I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8125 
To designate the area between the intersections of 18th Street Northwest 
and Church Street Northwest, and 18th Street Northwest and P Street 
Northwest, in the District of Columbia as ‘‘Jimmy Lai Way’’, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 23, 2024 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Ac-
countability, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To designate the area between the intersections of 18th 
Street Northwest and Church Street Northwest, and 
18th Street Northwest and P Street Northwest, in the 
District of Columbia as ‘‘Jimmy Lai Way’’, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. CONDEMNING THE JAILING OF JIMMY LAI IN 
HONG KONG. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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(1) In 1997, the United Kingdom transferred 
sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People’s Repub-
lic of China (PRC) with guarantees that funda-
mental rights are protected under both the 1984 
Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, 
which enumerate specific rights and freedoms in-
cluding those of speech, of the press, and of assem-
bly. 
(2) The Government of the People’s Republic of 
China has repeatedly undermined Hong Kong’s au-
tonomy since the 1997 handover, and in particular 
since the Umbrella Movement protests in 2014, the 
mass pro-democracy protests in 2019, and the impo-
sition of the draconian National Security Law in 
2020, which is vaguely defined and broadly applied 
to punish people for peacefully exercising their fun-
damental rights and freedoms. 
(3) Since its enactment in June 2020, the Na-
tional Security Law, unilaterally passed by the Na-
tional People’s Congress Standing Committee and 
enforced by officials in Hong Kong as a pretext to 
repress legitimate and peaceful speech, assembly, 
and expression of political opinions. 
(4) Jimmy Lai, a 76-year-old Hong Kong de-
mocracy advocate, media entrepreneur, and a British 
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citizen, has been in prison since December 2020 on 
multiple fabricated charges, and is currently serving 
a sentence of almost six years in prison under politi-
cally motivated fraud charges, having already served 
two other sentences, one for joining a vigil to mark 
the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, and another 
for participating in peaceful protests in 2019. 
(5) The Apple Daily newspaper which Jimmy 
Lai founded and published was forced by the au-
thorities in Hong Kong to close in June 2021, and 
his Next Media company was delisted from the 
Hong Kong Stock Exchange under government coer-
cion in January 2023. 
(6) The trial of Jimmy Lai on charges of ‘‘con-
spiracy to collude with foreign forces’’ under the Na-
tional Security Law and ‘‘conspiracy to publish sedi-
tious publications’’ under the sedition law began on 
December 18, 2023, and resumed on January 2, 
2024. 
(7) Jimmy Lai pleaded not guilty to all charges. 
(8) The minimum sentence required under the 
National Security Law is 10 years imprisonment, 
and therefore it is possible that he could spend the 
rest of his life behind bars. 
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(9) A group of United Nations experts, being 
alarmed by ‘‘multiple and serious violations’’ of his 
rights, including the right to a fair trial and access 
to a lawyer of his own choosing, called for Jimmy 
Lai’s immediate release. 
(10) Jimmy Lai’s meetings with United States 
Government officials and public figures, including 
the former Vice President and Secretary of State, 
the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
and the former Consul-General in Hong Kong, as 
well as others, have been cited by the prosecution in 
the court proceedings. 
(11) Jimmy Lai stands for the values of democ-
racy, human rights, respect for the rule of law, reli-
gious freedom, freedom of expression, and media 
freedom, and is prosecuted and persecuted by the 
PRC’s proxies in Hong Kong solely because of his 
opinions and activities in pursuit of these values. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) condemns the unjust imprisonment and the 
show trial of Jimmy Lai; 
(2) calls upon the Hong Kong authorities to re-
lease Jimmy Lai immediately and unconditionally 
and cease prosecuting him and others charged under 
the National Security Law; 
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