House votes to punish ruling junta in Myanmar
WASHINGTON (AP) - July 15, 2008 The unanimous vote sent back to the Senate a bill that bars
rubies and jade from Myanmar from being imported into the U.S. The
Senate bill, which passed in December, also sought to bar timber
from Myanmar, called Burma by some.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman said the
legislation will put financial pressure on the ruling regime, which
brutally cracked down on monks in the so-called Saffron Revolution
last year. He said the 11,000-store Jewelers of America supports a
ban on Burmese gem imports. Berman said that retailers like
Tiffany's and Bulgari have also voluntarily made the ban their
policy.
