[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 392 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 392
Recognizing the importance of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders
Initiative to the relationship between the United States and the member
states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and to advancing
the policy of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 31, 2019
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Markey, Mr. Gardner, Ms. Hirono, Mr.
Young, and Ms. Duckworth) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
June 3, 2020
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble
June 16, 2020
Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the importance of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders
Initiative to the relationship between the United States and the member
states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and to advancing
the policy of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.
Whereas the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) was created in
2013 to build a cadre of emerging leaders in member states of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the goal of
fostering regional cooperation and partnership with the United States;
Whereas YSEALI is composed of influential young leaders between 18 and 35 years
of age from ASEAN countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and Timor-
Leste who are making a difference in their communities, countries, and
the region;
Whereas 65 percent of the population of the ASEAN region is under 35 years of
age, and these 400,000,000 youth will determine the future of the region
for decades to come;
Whereas YSEALI aims to further strengthen the enduring partnership between the
United States and ASEAN;
Whereas YSEALI bolsters the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar that seeks to
build a people-centered, people-oriented ASEAN community, as reiterated
at the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok in July 2019;
Whereas YSEALI encourages its leaders to partner with each other and the United
States Government to address common challenges, including economic
growth, sustainable development, education, and civic engagement;
Whereas YSEALI academic and professional exchange programs in the United States
allow visiting leaders to experience the culture and values of the
United States first-hand, while establishing personal and professional
ties to experts, institutions, organizations, companies, and local
governments in the United States;
Whereas participants in YSEALI exchanges, upon returning to their countries,
help promote a positive understanding of the United States;
Whereas YSEALI allows United States experts to visit ASEAN countries to share
their expertise and work with YSEALI alumni on projects that advance
common goals;
Whereas YSEALI programs in the Indo-Pacific region build the capacity of civil
society in the fields of human rights, good governance, anti-corruption
and transparency, social entrepreneurship, and media literacy, which are
key to the Indo-Pacific efforts of the United States Government;
Whereas YSEALI programming increases the visibility of the United States in the
Indo-Pacific region;
Whereas, in seven years, YSEALI has grown into a thriving community of more than
5,000 alumni and more than 140,000 virtual network participants;
Whereas YSEALI alumni are already distinguishing themselves as influential
government officials, entrepreneurs, human rights activists,
journalists, social entrepreneurs, and educators;
Whereas outstanding YSEALI alumni include two former Malaysian cabinet ministers
and a Pulitzer Prize-winning Burmese journalist imprisoned for
investigating human rights violations against the Rohingya;
Whereas YSEALI alumni are valuable partners to embassies and agencies of the
United States overseas;
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409; 132
Stat. 5387) (referred to in this preamble as ``ARIA'') emphasized the
importance of ASEAN to the United States and supported the elevation of
the relationship between the United States and ASEAN to a strategic
partnership; and
Whereas ARIA authorized $25,000,000 to be appropriated for each of fiscal years
2019 through 2023 to support Indo-Pacific young leaders initiatives,
including YSEALI, the ASEAN Youth Volunteers Program, and other people-
to-people exchange programs that focus on building the capacity of
democracy, human rights, and good governance activists in the Indo-
Pacific region: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) celebrates the partnership of the United States with
young leaders in Southeast Asia;
(2) recognizes the importance of the Young Southeast Asian
Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to--
(A) advancing the soft power of the United States
in Southeast Asia; and
(B) promoting human rights, democracy, and good
governance in the Indo-Pacific region;
(3) emphasizes the key role of YSEALI in--
(A) strengthening the relationship of the United
States with the member states of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and
(B) elevating the profile and standing of the
United States as a major partner in the region;
(4) stresses the importance of YSEALI in building
leadership capacity among civil society, governments, and
private enterprises in ASEAN member states and across Southeast
Asia; and
(5) encourages the Department of State to promote the
YSEALI program to the maximum extent possible as a valuable
tool to advance mutually beneficial cooperation with partners
in the Indo-Pacific region.
<all>