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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2254

To authorize the President to enter into an agreement with the Government

of the People’s Republic of China to establish a United States-China

Bilateral Human Rights Commission.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 25, 1993

Mr. LIGHTFOOT (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota) introduced

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To authorize the President to enter into an agreement with

the Government of the People’s Republic of China to

establish a United States-China Bilateral Human Rights

Commission.

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 ‘‘United States-China

5 Bilateral Human Rights Commission Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds that—
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1 (1) by virtue of their membership in the United

2 Nations, the Governments of the People’s Republic

3 of China and the United States have manifested

4 their commitment to the Universal Declaration of

5 Human Rights;

6 (2) since June 1989, the human rights situa7 tion in the People’s Republic of China has prevented

8 the United States Government from resuming cor9 dial relations with the Government of the People’s

10 Republic of China;

11 (3) since December 1990, there has emerged a

12 limited dialogue on human rights between the Peo13 ple’s Republic of China and the United States on

14 both a governmental and nongovernmental level; and

15 (4) the expansion and institutionalization of

16 such a dialogue is one means, among others, for en17 hancing mutual understanding and fostering im18 provements in human rights.

19 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF BILATERAL HUMAN RIGHTS

20 COMMISSION.

21 The President is authorized to enter into an agree22 ment with the Government of the People’s Republic of

23 China to establish a United States-China Bilateral Human

24 Rights Commission (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Com25 mission’’).
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1 SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

2 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission

3 should be composed of an equal number of members from

4 both the People’s Republic of China and the United

5 States. Of the members representing the United States,

6 the President should appoint government officials with ex7 pertise in human rights, activists with expertise in human

8 rights in China, jurists, religious leaders, and

9 businesspersons.

10 (b) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The Commission should be

11 headed by 2 co-chairpersons, of which 1 co-chairperson

12 should be a member representing the People’s Republic

13 of China and 1 co-chairperson should be a member

14 representing the United States.

15 (c) MEETINGS.—The Commission should meet at

16 least annually and should alternate the location of its

17 meetings between the People’s Republic of China and the

18 United States.

19 SEC. 5. DUTIES.

20 The Commission should—

21 (1) establish both short- and long-term goals

22 with respect to improving human rights in both the

23 People’s Republic of China and the United States;

24 (2) conduct regular and systematic exchange of

25 views on matters of concern to the Governments of
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1 the People’s Republic of China and the United

2 States with respect to human rights;

3 (3) monitor compliance of human rights in the

4 People’s Republic of China and the United States,

5 with particular emphasis on the rights described in

6 the International Covenant on Civil and Political

7 Rights;

8 (4) investigate human rights abuse cases in

9 both the People’s Republic of China and the United

10 States;

11 (5) serve as a vehicle for the resolution of such

12 cases, including cases involving individuals impris13 oned or discriminated against for reasons of political

14 or religious belief, nationality, race, or sex; and

15 (6) report periodically to the Governments of

16 the People’s Republic of China and the United

17 States on the activities of the Commission.

SEC. 6. STRUCTURE AND ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL OF

COMMISSION.

(a) OFFICES.—The Commission should establish 1

office in the People’s Republic of China and 1 office in

the United States to assist the Commission in carrying

out its duties under section 5.

(b) DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The co-chairpersons

should appoint a director and additional personnel as
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such chairpersons consider appropriate for each office referred to in subsection (a).

SEC. 7. REPORTS.

The President should report quarterly to the Congress on the progress made in the negotiations regarding

the establishment of the Commission.

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

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