I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3252 

To impose sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights against lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) individuals, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2019 

Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. BEYER, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. 

CARBAJAL, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. 

DESAULNIER, Ms. FRANKEL, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HIMES, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. KEATING, 

Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KIND, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. LOWENTHAL, 

Mr. NADLER, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MENG, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Ms. 

OMAR, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. 

POCAN, Miss RICE of New York, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. SOTO, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. TITUS, Mrs. TORRES

of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. 

ENGEL, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK, and Mrs. LOWEY) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To impose sanctions on foreign persons responsible for violations of internationally recognized human rights against 

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) 

individuals, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘Global Respect Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) The dignity, freedom, and equality of all 

8 human beings are fundamental to a thriving global 

9 community. 

10 (2) The rights to life, liberty, and security of 

11 the person, the right to privacy, and the right to 

12 freedom of expression and association are funda13 mental human rights. 

14 (3) An alarming trend of violence directed at 

15 LGBTI individuals around the world continues. 

16 (4) Approximately one-third of all countries 

17 have laws criminalizing consensual same-sex rela18 tions, and many have enacted policies or laws that 

19 would further target LGBTI individuals. 

20 (5) Every year thousands of individuals around 

21 the world are targeted for harassment, attack, ar22 rest, and murder on the basis of their sexual ori23 entation or gender identity. 


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1 (6) Those who commit crimes against LGBTI 

2 individuals often do so with impunity, and are not 

3 held accountable for their crimes. 

4 (7) Homophobic and transphobic statements by 

5 government officials in many countries in every re6 gion of the world promote negative public attitudes 

7 and can lead to violence toward LGBTI individuals. 

8 (8) In many instances police, prison, military, 

9 and civilian government authorities have been di10 rectly complicit in abuses aimed at LGBTI citizens, 

11 including arbitrary arrest, torture, and sexual abuse. 

12 (9) Celebrations of LGBTI individuals and 

13 communities, such as film festivals, Pride events, 

14 and demonstrations are often forced underground 

15 due to inaction on the part of, or harassment by, 

16 local law enforcement and government officials, in 

17 violation of freedoms of assembly and expression. 

18 (10) Laws criminalizing consensual same-sex 

19 relations severely hinder access to HIV/AIDS treat20 ment, information, and preventive measures for 

21 LGBTI individuals and families. 

22 (11) Many countries are making positive devel23 opments in the protection of the basic human rights 

24 of LGBTI individuals. 


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1 SEC. 3. SANCTIONS ON INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR 

2 VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AGAINST 

3 LGBTI PEOPLE. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

5 date of the enactment of this Act and biannually there6 after, the President shall transmit to the appropriate con7 gressional committees a list of each foreign person the 

8 President determines, based on credible information, in9 cluding information obtained by other countries or by non10 governmental organizations that monitor violations of 

11 human rights— 

12 (1) is responsible for or complicit in, with re13 spect to persons based on actual or perceived sexual 

14 orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics— 

15 (A) cruel, inhuman, or degrading treat16 ment or punishment; 

17 (B) prolonged detention without charges 

18 and trial; 

19 (C) causing the disappearance of such per20 sons by the abduction and clandestine detention 

21 of such persons; or 

22 (D) other flagrant denial of the right to 

23 life, liberty, or the security of such persons; 

24 (2) acted as an agent of or on behalf of a for25 eign person in a matter relating to an activity de26 scribed in paragraph (1); or 


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1 (3) is responsible for or complicit in inciting a 

2 foreign person to engage in an activity described in 

3 paragraph (1). 

4 (b) FORM; UPDATES; REMOVAL.— 

5 (1) FORM.—The list required by subsection (a) 

6 shall be transmitted in unclassified form and pub7 lished in the Federal Register without regard to the 

8 requirements of section 222(f) of the Immigration 

9 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1202(f)) with respect 

10 to confidentiality of records pertaining to the 

11 issuance or refusal of visas or permits to enter the 

12 United States, except that the President may include 

13 a foreign person in a classified, unpublished annex 

14 to such list if the President— 

15 (A) determines that— 

16 (i) it is vital for the national security 

17 interests of the United States to do so; and 

18 (ii) the use of such annex, and the in19 clusion of such person in such annex, 

20 would not undermine the overall purpose of 

21 this section to publicly identify foreign per22 sons engaging in the conduct described in 

23 subsection (a) in order to increase account24 ability for such conduct; and 


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1 (B) not later than 15 days before including 

2 such person in a classified annex, provides to 

3 the appropriate congressional committees notice 

4 of, and a justification for, including or con5 tinuing to include each foreign person in such 

6 annex despite the existence of any publicly 

7 available credible information indicating that 

8 each such foreign person engaged in an activity 

9 described in subsection (a). 

10 (2) UPDATES.—The President shall transmit to 

11 the appropriate congressional committees an update 

12 of the list required by subsection (a) as new infor13 mation becomes available. 

14 (3) REMOVAL.—A foreign person may be re15 moved from the list required by subsection (a) if the 

16 President determines and reports to the appropriate 

17 congressional committees not later than 15 days be18 fore the removal of such person from such list 

19 that— 

20 (A) credible information exists that such 

21 person did not engage in the activity for which 

22 the person was included in such list; 

23 (B) such person has been prosecuted ap24 propriately for the activity in which such person 

25 engaged; or 


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1 (C) such person has credibly demonstrated 

2 a significant change in behavior, has paid an 

3 appropriate consequence for the activities in 

4 which such person engaged, and has credibly 

5 committed to not engage in an activity de6 scribed in subsection (a). 

7 (c) PUBLIC SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION.—The 

8 President shall issue public guidance, including through 

9 United States diplomatic and consular posts, setting forth 

10 the manner by which the names of foreign persons that 

11 may meet the criteria to be included on the list required 

12 by subsection (a) may be submitted to the Department 

13 of State for evaluation. 

14 (d) REQUESTS FROM CHAIR AND RANKING MEMBER

15 OF APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.— 

16 (1) CONSIDERATION OF INFORMATION.—In ad17 dition to the guidance issued pursuant to subsection 

18 (c), the President shall also consider information 

19 provided by the Chair or Ranking Member of each 

20 of the appropriate congressional committees in de21 termining whether to include a foreign person in the 

22 list required by subsection (a). 

23 (2) REQUESTS.—Not later than 120 days after 

24 receiving a written request from the Chair or Rank25 ing Member of one of the appropriate congressional 


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1 committees with respect to whether a foreign person 

2 meets the criteria for being included in the list re3 quired by subsection (a), the President shall trans4 mit a response to such Chair or Ranking Member, 

5 as the case may be, with respect to the President’s 

6 determination relating to such foreign person. 

7 (3) REMOVAL.—If the President removes from 

8 the list required by subsection (a) a foreign person 

9 that had been included in such list pursuant to a re10 quest under paragraph (2), the President shall pro11 vide to the relevant Chair or Ranking Member of 

12 one of the appropriate congressional committees any 

13 information that contributed to such decision. 

14 (4) FORM.—The President may transmit a re15 sponse required by paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) 

16 in classified form if the President determines that it 

17 is necessary for the national security interests of the 

18 United States to do so. 

19 (e) INADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.— 

20 (1) INELIGIBILITY FOR VISAS AND ADMISSION

21 TO THE UNITED STATES.—A foreign person on the 

22 list required by subsection (a) is— 

23 (A) inadmissible to the United States; 

24 (B) ineligible to receive a visa or other doc25 umentation to enter the United States; and 


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1 (C) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or 

2 paroled into the United States or to receive any 

3 other benefit under the Immigration and Na4 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). 

5 (2) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 

6 (A) IN GENERAL.—The issuing consular 

7 officer or the Secretary of State, (or a designee 

8 of the Secretary of State) shall, in accordance 

9 with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Na10 tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any 

11 visa or other entry documentation issued to a 

12 foreign person on the list required by subsection 

13 (a) regardless of when the visa or other entry 

14 documentation is issued. 

15 (B) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—A revoca16 tion under subparagraph (A) shall— 

17 (i) take effect immediately; and 

18 (ii) automatically cancel any other 

19 valid visa or entry documentation that is in 

20 the foreign person’s possession. 

21 (C) REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later 

22 than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

23 of this Act, the Secretary of State shall pre24 scribe such regulations as are necessary to 

25 carry out this subsection. 


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1 (D) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH INTER2 NATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.—Sanctions under this 

3 subsection shall not apply with respect to a for4 eign person if admitting or paroling such per5 son into the United States is necessary to per6 mit the United States to comply with the 

7 Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 

8 United Nations, signed at Lake Success, June 

9 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 

10 1947, between the United Nations and the 

11 United States, or other applicable international 

12 obligations. 

13 (3) SENSE OF CONGRESS WITH RESPECT TO

14 ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS.—It is the sense of Con15 gress that the President should impose additional 

16 targeted sanctions with respect to foreign persons on 

17 the list required by subsection (a) to push for ac18 countability for flagrant denials of the right to life, 

19 liberty, or the security of the person, through the 

20 use of designations and targeted sanctions provided 

21 for such conduct under other existing authorities. 

22 (4) WAIVERS IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL

23 SECURITY.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—The President may 

25 waive the application of paragraph (1) or (2) 


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1 with respect to a foreign person included in the 

2 list required by subsection (a) if the President 

3 determines and transmits to the appropriate 

4 congressional committees notice and justifica5 tion, that such a waiver— 

6 (i) is necessary to permit the United 

7 States to comply with the Agreement be8 tween the United Nations and the United 

9 States of America regarding the Head10 quarters of the United Nations, signed 

11 June 26, 1947, and entered into force No12 vember 21, 1947, or other applicable inter13 national obligations of the United States; 

14 or 

15 (ii) is in the national security interests 

16 of the United States. 

17 (B) TIMING OF CERTAIN WAIVERS.—A 

18 waiver pursuant to a determination under 

19 clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) shall be trans20 mitted not later than 15 days before the grant21 ing of such waiver. 

22 (f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than one year 

23 after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually 

24 thereafter, the President, acting through the Secretary of 


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1 State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional com2 mittees a report on— 

3 (1) the actions taken to carry out this section, 

4 including— 

5 (A) the number of foreign persons added 

6 to or removed from the list required by sub7 section (a) during the year preceding each such 

8 report, the dates on which such persons were so 

9 added or removed, and the reasons for so add10 ing or removing such persons; and 

11 (B) an analysis that compares increases or 

12 decreases in the number of such persons added 

13 or removed year-over-year and the reasons 

14 therefor; and 

15 (2) any efforts by the President to coordinate 

16 with the governments of other countries, as appro17 priate, to impose sanctions that are similar to the 

18 sanctions imposed under this section. 

19 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

20 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT21 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com22 mittees’’ means— 

23 (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the 

24 Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 

25 on Homeland Security, and the Committee on 


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1 the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; 

2 and 

3 (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the 

4 Committee on Foreign Relations, the Com5 mittee on Homeland Security and Govern6 mental Affairs, and the Committee on the Judi7 ciary of the Senate. 

8 (2) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per9 son’’ has the meaning given such term in section 

10 595.304 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (as 

11 in effect on the day before the date of the enactment 

12 of this Act). 

13 (3) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ has the 

14 meaning given such term in section 591.308 of title 

15 31, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 

16 day before the date of the enactment of this Act). 

17 SEC. 4. DISCRIMINATION RELATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTA18 TION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR SEX CHARAC19 TERISTICS. 

20 (a) TRACKING VIOLENCE OR CRIMINALIZATION RE21 LATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDEN22 TITY.—The Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, 

23 Human Rights, and Labor shall designate a Bureau-based 

24 senior officer or officers who shall be responsible for track25 ing violence, criminalization, and restrictions on the enjoyVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:24 Jun 20, 2019 Jkt 034408 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3252.IH H3252

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1 ment of fundamental freedoms in foreign countries based 

2 on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, 

3 or sex characteristics. 

4 (b) ANNUAL COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

5 PRACTICES.—The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d))— 

8 (A) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking 

9 ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end; 

10 (B) in paragraph (12)— 

11 (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

12 ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end; and 

13 (ii) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by strik14 ing the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

15 and’’; and 

16 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

17 paragraph: 

18 ‘‘(13) wherever applicable, information relating 

19 to violence or discrimination that affects funda20 mental freedoms, including widespread or systematic 

21 violation of the freedoms of expression, association, 

22 or assembly, of individuals in foreign countries that 

23 is based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, 

24 gender identity, or sex characteristics.’’; and 


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1 (2) in section 502B(b) (22 U.S.C. 2304(b)), by 

2 inserting after the ninth sentence the following new 

3 sentence: ‘‘Wherever applicable, such report shall 

4 also include information relating to violence or dis5 crimination that affects the fundamental freedoms, 

6 including widespread or systematic violation of the 

7 freedoms of expression, association, or assembly, of 

8 individuals in foreign countries that is based on ac9 tual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, 

10 or sex characteristics.’’. 

Æ 


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