Aung San 
     Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and members of Parliament, as 
     well as pro-democracy activists from the 88 Generation and 
     other civil society leaders;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw restricted freedom of movement, 
     telecommunications, and the media, limiting access to 
     information to and from Burma during a political and public 
     health crisis;
       Whereas senior generals of the Tatmadaw have been 
     sanctioned by the United States Government for serious human 
     rights abuses and for their role in the coup and are subject 
     to ongoing investigations into their conduct by the 
     International Criminal Court and the International Court of 
     Justice;
       Whereas, since August 25, 2017, 740,000 Rohingya have fled 
     northern Rakhine State to neighboring Bangladesh to escape a 
     systematic campaign of atrocities by Burma's military and 
     security forces, and over three years later, conditions are 
     still not conducive to the safe, voluntary, and dignified 
     return of the Rohingya to Burma;
       Whereas, according to the Department of State's August 24, 
     2018, report entitled ``Documentation of Atrocities in 
     Northern Rakhine State'', violence committed by the Burmese 
     military (Tatmadaw) against the Rohingya, including from 
     August to October 2017, was not only ``extreme, large-scale, 
     widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the 
     population and driving out the Rohingya residents,'' but also 
     ``well-planned and coordinated'';
       Whereas, on August 28, 2018, the United States Ambassador 
     to the United Nations told the United Nations Security 
     Council that the Department of State report's findings were 
     ``consistent with'' those in an August 27, 2018, report by 
     the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar 
     (IIFFMM) which urged that top Burmese military officials be 
     investigated and prosecuted for genocide; and
       Whereas Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed at his 
     nomination hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations 
     of the Senate on January 19, 2021, and in subsequent written 
     responses to questions for the record, that he will oversee 
     an interagency review of whether the atrocities committed 
     against the Rohingya in Burma constitute genocide: Now 
     therefore be it
     That the Senate--
       (1) supports the people of Burma in their ambition for a 
     genuine democracy, sustainable peace and genuine ethnic 
     reconciliation, and the realization of fundamental human 
     rights for all, including for ethnic minorities whose human 
     rights have been violated repeatedly and who have been 
     disenfranchised historically;
       (2) calls on the military junta to--
       (A) immediately and unconditionally release all those 
     detained as a result of the military coup on February 1, 
     2021;
       (B) immediately restore all forms of communications, 
     including access to the internet without surveillance;
       (C) remove all impediments to free travel that have been 
     imposed as a result of the coup;
       (D) return to power all members of the civilian government 
     elected in the November 8, 2020, elections and allow them to 
     fulfill their mandate without impediment;
       (E) allow for freedom of expression, including the right to 
     protest, peaceful assembly, press freedom, and freedom of 
     movement; and
       (F) allow unfettered reporting from local, national, and 
     international media;
       (3) calls on social media companies to suspend the accounts 
     of USDP and Tatmadaw military leaders that have used their 
     platforms to spread disinformation, fear, and psychological 
     violence;
       (4) supports the use of all diplomatic and development 
     tools to ensure that vulnerable groups, including ethnic and 
     religious minorities, as well as all children, youth, and 
     teachers in educational settings are safe, and schools and 
     universities are not targeted for attacks or use by the 
     military;

[[Page S450]]

       (5) expresses grave concern for the safety and security of 
     hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who previously 
     fled the Tatmadaw, and now face challenging conditions in 
     camps like Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char in Bangladesh or risk 
     being turned away or moved into holding centers in other 
     neighboring countries;
       (6) calls on the President, the Secretary of State, and the 
     Secretary of Defense to fully implement section 7008 of the 
     Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 (division K of Public Law 116-260) 
     and any similar or successor law governing United States 
     foreign assistance following a coup d'etat, and to 
     immediately--
       (A) impose targeted restrictions aimed at the Tatmadaw, 
     military-owned or controlled enterprises, and those 
     responsible for the February 1, 2021, coup;
       (B) work with the international community, including at the 
     United Nations Security Council, with United States allies in 
     the region, and with the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations, to condemn the coup and take steps to ensure that 
     international economic engagement in Burma does not 
     contribute to human rights abuses and enrich individuals 
     connected to the coup;
       (C) support conditionality on diplomatic, economic, and 
     security relations with Burma, including using the voice and 
     vote of the United States at multilateral development 
     institutions, until all those detained in the February 1, 
     2021, coup are released and there has been a full restoration 
     of civilian-controlled parliament respecting the November 8, 
     2020, election results; and
       (D) utilize the United States Government's position on the 
     United Nations Security Council to bring about greater 
     international cooperation in the pursuit of justice and 
     accountability in Burma; and
       (7) urges the Secretary of State to swiftly conduct an 
     Interagency Process and issue a determination as to whether 
     the crimes committed by the Burmese military against the 
     Rohingya beginning in August 2017 constitute crimes against 
     humanity or genocide.

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I rise today to speak about the terrible 
tragedy that befell the people of Burma 1 year ago today, when the 
Tatmadaw, the Burmese military, reclaimed total power in the coup 
d'etat of February 1, 2021. Since then, the military has waged a brutal 
campaign against its own people, a people that has nonetheless stood up 
to challenge the crackdown through civil disobedience, strikes, and 
protests. And when that failed to move the junta, the people of Burma 
have been forced to resort to military action against their oppressors.
  Burma is a complex, polyglot society made up of many ethnic groups 
and religious tradition. Yet the one thing that seems to have united a 
wide cross-section of the Burmese people has been this violent rupture 
of what for more than decade had been a fitful trend toward increasing 
democratization. Today, the opposition to the military has galvanized 
the people to such an extent that organized resistance has turned to 
increasingly well-organized paramilitary action against the military 
and its institutions of repression.
  As authoritarianism grows around the world, we must work with like-
minded nations to fight corruption, protect human rights, increase 
transparency, and work with civil society to defend democracy and the 
freedom of marginalized people around the world.
  Throughout its independence, Burma's history has suffered decades of 
repressive military rule and civil war with ethnic minority groups, and 
what we are seeing today in Burma is no different.
  The February 1 military coup and the capture of elected government 
officials in Burma was a clear attack on the democratic process of free 
and fair elections and the will of the Burmese people. This affront 
poses a direct threat to the ongoing stability of the country, its 
economy, and the health and welfare of its citizens. On the very same 
day the newly elected Parliament was set to assume office, the Burmese 
military, the Tatmadaw, staged a coup rather than see their grip on 
power and corrupt gains threatened by the will of the Burmese people.
  Since the coup took place, Burma's human rights situation has 
deteriorated exponentially. The military has detained over 11,000 
people for exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly and 
killed more than 1,400 civilians, including children. Fighting between 
Myanmar's military and several ethnic armed groups continued, with 
government forces committing increased abuses against ethnic Kachin, 
Karen, Kayah, Chin, Rakhine, Rohingya, and Shan minority populations. 
Military and police abuses were amplified with arbitrary arrests, 
detention, torture, and killings in custody. These actions by the 
military have driven hundreds of thousands from their homes and 
thousands more to flee across Burma's borders into Thailand, India, and 
Bangladesh.
  We have also seen the Tatmadaw put the democratically elected 
civilian leadership of Burma, including President Win Myint and State 
Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, through sham trials for fabricated crimes 
and sentenced them to lengthy prison terms in order to remove them from 
political competition.
  On February 4, just 3 days after the coup, I introduced this 
resolution with Senator Young condemning the military's February 1 
military coup. The resolution has been revised through amendments 
offered by colleagues and updated to reflect recent events. It retains 
the same essential message, calling for the immediate and unconditional 
release of all those detained and for elected officials to be allowed 
to resume their duties without impediment.
  I was heartened to see President Biden take action through a series 
of executive orders since last February. I am especially pleased to see 
that the Biden administration has issued sanctions in coordination with 
our allies. This is not something the U.S. should be acting on 
unilaterally.
  It is imperative that we move forward with a floor vote on this 
resolution, and I am hopeful that we can do the same in the coming days 
on the bill I introduced in October, the BURMA Act.
  This important legislation authorizes the President to impose 
sanctions on individuals and entities who helped stage the February 1 
coup d'etat in Burma and are responsible for the subsequent repression 
of fundamental freedoms, perpetuation of human rights abuses, use of 
indiscriminate violence towards civilians, and other gross atrocities.
  Additionally, the bill authorizes increased humanitarian assistance 
for Rohingya refugees and provides support for civil society and 
independent media; prohibits the import of gemstones from Burma into 
the U.S.; calls for the United States to pressure the United Nations to 
take more decisive action with regards to Burma; and requests a 
genocide determination regarding the persecution of the Rohingya.
  It is important for the international community to continue to 
pressure the military junta to restore democracy for the people of 
Burma. The behavior of the Tatmadaw has not and will not change without 
concrete and robust actions from the international community to bring 
justice, accountability, and restore democracy.
  I remain committed to continuing to work with the Biden 
administration and my colleagues in Congress to ensure that the U.S. 
and international response to the military coup is coordinated and 
targeted to have a strong impact on those responsible, while also 
encouraging a peaceful transition of power back to the civilian 
government. I continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Burma 
and condemn the ongoing violence against them.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I further ask that the committee-reported amendment to 
the resolution be withdrawn, and the amendment to the resolution which 
is at the desk be considered and agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was 
withdrawn.
  The amendment (No. 4918), in the nature of a substitute, was agreed 
to as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following: ``That the Senate--
       (1) supports the people of Burma in their ambition for 
     democracy, sustainable peace, and genuine ethnic and 
     religious reconciliation, and the realization of 
     internationally recognized human rights for all, including 
     for ethnic and religious groups whose human rights have been 
     violated repeatedly and who have been disenfranchised 
     historically;
       (2) calls on the Tatmadaw to--
       (A) immediately and unconditionally release all political 
     prisoners detained as a result of the military coup on 
     February 1, 2021;
       (B) immediately restore all forms of communications, 
     including access to the internet without surveillance;
       (C) immediately end the use of violence and allow for a 
     legal process for accountability and justice for those 
     unlawfully detained, injured, and killed by the Tatmadaw;
       (D) remove all impediments to free travel that have been 
     imposed as a result of the coup;

[[Page S451]]

       (E) return to power all members of the civilian government 
     elected in the November 8, 2020, elections and allow them to 
     fulfill their mandate without impediment;
       (F) allow for freedom of expression, including the right to 
     protest, peaceful assembly, press freedom, and freedom of 
     movement; and
       (G) allow unfettered reporting from local, national, and 
     international media;
       (3) calls on social media companies to suspend the accounts 
     of the Union Solidarity and Development Party and the 
     Tatmadaw that have used their platforms to spread 
     disinformation, fear, and psychological violence;
       (4) supports the use of all diplomatic, economic, and 
     development tools to ensure that vulnerable groups, including 
     ethnic and religious groups, as well as all children, youth, 
     and teachers in educational settings are safe, and schools 
     and universities are not targeted for attacks or use by the 
     Tatmadaw;
       (5) expresses grave concern for the safety and security of 
     hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``IDPs'') and refugees who 
     have been displaced by the Tatmadaw and now face challenging 
     conditions in camps;
       (6) expresses grave concern for the 3,000,000 people of 
     Burma who are in need of humanitarian aid, including the 
     223,000 IDPs in Burma, of which 165,000 remain in the 
     southeast, adding to those already displaced in Rakhine, 
     Chin, Shan and Kachin states;
       (7) encourages Burma's neighboring countries, including 
     Thailand, India, and Bangladesh, to meaningfully assist 
     refugees who have fled and continue to flee the Tatmadaw;
       (8) calls on the President, the Secretary of State, and the 
     Secretary of Defense to fully implement section 7008 of the 
     Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 (division K of Public Law 116-260) 
     and any similar or successor law governing United States 
     foreign assistance following a coup d'etat, and to 
     immediately--
       (A) impose targeted restrictions aimed at the Tatmadaw, 
     military-owned or controlled enterprises, and those 
     responsible for the February 1, 2021, coup;
       (B) work with the international community, including at the 
     United Nations Security Council, with United States allies in 
     the region, and with the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations, to condemn the coup, delegitimize the junta, and 
     take steps to ensure that international economic engagement 
     in Burma does not contribute to human rights abuses and 
     benefit individuals connected to the coup;
       (C) support conditionality on diplomatic, economic, and 
     security relations with Burma, including using the voice and 
     vote of the United States at multilateral development 
     institutions, until all those detained in the February 1, 
     2021, coup are released and there has been a full restoration 
     of civilian-controlled parliament respecting the November 8, 
     2020, election results;
       (D) utilize the United States Government's position on the 
     United Nations Security Council to bring about greater 
     international cooperation in the pursuit of justice and 
     accountability in Burma;
       (E) legitimize and provide assistance to the National Unity 
     Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the 
     National Unity Consultative Council, the Civil Disobedience 
     Movement in Myanmar, and other entities promoting democracy 
     in Burma, while simultaneously denying legitimacy and 
     resources to the junta;
       (F) promote national reconciliation among the diverse 
     ethnic and religious groups in Burma;
       (G) counter support to the junta by the People's Republic 
     of China and the Russian Federation; and
       (H) secure the restoration of democracy, the establishment 
     of an inclusive and representative civilian government and a 
     reformed military reflecting the diversity of Burma and under 
     civilian control, and the enactment of constitutional, 
     political, and economic reform in Burma; and
       (9) urges the Secretary of State to swiftly conduct an 
     Interagency Process and issue a determination as to whether 
     the targeting and murder of innocent civilians by the 
     Tatmadaw during and after the February 1, 2021, coup d'etat, 
     specifically those associated with ethnic and religious 
     groups in Burma, and crimes committed by the Tatmadaw against 
     such ethnic and religious groups prior to the coup constitute 
     crimes against humanity or genocide.

  Mr. MENENDEZ. I know of no further debate on the resolution.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  Hearing none, the question is on adoption of the resolution, as 
amended.
  The resolution (S. Res. 35), as amended, was agreed to.
  Mr. MENENDEZ. I further ask that the committee-reported amendment to 
the preamble be withdrawn; that the amendment to the preamble, which is 
at the desk, be considered and agreed to; that the preamble, as 
amended, be agreed to; that the amendment to the title be considered 
and agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made 
and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble, in the nature of a 
substitute, was withdrawn.
  The amendment (No. 4919), in the nature of a substitute, was agreed 
to as follows:

                    (Purpose: To amend the preamble)

        Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas, on February 1, 2021, the military of Burma (the 
     ``Tatmadaw'') and its aligned Union Solidarity and 
     Development Party (USDP) conducted a military coup against 
     the civilian government hours before Parliament was to 
     convene in a new session, resulting in the military junta 
     illegally detaining State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, 
     President Win Myint, and members of Parliament, as well as 
     pro-democracy activists from the 88 Generation and other 
     civil society leaders;
       Whereas, since February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw has detained 
     more than 11,000 people for exercising their rights of 
     freedom of speech and assembly and killed more than 1,400 
     civilians, including children;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has put the democratically-elected 
     civilian leadership of Burma, including President Win Myint 
     and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, through sham trials 
     for fabricated crimes and sentenced them to lengthy prison 
     terms in order to remove them from political competition;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has become the world's second largest 
     detainer of journalists, with over 100 journalists imprisoned 
     since the military coup;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw's actions have driven hundreds of 
     thousands from their homes and driven thousands to flee 
     across Burma's borders into Thailand, India, and Bangladesh;
       Whereas fighting between the Tatmadaw and several ethnic 
     armed groups continues, with government forces committing 
     increased abuses against ethnic Karen, Kayah, Kachin, Chin, 
     Rakhine, Shan, and Rohingya minority populations;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw restricted freedom of movement, 
     telecommunications, and the media, limiting access to 
     information to and from Burma during a political and public 
     health crisis;
       Whereas senior generals of the Tatmadaw have been 
     sanctioned by the United States Government for serious human 
     rights abuses and for their role in the coup and are subject 
     to ongoing investigations into their conduct by the 
     International Criminal Court and the International Court of 
     Justice;
       Whereas, on January 28, 2021, the Union Election Commission 
     rejected allegations by the Tatmadaw that fraud played a 
     significant role in determining the outcome of the November 
     2020 elections;
       Whereas Burma's November 8, 2020, elections resulted in the 
     National League for Democracy party securing enough seats in 
     Parliament to form the next government;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has a long history of committing 
     atrocities against the people of Burma, including the 
     targeting of specific ethnic groups; and
       Whereas senior United States officials have committed to 
     making a determination of whether such atrocities constitute 
     genocide: Now, therefore, be it

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The title amendment (No. 4920) was agreed to as follows:

                     (Purpose: To amend the title)

       Amend the title so as to read: ``A resolution condemning 
     the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021, in 
     Burma and the Tatmadaw's detention of civilian leaders, 
     calling for an immediate and unconditional release of all 
     those detained, promoting accountability and justice for 
     those killed by the Tatmadaw, and calling for those elected 
     to serve in parliament to resume their duties without 
     impediment, and for other purposes.''.

  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows:

                               S. Res. 35

       Whereas, on February 1, 2021, the military of Burma (the 
     ``Tatmadaw'') and its aligned Union Solidarity and 
     Development Party (USDP) conducted a military coup against 
     the civilian government hours before Parliament was to 
     convene in a new session, resulting in the military junta 
     illegally detaining State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, 
     President Win Myint, and members of Parliament, as well as 
     pro-democracy activists from the 88 Generation and other 
     civil society leaders;
       Whereas, since February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw has detained 
     more than 11,000 people for exercising their rights of 
     freedom of speech and assembly and killed more than 1,400 
     civilians, including children;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has put the democratically-elected 
     civilian leadership of Burma, including President Win Myint 
     and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, through sham trials 
     for fabricated crimes and sentenced them to lengthy prison 
     terms in order to remove them from political competition;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has become the world's second largest 
     detainer of journalists, with over 100 journalists imprisoned 
     since the military coup;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw's actions have driven hundreds of 
     thousands from their homes and driven thousands to flee 
     across

[[Page S452]]

     Burma's borders into Thailand, India, and Bangladesh;
       Whereas fighting between the Tatmadaw and several ethnic 
     armed groups continues, with government forces committing 
     increased abuses against ethnic Karen, Kayah, Kachin, Chin, 
     Rakhine, Shan, and Rohingya minority populations;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw restricted freedom of movement, 
     telecommunications, and the media, limiting access to 
     information to and from Burma during a political and public 
     health crisis;
       Whereas senior generals of the Tatmadaw have been 
     sanctioned by the United States Government for serious human 
     rights abuses and for their role in the coup and are subject 
     to ongoing investigations into their conduct by the 
     International Criminal Court and the International Court of 
     Justice;
       Whereas, on January 28, 2021, the Union Election Commission 
     rejected allegations by the Tatmadaw that fraud played a 
     significant role in determining the outcome of the November 
     2020 elections;
       Whereas Burma's November 8, 2020, elections resulted in the 
     National League for Democracy party securing enough seats in 
     Parliament to form the next government;
       Whereas the Tatmadaw has a long history of committing 
     atrocities against the people of Burma, including the 
     targeting of specific ethnic groups; and
       Whereas senior United States officials have committed to 
     making a determination of whether such atrocities constitute 
     genocide: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the people of Burma in their ambition for 
     democracy, sustainable peace, and genuine ethnic and 
     religious reconciliation, and the realization of 
     internationally recognized human rights for all, including 
     for ethnic and religious groups whose human rights have been 
     violated repeatedly and who have been disenfranchised 
     historically;
       (2) calls on the Tatmadaw to--
       (A) immediately and unconditionally release all political 
     prisoners detained as a result of the military coup on 
     February 1, 2021;
       (B) immediately restore all forms of communications, 
     including access to the internet without surveillance;
       (C) immediately end the use of violence and allow for a 
     legal process for accountability and justice for those 
     unlawfully detained, injured, and killed by the Tatmadaw;
       (D) remove all impediments to free travel that have been 
     imposed as a result of the coup;
       (E) return to power all members of the civilian government 
     elected in the November 8, 2020, elections and allow them to 
     fulfill their mandate without impediment;
       (F) allow for freedom of expression, including the right to 
     protest, peaceful assembly, press freedom, and freedom of 
     movement; and
       (G) allow unfettered reporting from local, national, and 
     international media;
       (3) calls on social media companies to suspend the accounts 
     of the Union Solidarity and Development Party and the 
     Tatmadaw that have used their platforms to spread 
     disinformation, fear, and psychological violence;
       (4) supports the use of all diplomatic, economic, and 
     development tools to ensure that vulnerable groups, including 
     ethnic and religious groups, as well as all children, youth, 
     and teachers in educational settings are safe, and schools 
     and universities are not targeted for attacks or use by the 
     Tatmadaw;
       (5) expresses grave concern for the safety and security of 
     hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons 
     (referred to in this resolution as ``IDPs'') and refugees who 
     have been displaced by the Tatmadaw and now face challenging 
     conditions in camps;
       (6) expresses grave concern for the 3,000,000 people of 
     Burma who are in need of humanitarian aid, including the 
     223,000 IDPs in Burma, of which 165,000 remain in the 
     southeast, adding to those already displaced in Rakhine, 
     Chin, Shan and Kachin states;
       (7) encourages Burma's neighboring countries, including 
     Thailand, India, and Bangladesh, to meaningfully assist 
     refugees who have fled and continue to flee the Tatmadaw;
       (8) calls on the President, the Secretary of State, and the 
     Secretary of Defense to fully implement section 7008 of the 
     Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
     Appropriations Act, 2021 (division K of Public Law 116-260) 
     and any similar or successor law governing United States 
     foreign assistance following a coup d'etat, and to 
     immediately--
       (A) impose targeted restrictions aimed at the Tatmadaw, 
     military-owned or controlled enterprises, and those 
     responsible for the February 1, 2021, coup;
       (B) work with the international community, including at the 
     United Nations Security Council, with United States allies in 
     the region, and with the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations, to condemn the coup, delegitimize the junta, and 
     take steps to ensure that international economic engagement 
     in Burma does not contribute to human rights abuses and 
     benefit individuals connected to the coup;
       (C) support conditionality on diplomatic, economic, and 
     security relations with Burma, including using the voice and 
     vote of the United States at multilateral development 
     institutions, until all those detained in the February 1, 
     2021, coup are released and there has been a full restoration 
     of civilian-controlled parliament respecting the November 8, 
     2020, election results;
       (D) utilize the United States Government's position on the 
     United Nations Security Council to bring about greater 
     international cooperation in the pursuit of justice and 
     accountability in Burma;
       (E) legitimize and provide assistance to the National Unity 
     Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the 
     National Unity Consultative Council, the Civil Disobedience 
     Movement in Myanmar, and other entities promoting democracy 
     in Burma, while simultaneously denying legitimacy and 
     resources to the junta;
       (F) promote national reconciliation among the diverse 
     ethnic and religious groups in Burma;
       (G) counter support to the junta by the People's Republic 
     of China and the Russian Federation; and
       (H) secure the restoration of democracy, the establishment 
     of an inclusive and representative civilian government and a 
     reformed military reflecting the diversity of Burma and under 
     civilian control, and the enactment of constitutional, 
     political, and economic reform in Burma; and
       (9) urges the Secretary of State to swiftly conduct an 
     Interagency Process and issue a determination as to whether 
     the targeting and murder of innocent civilians by the 
     Tatmadaw during and after the February 1, 2021, coup d'etat, 
     specifically those associated with ethnic and religious 
     groups in Burma, and crimes committed by the Tatmadaw against 
     such ethnic and religious groups prior to the coup constitute 
     crimes against humanity or genocide.

                          ____________________