(1) FINDING.—Congress finds that a free and 
open internet and the free flow of news and informa-
tion— 
(A) are fundamental components of United 
States foreign policy because they foster eco-
nomic growth, protect individual liberties, and 
advance national security; and 
(B) are critical to the advancement of both 
United States economic interests and inter-
nationally-recognized human rights globally. 
(2) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of 
the United States— 
(A) to pursue an open and free internet in 
Vietnam; and 
(B) to engage all appropriate instruments 
of United States influence to promote the free 
flow of news and information in Vietnam, with-
out interference or discrimination through the 
internet and other electronic media. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the United States should pursue trade poli-
cies with Vietnam that expand the information econ-
omy in Vietnam by— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(A) ensuring the free flow of information 
and across the global network; 
(B) 
promoting 
stronger 
international 
transparency rules; and 
(C) ensuring fair and equal treatment of 
online services regardless of country of origin; 
and 
(2) the Office of Internet Freedom within the 
Broadcasting Board of Governors and the Internet 
Freedom and Business and Human Rights Section 
within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor of the Department of State should 
prioritize— 
(A) the distribution of anti-censorship cir-
cumvention tools for computers and smart 
phones in Vietnam; and 
(B) projects to ensure the safety and pri-
vacy of bloggers and journalists in Vietnam. 
SEC. 6. ANNUAL COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
PRACTICES. 
(a) REPORT
RELATING
TO
ECONOMIC
ASSIST-
ANCE.—Section 116 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(h)(1) The report required by subsection (d) shall 
include an assessment of freedom of expression with re-
spect to electronic information in each foreign country. 
Such assessment shall consist of the following: 
‘‘(A) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country inappropriately 
attempt to filter, censor, or otherwise block or re-
move nonviolent expression of political or religious 
opinion or belief via the internet, including electronic 
mail, as well as a description of the means by which 
such authorities attempt to block or remove such ex-
pression. 
‘‘(B) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country have persecuted 
or otherwise punished an individual or group for the 
nonviolent expression of political, religious, or ideo-
logical opinion or belief via the internet, including 
electronic mail. 
‘‘(C) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country have sought to 
inappropriately collect, request, obtain, or disclose 
personally identifiable information of a person in 
connection with such person’s nonviolent expression 
of political, religious, or ideological opinion or belief, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
including expression that would be protected by the 
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 
‘‘(D) An assessment of the extent to which wire 
communications and electronic communications are 
monitored without regard to the principles of pri-
vacy, human rights, democracy, and rule of law. 
‘‘(2) In compiling data and making assessments for 
the purposes of paragraph (1), United States diplomatic 
personnel shall consult with human rights organizations, 
technology and internet companies, and other appropriate 
nongovernmental organizations. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘electronic communication’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 2510 of title 
18, United States Code; 
‘‘(B) the term ‘internet’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 231(e)(3) of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 231(e)(3)); 
‘‘(C) the term ‘personally identifiable informa-
tion’ means data in a form that identifies a par-
ticular person; and 
‘‘(D) the term ‘wire communication’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 2510 of title 18, 
United States Code.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(b) REPORT RELATING TO SECURITY ASSISTANCE.— 
Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2304) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the second subsection (i) 
(relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(k)(1) The report required by subsection (b) shall 
include an assessment of freedom of expression with re-
spect to electronic information in each foreign country. 
Such assessment shall consist of the following: 
‘‘(A) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country inappropriately 
attempt to filter, censor, or otherwise block or re-
move nonviolent expression of political or religious 
opinion or belief via the internet, including electronic 
mail, as well as a description of the means by which 
such authorities attempt to block or remove such ex-
pression. 
‘‘(B) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country have persecuted 
or otherwise punished an individual or group for the 
nonviolent expression of political, religious, or ideo-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
logical opinion or belief via the internet, including 
electronic mail. 
‘‘(C) An assessment of the extent to which gov-
ernment authorities in each country have sought to 
inappropriately collect, request, obtain, or disclose 
personally identifiable information of a person in 
connection with such person’s nonviolent expression 
of political, religious, or ideological opinion or belief, 
including expression that would be protected by the 
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 
‘‘(D) An assessment of the extent to which wire 
communications and electronic communications are 
monitored without regard to the principles of pri-
vacy, human rights, democracy, and rule of law. 
‘‘(2) In compiling data and making assessments for 
the purposes of paragraph (1), United States diplomatic 
personnel shall consult with human rights organizations, 
technology and internet companies, and other appropriate 
nongovernmental organizations. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘electronic communication’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 2510 of title 
18, United States Code; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) the term ‘internet’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 231(e)(3) of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 231(e)(3)); 
‘‘(C) the term ‘personally identifiable informa-
tion’ means data in a form that identifies a par-
ticular person; and 
‘‘(D) the term ‘wire communication’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 2510 of title 18, 
United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 7. UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT COUNT-
ING OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN VIETNAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Vietnam remains a ‘‘source and, to a lesser 
extent, a destination country . . . for sex trafficking 
and forced labor.’’. 
(2) Vietnamese men and women are subject to 
forced labor in ‘‘rehabilitation’’ centers, detention 
centers, and prisons and, according to the 2016 An-
nual Report on Trafficking in Persons. 
(3) Vietnamese migrants working in ‘‘state- 
owned, private, or joint-stock companies’’ live in 
‘‘situations of exploitation’’ in the construction, fish-
ing, agriculture, mining, logging and manufacturing 
sectors in other countries. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(b) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GIRLS COUNT ACT OF 
2015 IN VIETNAM.— 
(1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(A) Vietnam’s male to female sex-ratio dis-
parity has increased despite the Vietnamese 
Government’s ending of its policy limiting mar-
ried couples to two children. 
(B) Experts believe the increase in sex- 
ratio disparity favoring the birth of boys has 
enhanced a ‘‘missing girls’’ problem in Vietnam, 
rooted in a cultural preference for boys and 
widespread availability of pre-natal ultrasound 
screening. 
(C) Sex disparities have critical economic 
and social ramifications that effect United 
States interests, exacerbating the vulnerabilities 
of women to trafficking, child marriage, and re-
ducing the ability of women to seek employment 
and participate in educational opportunities and 
civil society. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of State 
is authorized to establish and support programs to— 
(A) monitor and halt bride and sex traf-
ficking of girls and women in Vietnam and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
women from other countries in Asia, including 
China, as appropriate; and 
(B) address Vietnam’s growing sex-ratio 
disparity through economic support and tech-
nical assistance projects as described in section 
4(a) of the Girls Count Act of 2015 (Public 
Law 114–24; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note). 
SEC. 8. ILLEGAL EXPROPRIATION OF PROPERTIES OF 
UNITED STATES CITIZENS BY THE GOVERN-
MENT OF VIETNAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Government of Vietnam has used prop-
erty expropriation both to target independent 
churches and religious communities and to retaliate 
against individuals who opposed the Vietnamese 
Government or Communist Party or disagreed with 
their policies. 
(2) In November 2003, Vietnam’s National As-
sembly passed Resolution 23/2003/QH11 and Land 
Law 13/2003/QH11, which have resulted in the ex-
propriation of properties of Vietnamese Americans, 
and ended any possible recourse for United States 
citizens to reclaim their properties. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy 
of the United States to convey to the Government of Viet-
nam that— 
(1) relevant United States law protects prop-
erties of United States citizens against illegal expro-
priation by foreign governments; and 
(2) any decision to grant eligibility to the Gov-
ernment of Vietnam under the Generalized System 
of Preferences under title V of the Trade Act of 
1974, to provide United States foreign assistance to 
Vietnam under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 
and to provide United States support for loans from 
international financial institutions for Vietnam will 
be contingent upon whether and the extent to which 
the Government of Vietnam has illegally expropri-
ated properties of United States citizens. 
SEC. 9. VIETNAM ETHNIC MINORITY DEVELOPMENT FUND. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) ethnic minority groups in Vietnam face both 
economic pressure, discrimination, and violations of 
internationally-recognized human rights; and 
(2) in prior years, Congress has directed that 
funds made available for Economic Support Fund 
and technical assistance for Vietnam be used to ‘‘ad-
dress the needs of affected communities and individ-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
uals’’ in ethnic minority communities, targeting spe-
cifically those areas and regions with the highest 
concentration of human rights violations. 
(b) VIETNAM ETHNIC MINORITY DEVELOPMENT 
FUND.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President is authorized 
to provide assistance to address the unique needs of 
ethnic minority groups in Vietnam affected by past 
or current severe human rights violations, including 
violations of the right to religious freedom, expres-
sion, and association. 
(2) AVAILABILITY
OF
AMOUNTS.—Amounts 
made available to carry out chapter 4 of part II of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 
et seq.) for economic support programs for Vietnam 
are authorized to be made available to carry out 
paragraph (1). 
(3) REFERENCE
TO
FUND.—Assistance pro-
vided under paragraph (1) may be referred to as the 
‘‘Vietnam Ethnic Minority Development Fund’’ (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’). 
(c) CONSULTATIONS.—The Secretary of State shall, 
in identifying ethnic minority groups in Vietnam for pur-
poses of subsection (b), consult with relevant nongovern-
mental organizations, including— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:12 May 04, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5621.IH
H5621
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS