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[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 127 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H6124-H6125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

    PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY INTERNATIONAL 
                    FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR BURMA

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 6431) to provide flexibility with respect to U.S. support for 
assistance provided by international financial institutions for Burma, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6431

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

       Upon a determination by the President that it is in the 
     national interest of the United States to support assistance 
     for Burma, the Secretary of the Treasury may instruct the 
     United States Executive Director at any international 
     financial institution to vote in favor of the provision of 
     assistance for Burma by the institution, notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law. The President shall provide the 
     appropriate congressional committees with a written notice of 
     any such determination.

     SEC. 2. CONSULTATION AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.

       (a) Prior to making the determination contained in section 
     1, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury 
     each shall consult with the appropriate congressional 
     committees on assistance to be provided to Burma by an 
     international financial institution, and the national 
     interests served by such assistance.
       (b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United 
     States Executive Director at each international financial 
     institution that the United States Executive Director may not 
     vote in favor of any provision of assistance by the 
     institution to Burma until at least 15 days has elapsed from 
     the date on which the President has provided notice pursuant 
     to section 1.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means 
     the Committees on Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing, and 
     Urban Affairs, and Appropriations of the Senate, and the 
     Committees on Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, and 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
       (2) The term ``assistance'' means any loan or financial or 
     technical assistance, or any other use of funds.
       (3) The term ``international financial institution'' shall 
     have the same meaning as contained in section 7029(d) of 
     division I of Public Law 112-74.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.

                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert 
extraneous material into the Record on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This afternoon, Congress was finally able to present Aung San Suu Kyi 
the Congressional Gold Medal. Congress' highest medal was awarded for 
her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, to nonviolence, to 
human rights, and of course to democracy in Burma. I was an original 
cosponsor of Mr. Crowley's legislation that set the stage for today's 
ceremony.

                              {time}  1920

  Of course, that legislation passed years ago, back in 2008, when Aung 
San Suu Kyi's house was her prison. Many thought, of course, that this 
day today would never come. That she was able to visit Capitol Hill 
today to accept this award, meeting with Members of Congress, is a 
testament of the changes taking place in her important country. The 
opposition has won seats in Parliament. Media restrictions have been 
eased. Hundreds of prisoners, including many this week, have been 
released.
  Congress can be proud of the role that it has played in getting Burma 
to this point. Sanctions were important, but sanctions can't keep up 
the momentum for democracy in Burma today. That was the message that 
Aung San Suu Kyi delivered in Washington. Instead, she emphasized the 
role that the U.S. can play in helping to build up the institutions 
that Burma badly needs.
  This country, once Southeast Asia's richest country, is now its 
poorest. Its corrupt and brutal generals have destroyed the economic 
landscape of Burma. The Burmese people are destitute. Democracy will 
not thrive in this economic despair.
  Isolated for decades, the institutions Burma needs to run an economy 
are either very weak or they do not exist. International financial 
institutions could help Burma establish the economic infrastructure 
needed to reconnect with the world. This assistance also can help the 
Burmese with their basic needs. Without this in place, the potential 
for political backsliding is real.
  However, several laws on our books direct the U.S. representative at 
each international financial institution to vote ``no'' when it comes 
to any proposal related to Burma. There is no waiver, which is very 
unusual when it comes to sanctions.
  I'd note that a U.S. ``no'' vote is not a veto. It doesn't stop these 
institutions from being involved with Burma. It just stops us from 
being part of the process.
  So we have to ask ourselves, when are the interests of the U.S. and 
the Burmese people best served? When the U.S. is playing a leading 
role, helping to shape these institutions' involvement with Burma, or 
are they best served when the U.S. representative is shut out of the 
room, left with only one option?
  This legislation gives more options: yes, no, or abstain. When U.S. 
support is possible, that gives us leverage. We have great weight at 
these institutions, even while they are mainly funded by others.
  Like other Members, I'm not happy with where Burma is today. I want 
all political prisoners released. There is too much ethnic violence.

  This bill doesn't touch the import ban or asset freezes, of course, 
and those are targeted at the regime. The Treasury Department should 
use its authority to target any individual that is undermining progress 
in Burma.
  This legislation is license to bolster reform, where appropriate and 
where possible, not a seal of approval. Given where Burma is today, 
it's appropriate that Congress respond in this way to ensure that the 
U.S. is in a position to continue to press for reforms.
  Moving forward, Congress will need to ensure that these financial 
institutions are pushing stringent transparency and monitoring its 
impact on human rights. Those goals, which we all share, are best 
advanced by adopting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6431 and yield 
myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page H6125]]

  Currently, congressional mandates require that the U.S. 
representative must vote ``no'' on any proposed assistance going from 
an international financial institution to Burma. This bill before us 
today would change that. It would allow the Secretary of the Treasury 
to instruct our executive directors at the World Bank, the Asian 
Development Bank, and the IMF to support proposed assistance to Burma, 
if the President determines that it is in our national interest.
  This flexibility will be needed in the coming months. There will 
likely be some important votes coming up at the World Bank and the 
Asian Development Bank on development projects and arrears clearance 
packages for Burma. Binding the U.S. representative to always vote 
``no'' on such measures would work directly against our hope of 
engaging Burma and supporting her democratic reforms, and that's why I 
strongly support this bill.
  The economic and political reforms in Burma show great promise. That 
is why the United States lifted the sanctions on investment in Burma 
back in July. And the right thing to do now is to support development 
and economic aid to Burma through the international financial 
institutions.
  Both multilateral development and humanitarian assistance are 
important now because Burma needs both long-term and short-term 
results. Her people need to see that a democracy has tangible positive 
impacts on their everyday lives.
  It is not just in the best interests of the Burmese people that they 
continue to support the democratic and economic reforms in the country; 
it is in the interest of the United States as well. And I would say 
that it's in the world's best interest, too.
  It was a great honor today to welcome Aung San Suu Kyi to the 
Capitol. She is a courageous woman of matchless strength and towering 
integrity.
  I congratulate her on receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, the 
highest award that we can give anyone, which she so richly deserves. 
She honors us by her presence and her acceptance of this award.
  Her unshakeable conviction that democratic values and fundamental 
human rights were not only possible but absolutely necessary for Burma 
provided her country with a model of courage and perseverance that 
helped to sustain it throughout the most difficult years.
  We congratulate her. We thank her. And I want to let her know that 
she is a very special heroine to me, and that we remain strongly 
committed to the cause of reform in her country and to supporting not 
only her country, but her people.
  Aung San Suu Kyi has said that aid and investment in Burma must be 
done in a way that is democracy friendly. She describes that as 
investments that prioritize transparency, accountability, workers' 
rights, and environmental sustainability. Aung San Suu Kyi has also 
said that the government needs to apply internationally recognized 
standards such as the IMF Code of Good Practices on Fiscal 
Transparency. I agree with her wholeheartedly on both of these issues.
  As the international financial institutions move to reengage in Burma 
and we move through this piece of legislation in support of that 
engagement, I urge the administration to use its leadership at the IFIs 
to ensure that assistance to Burma supports democratic reforms, ensures 
an open and transparent government, and establishes safeguards that 
support growth, alleviates poverty, and safeguards the rights of the 
people.
  There is a tide in the affairs of nations that, taken at the flood, 
can lead to greatness. And this is such a moment of political and 
economic import for Burma.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and to continue to support 
the efforts of the people of Burma towards the establishment of a truly 
just and democratic society.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. We have no further speakers. I will close, if the 
gentlelady has no additional speakers.
  Mrs. MALONEY. I have no additional speakers and yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Very good. In that case, I thank the gentlelady.
  Mr. Speaker, it is said that Burma is undergoing a triple transition, 
from a military government to a more open and democratic government. 
Also, it's moving from conflict to peace, and it's moving from a closed 
economy to a more open economy. All three of these transitions, of 
course, are equally daunting.
  Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to the United States tells us just how far 
this country has come, but she also reminds us how far Burma has left 
to go.
  So our responsibility is to keep pushing Burma in the right 
direction, pushing it in the right direction so that all political 
prisoners are freed and so that a fully democratic government respects 
the rights of all of its people, including its ethnic minorities.

                              {time}  1930

  This legislation is an appropriate response to ensure that Burma 
continues moving in the right direction.
  I urge the passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6431.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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