To amend the preamble.

SA 4919. Mr. MENENDEZ (for Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Young)) proposed an amendment to the resolution S. Res. 35, condemning the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021, in Burma and the Tatmadaw's detention of civilian leaders, calling for an immediate and unconditional release of all those detained, promoting accountability and justice for those killed by the Tatmadaw, and calling for those elected to serve in parliament to resume their duties without impediment, and for other purposes; as follows:

Strike the preamble and insert the following:

Whereas, on February 1, 2021, the military of Burma (the “Tatmadaw”) and its aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) conducted a military coup against the civilian government hours before Parliament was to convene in a new session, resulting in the military junta illegally detaining State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and members of Parliament, as well as pro-democracy activists from the 88 Generation and other civil society leaders;

Whereas, since February 1, 2021, the Tatmadaw has detained more than 11,000 people for exercising their rights of freedom of speech and assembly and killed more than 1,400 civilians, including children;

Whereas the Tatmadaw has put the democratically-elected civilian leadership of Burma, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, through sham trials for fabricated crimes and sentenced them to lengthy prison terms in order to remove them from political competition;

Whereas the Tatmadaw has become the world's second largest detainer of journalists, with over 100 journalists imprisoned since the military coup;

Whereas the Tatmadaw's actions have driven hundreds of thousands from their homes and driven thousands to flee across Burma's borders into Thailand, India, and Bangladesh;

Whereas fighting between the Tatmadaw and several ethnic armed groups continues, with government forces committing increased abuses against ethnic Karen, Kayah, Kachin, Chin, Rakhine, Shan, and Rohingya minority populations;

Whereas the Tatmadaw restricted freedom of movement, telecommunications, and the media, limiting access to information to and from Burma during a political and public health crisis;

Whereas senior generals of the Tatmadaw have been sanctioned by the United States Government for serious human rights abuses and for their role in the coup and are subject to ongoing investigations into their conduct by the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice;

Whereas, on January 28, 2021, the Union Election Commission rejected allegations by the Tatmadaw that fraud played a significant role in determining the outcome of the November 2020 elections;

Whereas Burma's November 8, 2020, elections resulted in the National League for Democracy party securing enough seats in Parliament to form the next government;

Whereas the Tatmadaw has a long history of committing atrocities against the people of Burma, including the targeting of specific ethnic groups; and

Whereas senior United States officials have committed to making a determination of whether such atrocities constitute genocide: Now, therefore, be it