S.19.4-4: The Universal Self-Determination Act (Tabled)

[West_Midlander]

I think it is the place of this body to object to the PRC's treatment of Hong Kong and its citizens. I don't think this bill is controversial but I would like to hear what my fellow delegates have to say on this piece of legislation.

EDIT: I would also like to thank the Speaker for being proactive in putting multiple pieces of legislation on the floor at once.

[West_Midlander]

The Universal Self-Determination Act (The USD Act)
- Whereas the People's Republic of China has not fulfilled the 1997 Handover Agreement in allowing Hong Kongers to elect all of their legislators rather than reserving seats for business interests.
- Whereas Hong Kong does not receive an option for self-determination.
- Whereas Hong Kong does not receive the right to choose its own executive.
- Whereas Hong Kongers are being stripped of civil liberties that all people deserve.
Article I
Section I) One million dollars shall be dispensed to the states of the Southern region, according to the population of each, for the creation and broadcast of advertisements promoting the purchase of South AtlasianAmerican-made goods and the deterrence of purchase of foreign-made, particularly Chinese-made goods.
Section II) The funds for this program shall be allocated to each Southern state’s Department of Commerce or equivalent.
Section III) The method of advertisement shall include but shall not be limited to television advertisements, billboard advertisements, radio advertisements, and so on.
Section IV) Upon the exhaustion of the aforementioned funds, Article I shall be null and void unless a law is passed renewing the fund in the same or a different amount.
Section V) Article I shall take effect, with funds dispensed to the states, on January 1, 2020.
Article II
It is the position of this chamber to object to the withdrawal of civil liberties, including the rights of public demonstration and assembly, of Hong Kongers by the government of that city, under undue influence from the People's Republic of China.
Article III
It is the position of this chamber to request that the People's Republic of China hold a status referendum in Hong Kong. This chamber also requests that such a referendum be legally binding if a majority of Hong Kong voters participate. This chamber requests that United Nations and Carter Center election observers be present to ensure a lack of voter intimidation in a completely free and fair referendum.
Article IV
It is also the request of this Chamber that the People's Republic of China honor the 1997 Handover agreement in allowing Hong Kong citizens to elect all of their legislators, as opposed to reserving a portion of seats for pro-PRC business interests. It is also the position of this chamber to request that the People's Republic of China (PRC) allow Hong Kong to elect its own executive without influence from the PRC. This chamber requests that Hong Kongers be able to determine their own future, even into 2047 and onward.
Article V
It is the position of this Chamber to request the Nyman government to enact a similar bill. It is the position of this Chamber to urge the Nyman government to seriously consider an end to CAFTA, most-favored-nation status with the PRC and the beginning of economic sanctions against the PRC due to the situation in Hong Kong.

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I second this amendment.

[West_Midlander]

Motioning for a final vote if there are no objections as debate has died down.

[West_Midlander]

Points are taken. Let's table this and I'll reintroduce as the bills Muaddib suggested when I get home.

[West_Midlander]

Bump. If one more delegate seconds the motion to table this. (Muaddib suggested tabling, then I did. Then we can have a cloture vote to table).

Any Delegate may file a motion to table a piece of legislation during debate. The presiding officer shall open a vote on the motion to table when at least two other Delegates have seconded the motion. A two thirds majority is required for the approval of the motion to table.

[West_Midlander]

Thank you, Senator NC Yankee, for your words of wisdom. I think it would be wise to vote down the tabling motion and proceed with an amendment on top of Muaddib's suggestion.

[   ] Aye
[X] Nay
[   ] Abstain

[West_Midlander]

I think Muaddib's amendment sufficiently removes any possibility for misinterpretation that the Southern government is claiming any national sovereignty.

My suggested amendment (below) on top of Muaddib's suggestions. I suppose I'm pre-filing it, to come to the floor for objections after the vote for tabling closes if it is unsuccessful.

Article I
Section I) One million dollars shall be dispensed to the states of the Southern region, according to the population of each, for the creation and broadcast of advertisements promoting the purchase of South Atlasian made goods and the deterrence of purchase of foreign-made, particularly Chinese-made goods.
Section II) The funds for this program shall be allocated to each Southern state’s Department of Commerce or equivalent.
Section III) The method of advertisement shall include but shall not be limited to television advertisements, billboard advertisements, radio advertisements, and so on.
Section IV) Upon the exhaustion of the aforementioned funds, Article I shall be null and void unless a law is passed renewing the fund in the same or a different amount.
Section V) Article I shall take effect, with funds dispensed to the states, on January 1, 2020.

Article II
It is the position of this Chamber to urge the Federal government in Nyman to seriously consider an end to CAFTA, most-favored-nation status with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the beginning of economic sanctions against the PRC due that government's actions in Hong Kong, in the South China Sea, in The Republic of China (Taiwan), in Tibet, toward its own people, and toward the Uygurs of Xinjiang.

I would hope the Nyman government would take up an iteration of the original Articles II through IV, but I suppose it is best to leave them out at the regional level.

Referencing the added regions:

In the South China Sea, the PRC has built artificial islands to expand legitimacy to their claim to the area, expanding aggressively to realize a weak claim it had on one map over 70 years ago as the Republic of China over top the claims of smaller countries.

See the PRC's claim in the pink dotted line and the claim of other countries.

Source: Business Insider/Reuters

[West_Midlander]

One issue I will mention now is the importation of censorship on American companies like the NBA in order to do business in the PRC. The richest country on Earth should be no other nation's lap dog.

I'm not well versed in the situation in Macau but the people in that city should have self-determination as well, as should be outlined in a later iteration of a bill addressing the PRC situation, in Nyman.

US Aircraft carriers regularly pass through the Taiwan straits in a show of arms to protect that nation. The religious are brutally repressed throughout Tibet, Xinjiang, and the rest of the PRC. (The Uygurs are a Muslim minority group prominent in Xinjiang). The situation is so severe the Dalai Lamai has had to flee to India and the PRC has its own alternate Dalai Lamai that supports the regime and is appointed by the Communist Party. The protests in Hong Kong are so extensive because the people in that city fear the PRC's encroachment means a lack of freedom of speech, of assembly, of religion, etc, etc, etc. as is the case in the PRC, itself. Just two brutalities of the PRC that come to mind are the infamous Tiananmen Square Massacre and the one-child policy which is incredibly terrible and the two-child policy that barely improves the situation for many Chinese. Chinese families sometimes go into hiding because a couple becomes pregnant with their second, now third, child. In some localities, families are fined incredibly if the child limit is exceeded. In other localities, children born past the child limit are not allowed birth certificates and so can't drive, work, etc. There are millions of invisible, undocumented, stateless people in the PRC. In concurrence with the child limit, pregnancy tests are mandatory in the PRC, every month. In other localities, abortions are mandatory past the child limit, even at nine months if the pregnancy is discovered late. The PRC and its system, its oppression that it wishes to push onto other countries, other peoples, is horrific.