Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Remove Burma From GSP Benefits
A bipartisan bill was recently introduced to remove Burma from the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program over its ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims. The lead sponsor, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., is the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee chairman for Asia, and…
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he was joined by Rep. Ann Wagner, D-Mo. “We cannot shy away from calling Burma’s persecution of the Rohingya people what it is: a genocide. The victims of these atrocities have fled their homes and are still suffering, despite the international community’s efforts to care for the refugees,” Sherman said in a press release announcing the bill. “The Rohingya need to be able to voluntarily return home safely and with dignity, and Congress should use all of its leverage available to pressure the Burmese government to make this happen.” Burma received tariff breaks on $117 million worth of exports in 2018, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. When India and Turkey were still enrolled, Burma ranked 16th among beneficiary countries. The leading exports from Burma covered by GSP were travel goods, dried beans, aluminum, honey, and preserved fruits and vegetables.