House Clears for the President's Consideration a Bill to Protect the Human Rights of Uyghurs 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Video of the House Floor Debate on the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020"

The full U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation addressing the human rights situation facing Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.​  This week's House action occurred in connection with S. 3744, the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020",  Ignoring hints of a possible presidential veto, the House passed the bipartisan measure on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, by a vote of 413-1, clearing it for the President's consideration by a veto-proof majority.

The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act was developed amid growing congressional frustration with what members on both sides of the aisle have perceived as President Trump’s unwillingness to make the human rights practices of foreign governments a priority, as well their perception that the President has been unwilling to challenge China, specifically, over its human rights abuses.

​As cleared for the President's consideration, S. 3744 would impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region and require various reports on the topic..

House Passes $3 Trillion COVID-19 Legislative Package Containing Provisions Providing Relief to Immigrants and other Migrants in the United States

Saturday, May 16, 2020

This week's House COVID-19 relief action occurred on Friday, May 15, 2020, in connection with  H.R. 6800 , the  "Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act".  The House acted late in the evening on Friday, passing the measure by a 208-199 vote after narrowly rejecting an effort to reverse one of the measure's key immigrant relief provisions.

As passed by the House H.R. 6800 contains provisions providing for the issuance of stimulus payments  to households that include unauthorized migrants; extensions of status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries; extensions of expired and expiring employment authorization documents (EADs); roll-over of unused visas into future years; relief from detention for certain immigration detainees; heightened detention standards for immigration detainees; eased immigrant and nonimmigrant pathways for foreign-born medical professionals; access to COVID-19 testing and treatment without regard to immigration status; and remote naturalization oath.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act was developed amid growing congressional frustration with what members on both sides of the aisle have perceived as President Trump’s unwillingness to make the human rights practices of foreign governments a priority, as well their perception that the President has been unwilling to challenge China, specifically, over its human rights abuses.

​As passed by the Senate, S. 3744 would impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region and require various reports on the topic..