I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3508 
To impose sanctions with respect to the People’s Republic of China in relation 
to activities in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 26, 2019 
Mr. GALLAGHER (for himself and Mr. PANETTA) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Armed Services, 
and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To impose sanctions with respect to the People’s Republic 
of China in relation to activities in the South China 
Sea and the East China Sea, 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. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 
2019’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Definitions. 
Sec. 4. Policy of the United States with respect to the South China Sea and 
the East China Sea. 
Sec. 5. Sense of Congress with respect to the South China Sea and the East 
China Sea. 
Sec. 6. Sanctions with respect to Chinese persons responsible for China’s activi-
ties in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. 
Sec. 7. Determinations and report on Chinese companies active in the South 
China Sea and the East China Sea. 
Sec. 8. Prohibition against documents portraying the South China Sea or the 
East China Sea as part of China. 
Sec. 9. Prohibition on facilitating certain investments in the South China Sea 
or the East China Sea. 
Sec. 10. Department of Justice affirmation of non-recognition of annexation. 
Sec. 11. Non-recognition of Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea or 
the East China Sea. 
Sec. 12. Prohibition on certain assistance to countries that recognize Chinese 
sovereignty over the South China Sea or the East China Sea. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) According to the Asia-Pacific Maritime Se-
curity Strategy issued by the Department of Defense 
in August 2015, ‘‘Although the United States takes 
no position on competing sovereignty claims to land 
features in the region, all such claims must be based 
upon land (which in the case of islands means natu-
rally formed areas of land that are above water at 
high tide), and all maritime claims must derive from 
such land in accordance with international law.’’. 
(2) According to the annual report of the De-
partment of Defense to Congress on the military 
power of the People’s Republic of China submitted 
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