March 4, 2026
Mr. Van Hollen (for himself, Mr. Young, Mr. McConnell, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To amend the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 to extend the sunset, to require a determination with respect to the imposition of sanctions on certain persons of Burma, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act
or the BRAVE Burma Act
.
Sec. 2. Extension of sunset
Section 5574(a) of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 (subtitle E of title LV of division E of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023; 22 U.S.C. 10225) is amended by striking 8 years
and inserting 10 years
.
Sec. 3. Modifications to reporting requirement
Section 5571(e) of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 10222(e)) is amended to read as follows:
(e) Assessment and report on sanctions with respect to Burmese persons
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act, and annually thereafter for 7 years, the President shall determine whether the following persons meet the criteria for sanctions described under subsection (a) or under Executive Order 14014 (86 Fed. Reg. 9429; relating to blocking property with respect to the situation in Burma):
(A)
Any Burmese state-owned enterprise described in subsection (c)(2).
(B)
Myanma Economic Bank.
(C)
Any foreign person that the President determines operates in the jet fuel sector of the Burmese economy, including through activities such as the provision of financial services or the importation, exportation, reexportation, sale, supply, trade, storage, or transport, directly or indirectly, of jet fuel in Burma.
(2) Report required
Upon making the determination required by paragraph (1), the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the assessment.
(3) Form of report
The report required by paragraph (2) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
Sec. 4. Limitation of shareholding benefitting the State Security and Peace Commission
(a) In general
The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund to use the voice and vote of the United States, when assessing potential changes to any shareholding formula in connection with a governance review of the Fund, to limit, as appropriate, an increase to the shareholding of Burma if the country is subject to the rule of the State Security and Peace Commission or any successor governing authority.
(b) Waiver
The President of the United States may waive the application of subsection (a) upon certifying to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that the waiver is important to the national interest of the United States, with a detailed explanation of the reasons therefor.
Sec. 5. United States Special Envoy for Burma
(a) In general
The Secretary of State shall appoint a Special Envoy for Burma, who shall—
(1)
have the rank and status of ambassador; and
(2)
be responsible for coordinating all aspects of United States policy with respect to Burma.
(b) Qualifications
The Secretary—
(1)
shall appoint the Special Envoy from among recognized experts in matters relating to Burma; and
(2)
may appoint a Foreign Service Officer as the Special Envoy.
(c) Central objective
The Special Envoy should develop a comprehensive strategy for the implementation of the full range of United States diplomatic capabilities to promote the restoration of peace and a civilian-led democratic government in Burma.
(d) Duties and responsibilities
The Special Envoy shall also—
(1)
coordinate the sanctions policies of the United States under the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 10201 et seq.) and other relevant statutory authorities across relevant Federal departments and agencies;
(2)
develop and implement a comprehensive international effort to impose and enforce multilateral sanctions with respect to Burma;
(3)
lead interagency United States Government efforts, including efforts of the Chief of Mission in Burma, the Ambassador to ASEAN, the Ambassador to Bangladesh, the Ambassador to India, and the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, relating to—
(A)
identifying opportunities to coordinate with and exert pressure on the governments of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation to cease or curtail support for the Burmese military;
(B)
working with like-minded partners to impose a coordinated arms embargo on the Burmese military and targeted sanctions on the economic interests of the Burmese military, including through the introduction and adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution;
(C)
engaging Burmese civil society, democracy advocates, ethnic nationality representative groups, and organizations or groups representing the resistance and revolutionary movement, as well as officials elected in 2020 such as the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the National Unity Government, the National Unity Consultative Council, the Ethnic Resistance Revolutionary Organizations, and their designated representatives;
(D)
encouraging the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar to incorporate accountability mechanisms in relation to the atrocities against Rohingya and other ethnic groups, to take further steps to make its leadership and membership ethnically diverse, and to incorporate measures to enhance ethnic reconciliation and national unity into its policy agenda;
(E)
assisting efforts by the relevant United Nations Special Procedures to secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma, promote respect for human rights, seek accountability, and encourage dialogue;
(F)
working with the governments of India, Bangladesh, and other countries as appropriate to address challenges in Western Burma, including issues related to atrocity crimes, refugees and displaced persons, cross-border humanitarian assistance and trade, trafficking in persons, illicit trafficking of narcotics and weapons, or other transnational threats to regional peace and security; and
(G)
supporting nongovernmental organizations operating in Burma and neighboring countries working to restore civilian democratic rule to Burma, address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Burma, and build resilience against malign foreign influence in support of the military regime;
(4)
support protection, humanitarian assistance, and accountability efforts for ethnic minorities in Burma and the surrounding region;
(5)
coordinate all streams of United States assistance to the people of Burma until such time as the United States normalizes diplomatic relations with Burma;
(6)
provide timely input for reporting on the impacts of the implementation of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 on the Burmese military and the people of Burma; and
(7)
report to and coordinate with Congress.