Following years of decrying oppression against Myanmar's democracy leader, the United States is preparing to celebrate her freedom as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi to the State Department at beginning of her landmark tour of America. She is also scheduled to visit constituent communities in New York, Indiana and California.
Meanwhile, US Rep. Joe Crowley (D- the Bronx, Queens), a leader in Congress on foreign affairs and Burma, will be the special guest speaker at an event hosted by Queens College honoring Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of Burma’s democracy movement Aung San Suu Kyi. Crowley, a Queens College alum, will deliver remarks about Suu Kyi and her long struggle to bring human rights and democracy to Burma. Crowley will join Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Carole King, also a Queens College alum, and Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston, who are also participating in the event.
In January 2012, Crowley became the first member of the House to officially travel to Burma in over 12 years. In addition to authoring legislation to renew the ban on all imports from Burma contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, Crowley also spearheaded the effort to strengthen sanctions on Burma’s military leaders through the Block Burmese JADE Act. Crowley led the successful effort to award Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal, which she will receive as part of her trip to the U.S. in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on September 19th.