Chinese Communist Party Accountability Act of 2021

To impose sanctions with respect to members of the Chinese Communist Party and heads of Chinese health agencies relating to the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Chinese Communist Party Accountability Act of 2021 2. Imposition of sanctions with respect to certain members of the Chinese Communist Party and heads of Chinese health agencies relating to the COVID–19 pandemic (a) Chinese Communist Party members (1) In general The President shall impose the sanctions described in section 1263 of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2656 (A) the disappearances of whistleblowers and citizen journalists in the People’s Republic of China relating to the COVID–19 pandemic; or (B) the establishment of limits on freedom of speech and academic freedom in the People’s Republic of China relating to the COVID–19 pandemic. (2) Coordination The President shall coordinate with the intelligence community for purposes of identifying foreign persons under this subsection. (b) Chinese health agencies heads The President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to the following foreign persons: (1) Gao Fu, also known as George Fu Gao, the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the People’s Republic of China. (2) Ma Xiaowei, Minister of the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China. (c) Sanctions described The sanctions described in this subsection with respect to a foreign person are the following: (1) Blocking of property The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. 50 U.S.C. 1701 (2) Inadmissibility to the United States and revocation of visa or other documentation (A) Ineligibility for visa, admission, or parole The foreign person is— (i) inadmissible to the United States; (ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and (iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. (B) Current visa revoked The visa or other entry documentation of the foreign person shall be revoked, regardless of when such visa or other entry documentation is or was issued. A revocation under this subparagraph shall take effect immediately and automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the person’s possession. (d) Exceptions (1) To comply with United Nations Headquarters Agreement Sanctions under subsection (c)(2) or described in section 1263(b)(2) of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2656 (2) To carry out or assist law enforcement activities Sanctions under subsection (c)(2) or described in section 1263(b)(2) of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2656 (e) Implementation; penalties (1) Implementation The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section and shall issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry out this section. (2) Penalties Any person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this section or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out this section shall be subject to the penalties provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1705 (f) Waiver The President may waive the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President— (1) determines that a waiver is in the national interest of the United States; and (2) not later than the date on which such waiver will take effect, submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notice of and justification for such waiver. (g) Termination of sanctions with respect to a foreign person (1) In general The President may terminate the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President makes a determination that— (A) credible information exists that the person did not engage in the activity for which the sanctions were imposed; and (B) the person has— (i) credibly demonstrated a significant change in behavior; and (ii) been subject to an appropriate consequence for the activity for which the sanctions were imposed. (2) Notification Not later than 15 days before the date on which the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person is terminated under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that— (A) describes the evidence and justification for the necessity of the termination; and (B) explains how the termination of the application of sanctions is in the national security interests of the United States. (h) Termination of authority To impose sanctions The authority to impose sanctions under this section with respect to a foreign person described in subsection (b) shall terminate on the date on which the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that an independent, unimpeded investigation into the potential origin of COVID–19 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has taken place. (i) Exception relating to importation of goods (1) In general The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions under this section shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods. (2) Good defined In this subsection, the term good (j) Definitions In this section: (1) Admitted; alien The terms admitted alien 8 U.S.C. 1001 (2) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (3) Foreign person The term foreign person (4) Intelligence community The term intelligence community 50 U.S.C. 3003(4) (5) Knowingly The term knowingly (6) Person The term person (7) United States person The term United States person (A) a United States citizen, an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States, or any other individual subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; (B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such entity; or (C) any person in the United States.

Summary: Chinese Communist Party Accountability Act of 2021 This bill requires sanctions on certain members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and officials of Chinese health agencies. The President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person who is a CCP official and who is knowingly responsible for or complicit in (1) the disappearances of whistleblowers and citizen journalists in China relating to COVID-19, or (2) limiting free speech and academic freedom in China relating to COVID-19. The President must also impose such sanctions on specified individuals who have leadership positions in China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention and China's National Health Commission. The authority to impose such sanctions shall end when the President certifies to Congress that an independent and unimpeded investigation into the potential origin of COVID-19 from the Wuhan Institute of Virology has taken place.