No New Burma Funds Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4423, the bipartisan No New Burma Funds Act.
This bill, which I introduced with my colleague Young Kim, would mandate that the United States use its voice and vote to continue the World Bank's pause on disbursements and new financing commitments to the Government of Burma. This pause was initiated after a military coup overthrew the democratically elected Government of Burma in 2021.
Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, the democratically elected leaders in Burma's ruling party, the National League for Democracy, were overthrown by the Tatmadaw, Burma's military. Since the military regime's coup, we have seen families displaced. We have seen citizens detained without access to income, education, or healthcare. There has been brutal violence against the Burmese civilian population.
I center my work on my constituents and fighting for those most marginalized. Mr. Speaker, while I hope we are going to have a robust conversation around making sure that everyone back home in my district is housed with affordable housing and lowering costs in this country, today, this bill is still central to my constituents. In my district alone, DeKalb County is home to over 2,000 Burmese refugees.
In another life, prior to my congressional service, I was a public school teacher. I had a student who was a Burmese refugee. Htet-Yet and his family's story is empowering and a stark reminder that not only do we have an obligation to help those no matter their ZIP Code, but we have a duty to help those no matter where they are around the globe.
This legislation gives our country yet another tool to put financial pressure on the Burmese Government. This bill will ensure that the U.S. executive director at the World Bank pushes the institution to continue its pause on the disbursement of funds and new financing commitments to the government, incentivizing the Burmese Government to give power back to the most important piece of any thriving free country: the people.
I thank Congresswoman Young Kim for co-leading this important legislation with me. I also thank Chairman Hill and Ranking Member Waters for their support of this priority. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
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