Political Freedom in China Act of 1997

Summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Political Freedom in China      Title II:  Agreement on Nuclear Cooperation Title I - Political Freedom in China Act of 1997 - Urges the Secretary of State to:  (1) request the immediate and unconditional release of Ngodrup Phuntsog and other prisoners of conscience in Tibet, as well as in China; (2) seek access for international humanitarian organizations to Drapchi prison and other prisons in Tibet, as well as in China, to ensure that prisoners are not being mistreated and are receiving necessary medical treatment; and (3) call on China to begin serious discussions with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, on the future of Tibet. (Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations for FY 1998 and 1999 for:  (1) additional diplomatic personnel at U.S. posts in China and Nepal to monitor political repression in China; and (2) the National Endowment for Democracy to promote democracy, civil society, and the development of the rule of law in China. Directs the Secretary to use funds in the East Asia-Pacific Regional Democracy Fund to provide grants to nongovernmental organizations to promote the aforementioned goals. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to report annually to specified congressional committees on human rights in China, including religious persecution, the development of democratic institutions, and the rule of law. Directs the Secretary to establish a Prisoner Information Registry for China which shall provide information on all political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, and prisoners of faith in China. (Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of the Congress that it, the President, and the Secretary should work with governments of other countries to establish a Commission on Security and Cooperation in Asia which would be modeled after the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. (Sec. 8) Expresses the sense of the Congress that the Hong Kong people should continue to have the right to freely elect their legislative representatives, and that the first legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should be determined by them through an election law convention, a referendum, or both. (Sec. 9) Expresses the sense of the Congress that:  (1) the Government of China should stop the practice of harvesting and transplanting organs for profit from prisoners that it executes; (2) China should be strongly condemned for such practices; (3) the President should bar entry into the United States of any Chinese officials known to be involved in such practices; (4) individuals involved in the sale of such organs in the United States should be prosecuted; and (5) the appropriate U.S. officials should interview individuals, including doctors, who may have knowledge of such practices. Title II:  Agreement on Nuclear Cooperation - Amends Federal law to extend the congressional review period for licensing nuclear exports to China from 30 to 120 days. Provides for congressional procedures for consideration of a joint resolution for disapproval for any licensing agreement.

Relating to Agreement For Nuclear 
Cooperation.--The joint resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution relating 
to the approval and implementation of the proposed agreement for 
nuclear cooperation between the United States and the People's Republic 
of China (Public Law 99-183; approved December 16, 1985) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and subject to section 2,'' 
                after ``or any international agreement,''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (1) by striking ``thirty'' and 
                inserting ``120''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``Sec. 2. (a) Action by Congress To Disapprove Certification.--No 
license may be issued for the export to the People's Republic of China 
of any nuclear material, facilities, or components subject to the 
Agreement, and no approval for the transfer or retransfer to the 
People's Republic of China of any nuclear material, facilities, or 
components subject to the Agreement shall be given if, during the 120-
day period referred to in subsection (b)(1) of the first section, there 
is enacted a joint resolution described in subsection (b) of this 
section.
    ``(b) Description of Joint Resolution.--A joint resolution is 
described in this subsection if it is a joint resolution which has a 
provision disapproving the President's certification under subsection 
(b)(1), or a provision or provisions modifying the manner in which the 
Agreement is implemented, or both.
    ``(c) Procedures For Consideration of Joint Resolutions.--
            ``(1) Reference to committees.--Joint resolutions--
                    ``(A) may be introduced in either House of Congress 
                by any Member of such House; and
                    ``(B) shall be referred, in the House of 
                Representatives, to the Committee on International 
                Relations and, in the Senate, to the Committee on 
                Foreign Relations.
        It shall be in order to amend such joint resolutions in the 
        committees to which they are referred.
            ``(2) Floor consideration.--(A) The provisions of section 
        152(d) and (e) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2192(d) and 
        (e)) (relating to the floor consideration of certain 
        resolutions in the House and Senate) apply to joint resolutions 
        described in subsection (b).
            ``(B) It is not in order for--
                    ``(i) the House of Representatives to consider any 
                joint resolution described in subsection (b) that has 
                not been reported by the Committee on International 
                Relations; and
                    ``(ii) the Senate to consider any joint resolution 
                described in subsection (b) that has not been reported 
                by the Committee on Foreign Relations.
    ``(c) Consideration of Second Resolution Not in Order.--It shall 
not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the Senate to 
consider a joint resolution described in subsection (b) (other than a 
joint resolution described in subsection (b) received from the other 
House), if that House has previously adopted such a joint resolution.
    ``(d) Procedures Relating to Conference Reports in the Senate.--
            ``(1) Consideration.--Consideration in the the Senate of 
        the conference report on any joint resolution described in 
        subsection (b), including consideration of all amendments in 
        disagreement (and all amendments thereto), and consideration of 
        all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, 
        shall be limited to 10 hours, to be equally divided between, 
        and controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader 
        or their designees. Debate on any debatable motion or appeal 
        related to the conference report shall be limited to 1 hour, to 
        be equally divided between, and controlled by, the mover and 
        the manager of the conference report.
            ``(2) Debate on amendments in disagreement.--In any case in 
        which there are amendments in disagreement, time on each 
        amendment shall be limited to 30 minutes, to be equally divided 
        between, and controlled by, the manager of the conference 
        report and the minority leader or his designee. No amendment to 
        any amendment in disagreement shall be received unless it is a 
        germane amendment.
            ``(3) Consideration of veto message.--Consideration in the 
        Senate of any veto message with respect to a joint resolution 
        described in subsection (b), including consideration of all 
        debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be 
        limited to 10 hours, to be equally divided between, and 
        controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader or 
        their designees.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 5, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.