II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4797 

To place restrictions on the issuance of nonimmigrant visas to Chinese journalists employed by a Chinese state-run media organization or effectively 

controlled by the Government of the People’s Republic of China or 

the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 5, 2020 

Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself and Mrs. BLACKBURN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 

Judiciary 

A BILL 

To place restrictions on the issuance of nonimmigrant visas 

to Chinese journalists employed by a Chinese state-run 

media organization or effectively controlled by the Government of the People’s Republic of China or the Chinese 

Communist Party, 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 ‘‘Chinese-Backed Media 

5 Accountability Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. RESTRICTIONS ON NONIMMIGRANT VISAS FOR CHI2 NESE JOURNALISTS. 

3 (a) DEFINED TERM.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term 

5 ‘‘Chinese state-run media organization’’ includes— 

6 (A) China Central Television; 

7 (B) China News Service; 

8 (C) the People’s Daily; 

9 (D) the Global Times; 

10 (E) Xinhua News Agency; 

11 (F) China Global Television Network; 

12 (G) China Radio International; 

13 (H) China Daily Distribution Corporation; 

14 and 

15 (I) Hai Tian Development USA. 

16 (2) IDENTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL CHINESE

17 STATE-RUN MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS.—The Secretary 

18 of State shall determine whether any media organi19 zation not listed under paragraph (1)— 

20 (A) is a Chinese state-run media organiza21 tion; and 

22 (B) is subject to the visa restrictions set 

23 forth in this section. 

24 (b) REPORT ON CHINESE JOURNALISTS IN THE

25 UNITED STATES.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

26 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 


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1 submit a report to Congress that identifies the number 

2 of nationals of the People’s Republic of China— 

3 (1) who are engaged in the journalism profes4 sion; 

5 (2)(A) who are employed by a Chinese state-run 

6 media organization; or 

7 (B) whose work product, in the opinion of the 

8 Secretary of State, is effectively controlled by the 

9 Government of the People’s Republic of China or the 

10 Chinese Communist Party; 

11 (3) who, during the most recent 1-year period— 

12 (A) were issued a nonimmigrant visa under 

13 section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration 

14 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

15 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)) (commonly known as an 

16 ‘‘H–1B visa’’) or were granted an extension for 

17 such visa; 

18 (B) were issued a nonimmigrant visa under 

19 section 101(a)(15)(I) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 

20 1101(a)(15)(I)) (commonly known as an ‘‘I–1 

21 visa’’) or were granted an extension for such 

22 visa; or 

23 (C) were issued a nonimmigrant visa under 

24 section 101(a)(15)(L) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 

25 1101(a)(15)(L)) (commonly known as an ‘‘L–1 


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1 visa’’) or were granted an extension for such 

2 visa; and 

3 (4) who were physically present in the United 

4 States on the date of the enactment of this Act. 

5 (c) REVIEW OF CERTAIN NONIMMIGRANT VISA

6 HOLDERS.—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

7 may not approve a petition for a nonimmigrant visa re8 ferred to in subsection (b)(3) to any journalist from the 

9 People’s Republic of China described in subsection (b)(2), 

10 and the Bureau of Consular Affairs may not issue such 

11 a visa to any such journalist, until after the Secretary of 

12 State submits the report required under subsection (b). 

13 (d) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN NON14 IMMIGRANT VISAS.—Before issuing a nonimmigrant visa 

15 referred to in subsection (b)(3) to a journalist from the 

16 People’s Republic of China described in subsection (b)(2), 

17 the Bureau of Consular Affairs shall ensure that— 

18 (1) the number of nonimmigrant visas issued to 

19 journalists from the People’s Republic of China de20 scribed in subsection (b)(2) does not exceed the 

21 number of United States journalists in the People’s 

22 Republic of China; and 

23 (2) such visa is valid for a period not to exceed 

24 90 days. 


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1 (e) RENEWALS.—A nonimmigrant visa issued to a 

2 journalist from the People’s Republic of China described 

3 in subsection (b)(2) may be renewed by U.S. Citizenship 

4 and Immigration Services for an additional 90-day period 

5 if the number of valid nonimmigrant visas issued to Chi6 nese journalists described in subsection (b)(2) is fewer 

7 than the number of United States journalists in the Peo8 ple’s Republic of China. 

9 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 

10 (a) REPORT.—Not later than 45 days after the date 

11 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and 

12 the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report 

13 to Congress regarding the ongoing monitoring of the num14 ber of Chinese journalists described in section 2(b). 

15 (b) BIENNIAL CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS.—The 

16 Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Secu17 rity shall ensure that appropriate staff are available to 

18 provide a biennial briefings to the appropriate congres19 sional committees regarding— 

20 (1) the number of Chinese journalists described 

21 in section 2(b); 

22 (2) the number of United States journalists in 

23 the People’s Republic of China; 


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1 (3) the names of entities that are labeled, or 

2 considered to be labeled, as foreign missions of the 

3 People’s Republic of China. 

4 (4) the extent to which the Department of State 

5 and the Department of Homeland Security are com6 plying with the visa restrictions under this Act; and 

7 (5) recommendations for improving the accu8 racy of reporting from the People’s Republic of 

9 China— 

10 (A) to prevent future pandemics origi11 nating from the People’s Republic of China; 

12 and 

13 (B) to provide accurate information to the 

14 public regarding— 

15 (i) the mistreatment by the Govern16 ment of the People’s Republic of China of 

17 natives of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autono18 mous Region and followers of the Falun 

19 Gong religious movement; and 

20 (ii) conditions affecting the political 

21 and civil rights of the people in Hong 

22 Kong. 

Æ 


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