Whereas the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States enshrines press freedom as a foundational element of American democracy, declaring that Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ; Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948, by the United Nations General Assembly, enshrines press freedom as a vital aspect of universal human rights; Whereas the Department of State's annual Human Rights Report on Burma for the year 2017 states that— (1) legal provisions that allow the government to manipulate the courts for political ends, and these provisions were sometimes used to deprive citizens of due process and the right to a fair trial, particularly with regards to the freedom of expression ; (2) The government continued to detain and arrest journalists, activists, and critics of the government and the military during the year. ; and (3) Threats against and arrests of journalists increased … Freedom of expression was more restricted during the year compared with 2016. This included a higher number of detentions of journalists using various laws, including laws carrying more severe punishments than those used previously. ; Whereas, according to PEN America, the discontinuation of Radio Free Asia’s broadcasting in Myanmar on a domestic channel constitutes a further shrinking of the space for free expression in the country; Whereas, additionally, PEN America reports that— (1) there continues to be increased legal threats, imprisonment and physical harassment of journalists; (2) there continues to be restrictions on the ability to report from and receive information on conflict areas; and (3) the lack of reform of media laws and institutions driving a decline in media freedom