II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 484 

To require the Secretary of Commerce to provide training and guidance 

relating to human rights abuses, including such abuses perpetrated 

against the Uyghur population by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2023 

Mr. PETERS (for himself and Ms. LUMMIS) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Commerce to provide training 

and guidance relating to human rights abuses, including 

such abuses perpetrated against the Uyghur population 

by the Government of 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 ‘‘Combating Human 

5 Rights Abuses Act of 2023’’. 


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•S 484 IS

1 SEC. 2. TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT 

2 OF COMMERCE RELATING TO AWARENESS OF 

3 HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 

5 provide training described in subsection (b) to such em6 ployees of the Department of Commerce who provide coun7 seling services to businesses engaged in interstate com8 merce or foreign direct investment as the Secretary con9 siders appropriate. 

10 (b) CONTENTS OF TRAINING.—The training required 

11 under subsection (a) shall be— 

12 (1) designed to raise awareness about emerging 

13 trends and issues with respect to human rights 

14 abuses occurring worldwide, such as human rights 

15 abuses perpetrated by the Government of the Peo16 ple’s Republic of China, including the use of forced 

17 labor, against Uyghurs and other ethnic minority 

18 populations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Re19 gion; and 

20 (2) incorporated to the greatest extent possible 

21 into existing training provided by the Department of 

22 Commerce. 

23 (c) TIMING.—The training required under subsection 

24 (a) shall be offered and updated at such times as the Sec25 retary considers appropriate. 


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1 SEC. 3. GUIDANCE FOR UNITED STATES BUSINESSES RE2 LATING TO AWARENESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS 

3 ABUSES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce 

5 shall— 

6 (1) offer guidance for United States businesses 

7 engaged in interstate commerce or foreign direct in8 vestment, including such businesses that are, or are 

9 considering, conducting transactions with entities 

10 subject to the control or influence of jurisdictions 

11 where significant human rights abuses have oc12 curred, such as the People’s Republic of China; and 

13 (2) incorporate the guidance required under 

14 paragraph (1) into any counseling services that the 

15 Department of Commerce provides to such busi16 nesses as the Secretary considers appropriate. 

17 (b) CONTENTS OF GUIDANCE.—The guidance re18 quired under subsection (a) shall— 

19 (1) provide information about emerging trends 

20 and issues involving human rights abuses, such as 

21 information that describes— 

22 (A) human rights abuses perpetrated by 

23 the Government of the People’s Republic of 

24 China, including the use of forced labor, against 

25 Uyghurs and other ethnic minority populations 

26 in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; 


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1 (B) risk factors that may be used to iden2 tify entities subject to the influence or control 

3 of jurisdictions such as the People’s Republic of 

4 China that may be implicated in human rights 

5 abuses; 

6 (C) ways to avoid doing business with enti7 ties described in subparagraph (B); and 

8 (D) potential reputational, economic, legal, 

9 and other risks of conducting transactions with 

10 an entity described in subparagraph (B); and 

11 (2) make clear that the guidance is for advisory 

12 purposes and that the Department of Commerce is 

13 not responsible for certifying the accuracy or com14 pleteness of the information provided in the guid15 ance. 

Æ 


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