S. 1186: Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-04-11 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-04-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act of 2019

Plain summary

Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act of 2019 This bill authorizes aid to address the humanitarian crisis in Burma (Myanmar). It also calls for sanctions and reports related to the issue. Specifically, the bill authorizes aid for humanitarian assistance and reconciliation activities in Burma and other countries in the region, including assistance to help targeted ethnic minority groups and support voluntary resettlement. The President may not provide security assistance for Burma's armed forces until the Department of State certifies that the Burmese military has made significant progress in abiding by international human rights standards. The bill reinstates trade restrictions on rubies and jadeite from Burma until the President certifies that Burma has passed certain reforms relating to transparency in the gemstone industry. The President shall report to Congress a list of (1) senior military officials known to be directly and significantly involved in gross human rights violations in Burma, and (2) entities owned or controlled by such individuals. The State Department shall deny such individuals visas, and the Department of the Treasury shall impose various property-blocking sanctions against listed entities and individuals. The State Department shall report to Congress a strategy to promote economic development in Burma. The bill also requires reports on Burma's military, Burma's eligibility for preferential duty treatment, whether certain Burmese military officials should be on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. diplomatic efforts to impose coordinated sanctions related to Burma, and crimes against humanity in Burma.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Todd Young (R-IN), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s1186.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s1186 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116