Bill > HR5303

This bill aims to support diplomatic efforts to advocate for political prisoners globally, with a particular focus on China and Hong Kong. The legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for addressing human rights violations and arbitrary detentions by requiring the U.S. State Department to develop a diplomatic strategy for political prisoner advocacy. Key provisions include creating a Global Political Prisoner Registry, mandating issue briefs on specific cases, and establishing policy directives to use diplomatic tools and sanctions to press for the release of political prisoners. The bill specifically highlights numerous individual cases of detention, including human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, for whom the bill calls for sustained high-level advocacy to secure his release, proof of life, and reunification with his family. The legislation requires the State Department to brief Congress within 120 days on a strategy to integrate political prisoner advocacy across government agencies, including efforts to engage with the United Nations, coordinate with allies, and use targeted sanctions against officials responsible for human rights violations. Additionally, the bill broadens an existing prisoner information registry to cover political prisoners worldwide, defining a political prisoner as someone imprisoned primarily for seeking to exercise internationally recognized human rights.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5303/all-info