{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E990E05E-3A7A-426D-9A30-C6237D757738", "Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen U.S. Response to Situation in Burma, Hold Burmese Military Junta Accountable for Rampant Abuses", "2026-03-04", "2026", "2026-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), joined by U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the U.S. response to the current situation in Burma, including by cracking down on the repressive Burmese military junta as its ongoing violence and gross violations of human rights worsen the humanitarian disaster in Burma and the region. Building on the 2022 BURMA Act, the Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in (BRAVE) Burma Act blocks funding to the junta by authorizing stronger sanctions on the entities that finance its operations and strengthens mechanisms to implement these sanctions while countering the growing influence of China and Russia in the region.\n\n\u201cThe Burmese military junta has devastated the country through a relentless campaign of bloodshed, repression, and persecution of vulnerable communities. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen our ability to starve the junta of the resources that finance its reign of terror and, in turn, support future peace and democracy for the people of Burma,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen, who urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio in December to use the United States\u2019 leverage to help end the junta\u2019s violence and support a path toward democratic governance in Burma.\n\n\u201cThe United States should do more to protect the Burmese people from the oppression being committed by the military junta,\u201d said Senator Young. \u201cThis legislation will help cut off the primary source of funding that is making it possible for airstrikes to be conducted against Burmese civilians. Indiana is home to one of the largest Burmese communities in America, and I stand with the people of Burma as they seek the restoration of a legitimate government.\u201d\n\n\u201cThroughout my career, I have been proud to champion the democratic aspirations of the people of Burma. The BRAVE Burma Act comes at a particularly critical moment, as the military junta\u2019s sham elections threaten to deepen the PRC\u2019s influence in a critical region. It\u2019s as important as ever that the United States continue to lead the West in turning the screws on this oppressive regime and standing firmly with the long-suffering people of Burma,\u201d said Senator McConnell.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll never forget the painful stories I heard during my travels to Burma and Bangladesh in 2017\u2014stories of brutal crimes against humanity against Rohingya and other vulnerable communities that are part of decades of violence, discrimination, and marginalization. I remain steadfast in my belief that American action is needed to achieve lasting peace,\u201d said Senator Merkley. \u201cOur bipartisan BRAVE Burma Act makes clear: the Burmese military\u2019s brutality will not be forgotten.\u201d\n\nU.S. Representative Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) leads the BRAVE Burma Act in the House of Representatives.\n\nThe BRAVE Burma Act:\n\nRequires the President to make an annual determination on whether to impose stronger sanctions on Burmese state-owned enterprises such as Myanma Economic Bank and foreign entities supporting the country\u2019s jet fuel sector, which are known to finance the junta\u2019s operations\n\nDirects the U.S. Treasury Secretary to use its leverage at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to restrict Burma\u2019s ability to borrow money from the IMF\n\nEstablishes a Special Envoy for Burma at the State Department, at ambassador rank, responsible for coordinating all aspects of U.S. policy toward Burma \u2013 increasing focus on implementing America\u2019s diplomatic tools to help end the violence, protect human rights, and facilitate democratic governance in Burma\n\nThis legislation is supported by the Burma Research Institute and Campaign for a New Myanmar.\n\n\u201cI welcome and support this bill, which reflects the bipartisan congressional support for Burma. I am grateful to Senators Chris Van Hollen and Todd Young for their leadership. This legislation will help reduce the Burmese military's aerial attacks on civilians and religious sites, including Christian churches, and advance the efforts to counter the influence of China and Russia in Burma,\u201d said Zo Tum Hmung, President & CEO of the Burma Research Institute.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E990E05E-3A7A-426D-9A30-C6237D757738"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.706119928508997, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}