00:01Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 4140, the Burma Genocide Accountability and Protection Act.
00:07The bill was circulated in advance and the clerk shall designate the bill.
00:12H.R. 4140, to provide protection, support, and humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees and internally displaced people in Burma.
00:23Without objection, the first reading is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point.
00:28Without objection, the Meeks Amendment, in the nature of a substitute circulated to members in advance, shall be considered as read and will be treated as original text for the purposes of amendment.
00:39I now recognize myself in support of the bill.
00:44I want to thank Ranking Member Meeks and Chairman Emeritus McCall, Representative Barra, Representative Huizenga, for introducing the Burma Gap Act.
00:54For too long, the world has watched as Rohingya people have focused unspeakable horrors, genocide, mass rape, torture, and forced displacement.
01:03All that at the hands of the Burma military.
01:06This isn't history, it's happening as we speak.
01:09This bill sends a clear message the United States will not stand by while war criminals rule with impunity.
01:15It calls genocide what it is.
01:18It backs justice with action, funding investigations, supporting survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable.
01:24It empowers Rohingya voices and demands that any future Burma include them as equal citizens, not stateless victims.
01:33Over 600,000 Rohingya remain trapped in Burma.
01:37This bill gives them hope and the tools to rebuild their lives.
01:40It also confronts Burma's military junta head-on, isolating it diplomatically and economically until democracy is restored.
01:49This is a test of our values.
01:51If we believe in human rights and justice and dignity, then we should pass this piece of legislation.
01:56The time for silence in this matter is over, and I urge every member to stand up with a yes vote.
02:02Any other members seek recognition?
02:03Representative Meeks.
02:05Let me thank you, Mr. Chairman, for marking up my bill.
02:08The Burma Gap Act.
02:11And I want to thank all the co-sponsors, especially co-lead Representative McCall and original co-sponsor of Representatives Berra and Huizinga.
02:20This bill passed our committee last Congress, and I hope this year we can get it signed into law.
02:26After years of congressional pressure to investigate the Burmanese military's violence against the Rohingya in March 2022,
02:34the State Department made an official determination that members of the Burmese military committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Rohingya.
02:43According to former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the Burmese military's attack forced nearly 100,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh in 2016,
02:54and killed more than 9,000 Rohingya and forced an additional 740,000 to flee the following year.
03:03Unfortunately, the violence hasn't ceased.
03:06In 2021, the Burmese military conducted a coup, imprisoned much of Burma's civilians' government, and went to war against its own people.
03:17Around 600,000 Rohingya remain in Burma's Rashid state and face violence, starvation, and worse.
03:25As violence continues within Burma, and more and more innocent civilians flee to camps in Bangladesh, Thailand, and other neighboring nations,
03:35international assistance has failed to keep up with the growing humanitarian need.
03:41The bill continues U.S. focus on Burma crises and provides support for a Rohingya community that still faces violence and repression.
03:50The bill calls for a holistic strategy and authorizes a special representative and policy coordinator for Burma
03:58to manage the complicated, multidimensional challenges across the East Asia-Pacific and South and Central Asian bureaus
04:07in the absence of a U.S. ambassador in Burma.
04:11It authorizes funding for protection efforts in justice and accountability programs
04:15and calls on the administration to continue contributing to critical humanitarian efforts.
04:22And finally, it calls on the administration to continue the bipartisan policy
04:26of refusing to recognize the Burmese military and state administrative council
04:33as Burma's legitimate government.
04:36By voting for this bill, our committee will make it clear that the United States will hold the murderous hunter accountable.
04:43We make clear that we stand with Rohingya and all the Burmese people who continue to face violence today,
04:51and we make clear that we want to see a democratic and inclusive Burma that Rohingya can safely call home.
05:01And with that, I yield back the balance of money.
05:04Any other members to your recognition?
05:05Representative Smith.
05:06Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
05:07I support Ranking Member Meek's legislation, HR 4140, which seeks to provide support to Rohingya refugees
05:14who have fled the country due to the genocidal policies of the Burmese government,
05:21as well as to hold accountable those Burmese government and military officials responsible for this genocide.
05:28The Rohingya, as we all know, are an ethically distinct, predominantly Muslim group
05:32who have, by and large, been pushed out of their homelands and into neighboring Bangladesh.
05:38Truly, the actions of the Burmese government and their military are extraordinarily reprehensible
05:43and support the designation of genocide, which former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken previously announced.
05:50To the Rohingya people, we need to say with one voice, you are not forgotten.
05:55And to the other oppressed people of Burma, including the Chin, the Korin, and many of whom are Christian,
06:01I would also add, you are not forgotten either.
06:05I yield back.
06:07Any further discussion of the bill?
06:09Seeing none.
06:14Being no further discussion of the bill, the committee will move to consideration of amendments.
06:18Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
06:20Seeing none.
06:21Being no amendments, I move that the committee report, HR 4140, as amended to the House,
06:29with a favorable recommendation.
06:31All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
06:33Aye.
06:34All those opposed, signify by saying no.
06:36In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to.
06:39Roll call vote.
06:40A roll call vote has been requested.
06:42Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement, this vote will be postponed.
Comments