The bill was initially introduced in 2014 during the 113th Congress as an amendment to the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, following the Umbrella Movement and 2014 democracy protests in Hong Kong. The House bill (H.R. 5696) was sponsored by Republican Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), while the Senate bill (S.2922) was sponsored by Sherrod Brown (D-OH). The act stated that it was U.S. policy to: "(1) reaffirm the principles set forth in the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992; (2) support the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong; (3) urge China's government to uphold its commitments to Hong Kong; (4) support the establishment by 2017 of a democratic option to nominate and elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and the establishment by 2020 of democratic elections for all members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council; and (5) support freedom of the press."