[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 14158-14159]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  MEASURE PLACED ON CALENDAR--S. 1215

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I understand that S. 1215 is at the 
desk and due for its second reading; is that correct?
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator is correct.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order to read 
the title of the measure.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will read the title of the bill for the second time.

       A bill (S. 1215) to sanction the ruling Burmese military 
     junta, to strengthen Burma's democratic forces and support 
     and recognize the National League of Democracy as the 
     legitimate representative of the Burmese people, and for 
     other purposes.

  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask that the Senate proceed to the measure and 
object to further proceeding.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. The item will be 
placed on the calendar under rule XIV.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this measure has broad bipartisan 
support. It was referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, not the 
Finance Committee. Both the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee 
and the ranking member support this measure, as do the majority and 
minority leaders of the Senate.
  It is time to act. Aung San Suu Kyi, we hope, is still alive. There 
is some urgency about this. This is an unusual situation. The U.S. 
needs to send a message about this now and lead the rest of the world 
into a policy of multilateral sanctions that truly squeeze this regime. 
I hope we can continue our discussion and get this bill up for a vote 
no later than sometime today.
  I thank the majority leader.
  The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority leader is recognized.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I wish to make a few comments on Medicare 
and the importance of strengthening and improving Medicare. We are 
addressing this in the Finance Committee currently and will have it on 
the floor of the Senate. I want to take this opportunity first to 
comment on the exchange that we heard on the floor.
  As my friend and distinguished colleague from Kentucky stated, both 
the majority leader and the minority leader are sponsors and strongly 
support the legislation on Burma. Burma's brutal military regime is 
perpetrating a wave of crackdowns, including incarcerating the Nobel 
Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi. That is why there is this sense of 
immediacy and why we feel very strongly that this bill should be 
addressed on the floor of the Senate. I am very hopeful, in spite of 
the reaction to the unanimous consent request we just heard on the 
floor, that over the course of the morning we can work out what is 
necessary to bring this legislation to the floor and have a vote on it 
today.
  I do join my colleagues in supporting this and the Burmese Freedom 
and Democracy Act of 2003, introduced by Senator McConnell and 
cosponsored by a bipartisan group of Senators, including Senators 
Feinstein, McCain, Leahy, Specter, Kennedy, Mikulski, Kyl, Daschle, and 
many others who will be added over the course of the morning.
  The legislation, importantly, among other things, would impose a U.S. 
import ban on goods manufactured in Burma and those made by what is 
called the State Peace and Development Council, SPDC, and companies 
that are owned by the SPDC. It would also freeze the assets of the 
regime itself that are held in the U.S. and require the U.S. to oppose 
and vote against loans or other assistance proposed for Burma by 
international financial institutions.
  Why? Because the situation in Burma indeed is severe. After what 
apparently was an assassination attempt of Aung San Suu Kyi, who won a 
landslide victory in Burma's last election, authorities now hold, as we 
all know, this duly elected leader and numerous other activists--we 
don't know exactly how many--incommunicado. Reports indicate that Suu 
Kyi is being held in a military camp about 40 kilometers outside of 
Rangoon. It is believed that she does suffer from some injuries and 
lacerations of her face and an injured shoulder. This is all current 
news. Again, there is a sense of urgency for us as a government to act 
and demonstrate our focus on this issue.

[[Page 14159]]

  Meanwhile, it is reported that the military regime has raided the 
offices of Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for 
Democracy, tearing down party flags and padlocking doors all across the 
country. Reportedly, military intelligence agents are posted outside 
the offices, preventing any entry at the offices in Rangoon and 
Mandalay. The regime has placed numerous democracy movement leaders 
under house arrest, surrounding their homes and severing telephone 
lines. I mention this again to explain why we are attempting to bring 
this legislation directly to the floor.
  I commend my colleagues for their efforts on behalf of the Burmese 
people. As the strongest and most free nation in the world, I do 
believe we have a profound duty to support that struggle for freedom. 
Again, I am hopeful that we can address it this morning and over the 
course of the day.
  Mr. REID. Will the majority leader yield for a unanimous consent 
request?
  Mr. FRIST. Yes.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be added as a 
cosponsor of this resolution on Burma with my friend from Kentucky.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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