BRAVE Burma Act

Bill: 118-hr-8863
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4]
Introduced: 2024-06-27
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-06-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8863 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 27, 2024 Mr. Huizenga (for himself, Ms. McCollum , Mrs. Wagner , and Mr. Sherman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary , and Financial Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 to extend the sunset, to require a determination with respect to the imposition of sanctions on certain persons of Burma, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act or the BRAVE Burma Act . 2. Extension of sunset Section 5574 of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 (subtitle E of title LV of division E of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023; 22 U.S.C. 10225 ) is amended by striking 8 years and inserting 10 years . 3. Modifications to reporting requirement Section 5571(e) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 ( 22 U.S.C. 10222(e) ) is amended to read as follows: (e) Assessment and report on sanctions with respect to Burmese persons (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 7 years, the President shall determine whether the following persons meet the criteria for sanctions described under subsection (a) or under Executive Order 14014 (86 Fed. Reg. 9429; relating to blocking property with respect to the situation in Burma): (A) Any Burmese state-owned enterprise described in subsection (c)(1). (B) Myanma Economic Bank. (C) Any foreign person that the President determines operates in the jet fuel sector of the Burmese economy, including through activities such as the provision of financial services or the importation, exportation, reexportation, sale, supply, trade, storage, or transport, directly or indirectly, of jet fuel in Burma. (2) Report required Upon making the determination required by paragraph (1), the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the assessment. (3) Form of report The report required by paragraph (2) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. . 4. Limitation of shareholding benefitting the state administration council of burma (a) In general The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund to use the voice and vote of the United States, when assessing potential changes to any shareholding formula in connection with a governance review of the Fund, to limit, as appropriate, an increase to the shareholding of Burma if the country is subject to the rule of the State Administration Council. (b) Waiver The President of the United States may waive the application of subsection (a) upon certifying to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that the waiver is important to the national interest of the United States, with a detailed explanation of the reasons therefor. 5. United States Special Coordinator for Burmese Democracy (a) In general There is within the office of the Secretary of State a United States Special Coordinator for Burmese Democracy (in this section referred to as the Special Coordinator ) who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (b) Central objective The Special Coordinator should develop a comprehensive strategy for the implementation of the full range of United States diplomatic capabilities to promote human rights and the restoration of civilian government in Burma. (c) Duties and responsibilities The Special Coordinator should, as appropriate, assist in— (1) coordinating the sanctions policies of the United States under the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 ( 22 U.S.C. 10201 et seq. ) with relevant bureaus and offices within the Department of State and other relevant United States Government agencies; (2) promoting a comprehensive international effort to impose and enforce multilateral sanctions with respect to Burma; (3) coordinating with and supporting interagency United States Government efforts, including efforts of the United States Ambassador to Burma, the United States Ambassador to ASEAN, and the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, relating to— (A) identifying opportunities to coordinate with and exert pressure on the governments of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation to support multilateral action against the Burmese military; (B) working with like-minded partners to impose a coordinated arms embargo on the Burmese military and targeted sanctions on the economic interests of the Burmese military, including through the introduction and adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution; (C) engaging in direct dialogue with Burmese civil society, democracy advocates, ethnic minority representative groups, and organizations or groups representing the protest movement and the officials elected in 2020, such as the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the National Unity Government, the National Unity Consultative Council, the Ethnic Resistance Revolutionary Organizations, and their designated representatives; (D) encouraging the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar to incorporate accountability mechanisms in relation to the atrocities against Rohingya and other ethnic groups, to take further steps to make its leadership and membership ethnically diverse, and to incorporate measures to enhance ethnic reconciliation and national unity into its policy agenda; (E) assisting efforts by the relevant United Nations Special Envoys and Special Rapporteurs to secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma, promote respect for human rights, and encourage dialogue; and (F) supporting nongovernmental organizations operating in Burma and neighboring countries working to restore civilian democratic rule to Burma and to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Burma; (4) providing timely input for reporting on the impacts of the implementation of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 on the Burmese military and the people of Burma; and (5) reporting to and coordinating with Congress.