II

Calendar No. 643

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2801

To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move of the Embassy of the

People’s Republic of China in the United States until the Secretary

of State has required the divestiture of property purchased by the Xinhua

News Agency in violation of the Foreign Missions Act.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JUNE 27, 2000

Mr. SHELBY (for himself and Mr. HELMS) introduced the following bill; which

was read the first time

JUNE 28, 2000

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move of the

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United

States until the Secretary of State has required the

divestiture of property purchased by the Xinhua News

Agency in violation of the Foreign Missions Act.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2

•S 2801 PCS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Chinese News Agency

3 Divestiture Act of 2000’’.

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

5 Congress makes the following findings:

6 (1) On June 15, 2000, the Xinhua News Agen7 cy purchased a building at 1515 Arlington Ridge

8 Road in Arlington, Virginia.

9 (2) The Xinhua News Agency is owned by the

10 People’s Republic of China and is required under the

11 Foreign Missions Act (22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.), and

12 a subsequent diplomatic notification provided to the

13 People’s Republic of China in 1985, to provide noti14 fication to the Department of State in advance of

15 any purchase of property.

16 (3) The purchase of the property by the Xinhua

17 News Agency was made without prior notification to

18 the Department of State as required by the Foreign

19 Missions Act.

20 (4) Under the Foreign Missions Act, the Sec21 retary of State is authorized to require the divesti22 ture of property that was not attained in accordance

23 with the Foreign Missions Act.
3

•S 2801 PCS

1 SEC. 3. REPORT ON DIVESTITURE OF PROPERTY BY THE

2 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.

3 Not later than 15 days after the date of the enact4 ment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to

5 the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee

6 on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on whether

7 the Secretary intends to require, pursuant to section

8 205(b) of the Foreign Missions Act (22 U.S.C. 4305(b)),

9 that the People’s Republic of China divest itself of the

10 property purchased at 1515 Arlington Ridge Road by the

11 Xinhua News Agency, a news agency owned by the Peo12 ple’s Republic of China.

13 SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO NEGOTIATE PUR14 CHASE OF PROPERTY FOR RELOCATION OF

15 EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF

16 CHINA IN THE UNITED STATES.

17 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds

18 available to the Department of State for Administration

19 of Foreign Affairs may be obligated or expended to nego20 tiate the purchase of property by the People’s Republic

21 of China to relocate its embassy in the United States until

22 the Secretary of State certifies to the Select Committee

23 on Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations

24 of the Senate that the Secretary—

25 (1) has instituted divestiture proceedings pursu26 ant to section 205(b) of the Foreign Missions Act
4

•S 2801 PCS

1 (22 U.S.C. 4305(b)) against the property purchased

2 at 1515 Arlington Ridge Road by the Xinhua News

3 Agency; and

4 (2) shall ensure that any further purchases of

5 real property by the Government of the People’s Re6 public of China, or any entity owned by that govern7 ment, are made pursuant to the procedures set out

8 in section 205 of the Foreign Missions Act.

Calendar No. 643

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 2801

A BILL

To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move

of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of Chinain the United States until the Secretary of Statehas required the divestiture of property purchased by the Xinhua News Agency in violationof the Foreign Missions Act.

JUNE 28, 2000

Read the second time and placed on the calendar