DEMOCRACY IN THE TIBETAN EXILE COMMUNITY.

SEC. 344. DEMOCRACY IN THE TIBETAN EXILE COMMUNITY. (a) Findings.—Congress finds the following: (1) The 14th Dalai Lama advocates the Middle Way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for the 6,000,000 Tibetans in Tibet. (2) The 14th Dalai Lama has overseen a process of democratization within the Tibetan polity and devolved his political responsibilities to the elected representatives of the Tibetan people in exile in 2011. (3) In 2011 and again in 2016, members of the Tibetan exile community across some 30 countries held free and fair elections to select political leaders to serve in the Central Tibetan Administration parliament and as chief executive. (4) The Dalai Lama has said that the Central Tibetan Administration will cease to exist once a negotiated settlement has been achieved that allows Tibetans to freely enjoy their culture, religion, and language in Tibet. (b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that— (1) Tibetan exile communities around the world should be commended for the adoption of a system of self-governance with democratic institutions to choose their leaders; (2) the Dalai Lama should be commended for his decision to devolve political authority to elected leaders in accordance with democratic principles; (3) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, the Central Tibetan Administration is the institution that represents and reflects, to the greatest extent, the aspirations of the Tibetan diaspora around the world, and the Sikyong is the President of the Central Tibetan Administration; and (4) as consistent with section 621(d)(3) of the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note), the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues should continue to maintain close contact with the religious, cultural, and political leaders of the Tibetan people.