II 

Calendar No. 527 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1103 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Received; read twice and placed on the calendar 

AN ACT 

To require the President to remove the extension of certain 

privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the Hong Kong 

Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no longer 

enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People’s 

Republic of China, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hong Kong Economic 

5 and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DETERMINATION ON WHETHER TO EXTEND CER2 TAIN PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND IMMU3 NITIES TO THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND 

4 TRADE OFFICES IN THE UNITED STATES. 

5 (a) DETERMINATION REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 

6 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 

7 thereafter as part of each certification required by the Sec8 retary of State under section 205(a)(1)(A) of the United 

9 States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 

10 5725(a)(1)(A)), the Secretary of State shall, as part of 

11 such certification, include a separate determination that— 

12 (1) the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Of13 fices— 

14 (A) merit extension and application of the 

15 privileges, exemptions, and immunities specified 

16 in subsection (b); or 

17 (B) no longer merit extension and applica18 tion of the privileges, exemptions, and immuni19 ties specified in subsection (b); and 

20 (2) a detailed report justifying that determina21 tion, which may include considerations related to 

22 United States national security interests. 

23 (b) PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND IMMUNITIES

24 SPECIFIED.—The privileges, exemptions, and immunities 

25 specified in this subsection are the privileges, exemptions, 

26 and immunities extended and applied to the Hong Kong 


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1 Economic and Trade Offices under section 1 of the Act 

2 entitled ‘‘An Act to extend certain privileges, exemptions, 

3 and immunities to Hong Kong Economic and Trade Of4 fices’’, approved June 27, 1997 (22 U.S.C. 288k). 

5 (c) EFFECT OF DETERMINATION.— 

6 (1) TERMINATION.—If the Secretary of State 

7 determines under subsection (a)(1)(B) that the 

8 Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices no longer 

9 merit extension and application of the privileges, ex10 emptions, and immunities specified in subsection (b), 

11 the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices shall 

12 terminate operations not later than 180 days after 

13 the date on which that determination is delivered to 

14 the appropriate congressional committees, as part of 

15 the certification required under section 205(a)(1)(A) 

16 of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 

17 (22 U.S.C. 5725(a)(1)(A)). 

18 (2) CONTINUED OPERATIONS.—If the Secretary 

19 of State determines under subsection (a)(1)(A) that 

20 the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices merit 

21 extension and application of the privileges, exemp22 tions, and immunities specified in subsection (b), the 

23 Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices may con24 tinue operations for the one-year period following 

25 the date of the certification that includes that deterVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:06 Sep 26, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1103.PCS H1103

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1 mination or until the next certification required 

2 under section 205(a)(1)(A) of the United States3 Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 

4 5725(a)(1)(A)) is submitted, whichever occurs first, 

5 unless a disapproval resolution is enacted under sub6 section (d). 

7 (d) CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW.— 

8 (1) DISAPPROVAL RESOLUTION.—In this sub9 section, the term ‘‘disapproval resolution’’ means 

10 only a joint resolution of either House of Congress— 

11 (A) the title of which is the following: ‘‘A 

12 joint resolution disapproving the certification by 

13 the President that the Hong Kong Economic 

14 and Trade Offices continue to merit extension 

15 and application of certain privileges, exemp16 tions, and immunities.’’; and 

17 (B) the sole matter after the resolving 

18 clause of which is the following: ‘‘Congress dis19 approves of the certification by the President 

20 under section 2(a)(1)(A) of the Hong Kong 

21 Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certifi22 cation Act that the Hong Kong Economic and 

23 Trade Offices merit extension and application 

24 of certain privileges, exemptions, and immuniVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:06 Sep 26, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1103.PCS H1103

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1 ties, on lll.’’, with the blank space being 

2 filled with the appropriate date. 

3 (2) INTRODUCTION.—A disapproval resolution 

4 may be introduced— 

5 (A) in the House of Representatives, by 

6 the majority leader or the minority leader; and 

7 (B) in the Senate, by the majority leader 

8 (or the majority leader’s designee) or the mi9 nority leader (or the minority leader’s des10 ignee). 

11 (3) FLOOR CONSIDERATION IN HOUSE OF REP12 RESENTATIVES.—If a committee of the House of 

13 Representatives to which a disapproval resolution 

14 has been referred has not reported the resolution 

15 within 10 legislative days after the date of referral, 

16 that committee shall be discharged from further con17 sideration of the resolution. 

18 (4) CONSIDERATION IN SENATE.— 

19 (A) COMMITTEE REFERRAL.—A dis20 approval resolution introduced in the Senate 

21 shall be referred to the Committee on Foreign 

22 Relations. 

23 (B) REPORTING AND DISCHARGE.—If the 

24 Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 

25 has not reported the resolution within 10 legisVerDate Sep 11 2014 17:06 Sep 26, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1103.PCS H1103

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1 lative days after the date of referral of the reso2 lution, that committee shall be discharged from 

3 further consideration of the resolution and the 

4 resolution shall be placed on the appropriate 

5 calendar. 

6 (C) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

7 Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing 

8 Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time 

9 after the Committee on Foreign Relations re10 ports a disapproval resolution to the Senate or 

11 has been discharged from consideration of such 

12 a resolution (even though a previous motion to 

13 the same effect has been disagreed to) to move 

14 to proceed to the consideration of the resolu15 tion, and all points of order against the resolu16 tion (and against consideration of the resolu17 tion) are waived. The motion to proceed is not 

18 debatable. The motion is not subject to a mo19 tion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the 

20 vote by which the motion is agreed to or dis21 agreed to shall not be in order. 

22 (D) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCE23 DURE.—Appeals from the decisions of the Chair 

24 relating to the application of the rules of the 

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1 lating to a disapproval resolution shall be de2 cided without debate. 

3 (E) CONSIDERATION OF VETO MES4 SAGES.—Debate in the Senate of any veto mes5 sage with respect to a disapproval resolution, 

6 including all debatable motions and appeals in 

7 connection with the resolution, shall be limited 

8 to 10 hours, to be equally divided between, and 

9 controlled by, the majority leader and the mi10 nority leader or their designees. 

11 (5) RULES RELATING TO SENATE AND HOUSE

12 OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 

13 (A) TREATMENT OF SENATE RESOLUTION

14 IN HOUSE.—In the House of Representatives, 

15 the following procedures shall apply to a dis16 approval resolution received from the Senate 

17 (unless the House has already passed a resolu18 tion relating to the same proposed action): 

19 (i) The resolution shall be referred to 

20 the appropriate committees. 

21 (ii) If a committee to which a resolu22 tion has been referred has not reported the 

23 resolution within 10 legislative days after 

24 the date of referral, that committee shall 


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1 be discharged from further consideration 

2 of the resolution. 

3 (iii) Beginning on the third legislative 

4 day after each committee to which a reso5 lution has been referred reports the resolu6 tion to the House or has been discharged 

7 from further consideration thereof, it shall 

8 be in order to move to proceed to consider 

9 the resolution in the House. All points of 

10 order against the motion are waived. Such 

11 a motion shall not be in order after the 

12 House has disposed of a motion to proceed 

13 on the resolution. The previous question 

14 shall be considered as ordered on the mo15 tion to its adoption without intervening 

16 motion. The motion shall not be debatable. 

17 A motion to reconsider the vote by which 

18 the motion is disposed of shall not be in 

19 order. 

20 (iv) The resolution shall be considered 

21 as read. All points of order against the res22 olution and against its consideration are 

23 waived. The previous question shall be con24 sidered as ordered on the resolution to 

25 final passage without intervening motion 


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1 except 2 hours of debate equally divided 

2 and controlled by the offeror of the motion 

3 to proceed (or a designee) and an oppo4 nent. A motion to reconsider the vote on 

5 passage of the resolution shall not be in 

6 order. 

7 (B) TREATMENT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION

8 IN SENATE.— 

9 (i) RECEIVED BEFORE PASSAGE OF

10 SENATE RESOLUTION.—If, before the pas11 sage by the Senate of a disapproval resolu12 tion, the Senate receives an identical reso13 lution from the House of Representatives, 

14 the following procedures shall apply: 

15 (I) That resolution shall not be 

16 referred to a committee. 

17 (II) With respect to that resolu18 tion— 

19 (aa) the procedure in the 

20 Senate shall be the same as if no 

21 resolution had been received from 

22 the House of Representatives; 

23 but 


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1 (bb) the vote on passage 

2 shall be on the resolution from 

3 the House of Representatives. 

4 (ii) RECEIVED AFTER PASSAGE OF

5 SENATE RESOLUTION.—If, following pas6 sage of a disapproval resolution in the Sen7 ate, the Senate receives an identical resolu8 tion from the House of Representatives, 

9 that resolution shall be placed on the ap10 propriate Senate calendar. 

11 (iii) NO SENATE COMPANION.—If a 

12 disapproval resolution is received from the 

13 House of Representatives, and no com14 panion resolution has been introduced in 

15 the Senate, the Senate procedures under 

16 this subsection shall apply to the resolution 

17 from the House of Representatives. 

18 (C) APPLICATION TO REVENUE MEAS19 URES.—The provisions of this subparagraph 

20 shall not apply in the House of Representatives 

21 to a disapproval resolution that is a revenue 

22 measure. 

23 (6) RULES OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

24 AND SENATE.—This paragraph is enacted by Con25 gress— 


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1 (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power 

2 of the Senate and the House of Representa3 tives, respectively, and as such is deemed a part 

4 of the rules of each House, respectively, and su5 persedes other rules only to the extent that it 

6 is inconsistent with such rules; and 

7 (B) with full recognition of the constitu8 tional right of either House to change the rules 

9 (so far as relating to the procedure of that 

10 House) at any time, in the same manner, and 

11 to the same extent as in the case of any other 

12 rule of that House. 

13 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

14 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT15 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com16 mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Relations 

17 of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

18 of the House of Representatives. 

19 (2) HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OF20 FICES.—The term ‘‘Hong Kong Economic and 

21 Trade Offices’’ has the meaning given that term in 

22 section 1(c) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to extend 

23 certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to 

24 Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices’’, approved 

25 June 27, 1997 (22 U.S.C. 288k). 


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1 SEC. 3. LIMITATION ON CONTRACTING RELATING TO HONG 

2 KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICES. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—On and after the date of the en4 actment of this Act, an entity of the United States Gov5 ernment may enter into an agreement or partnership with 

6 the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to promote 

7 tourism, culture, business, or other matters relating to 

8 Hong Kong only if— 

9 (1) the Secretary of State has submitted to the 

10 Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and 

11 the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 

12 Representatives a determination under section 

13 2(a)(1)(A) that the Hong Kong Economic and 

14 Trade Offices merit extension and application of cer15 tain privileges, exemptions, and immunities; 

16 (2) a disapproval resolution under section 2(d) 

17 is not enacted during the 90-day period following the 

18 submission of that determination; and 

19 (3) the agreement or partnership does not pro20 mote efforts by the Government of the Hong Kong 

21 Special Administrative Region and the Government 

22 of the People’s Republic of China— 

23 (A) to justify the dismantling of the auton24 omy of Hong Kong and the freedoms and rule 

25 of law guaranteed by the Sino-British Joint 

26 Declaration of 1984; and 


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1 (B) to portray within the United States 

2 the Government of the Hong Kong Special Ad3 ministrative Region or the Government of the 

4 People’s Republic of China as protecting the 

5 rule of law or the human rights and civil lib6 erties of the people of Hong Kong. 

7 (b) HONG KONG ECONOMIC AND TRADE OFFICES

8 DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘Hong Kong Eco9 nomic and Trade Offices’’ has the meaning given that 

10 term in section 1(c) of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to extend 

11 certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to Hong 

12 Kong Economic and Trade Offices’’, approved June 27, 

13 1997 (22 U.S.C. 288k). 

14 SEC. 4. POLICY OF UNITED STATES ON PROMOTION OF AU15 TONOMY OF GOVERNMENT OF THE HONG 

16 KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION. 

17 It is the policy of the United States— 

18 (1) to ensure that entities of the United States 

19 Government do not knowingly assist in the pro20 motion of Hong Kong as a free and autonomous city 

21 or the Government of the Hong Kong Special Ad22 ministrative Region as committed to protecting the 

23 human rights of the people of Hong Kong or fully 

24 maintaining the rule of law required for human 

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1 retary of State continues to determine under section 

2 205(a)(1) of the United States-Hong Kong Policy 

3 Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 5725(a)(1)) that Hong 

4 Kong does not enjoy a high degree of autonomy 

5 from the People’s Republic of China and does not 

6 warrant treatment under the laws of the United 

7 States in the same manner as those laws were ap8 plied to Hong Kong before July 1, 1997; 

9 (2) to recognize that promotion of Hong Kong 

10 as described in paragraph (1) should be considered 

11 propaganda for the efforts of the People’s Republic 

12 of China to dismantle rights and freedom guaran13 teed to the residents of Hong Kong by the Inter14 national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and 

15 the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984; 

16 (3) to ensure that entities of the United States 

17 Government do not engage in or assist with propa18 ganda of the People’s Republic of China regarding 

19 Hong Kong; and 

20 (4) to engage with the Government of the Hong 

21 Kong Special Administrative Region, through all rel22 evant entities of the United States Government, 

23 seeking the release of political prisoners, the end of 

24 arbitrary detentions, the resumption of a free press 


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1 and fair and free elections open to all candidates, 

2 and the restoration of an independent judiciary. 

Passed the House of Representatives September 10, 

2024. 

Attest: KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 

Clerk. 


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Calendar No. 527 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 1103 

AN ACT 

To require the President to remove the extension of 

for other purposes. tonomy from the People’s Republic of China, and Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of authe Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Received; read twice and placed on the calendar 


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