Title: A resolution 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.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution celebrates the U.S. partnership with young leaders in Southeast Asia and recognizes the importance of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in advancing U.S. soft power and promoting human rights, democracy, and good governance in the region.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 392 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 31, 2019

  Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Gardner, Ms. Hirono, Mr. 
Young, and Ms. Duckworth) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    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.

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 who are 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 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 YSEALI exchange visitors, 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 5 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 2 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) in--
                    (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 main partner in the region;
            (4) stresses the importance of YSEALI in building 
        leadership capacity among civil society 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.
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