I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4785 
To support the human rights of Uyghurs and members of other minority 
groups residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and safe-
guard their distinct identity, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2021 
Mrs. KIM of California (for herself, Mr. BERA, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. 
DEMINGS, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Mr. JACKSON, Mr. 
CICILLINE, Mr. CHABOT, Ms. TITUS, and Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs 
A BILL 
To support the human rights of Uyghurs and members of 
other minority groups residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur 
Autonomous Region and safeguard their distinct identity, 
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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Uyghur Policy Act of 
2021’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The People’s Republic of China (PRC) con-
tinues to repress the distinct Islamic, Turkic identity 
of Uyghurs and members of other minority groups 
of 
the 
Xinjiang 
Uyghur 
Autonomous 
Region 
(XUAR) in northwestern China. 
(2) Uyghurs, and other predominantly Muslim 
ethnic minorities living in the XUAR, have main-
tained throughout their history a distinct religious 
and cultural identity. 
(3) Human rights, including freedom of religion 
or belief, and respect for the Uyghurs’ unique Mus-
lim identity are legitimate interests of the inter-
national community, including the particular concern 
of Islamic nations. 
(4) The People’s Republic of China has ratified 
the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and 
Cultural Rights and is thereby bound by its provi-
sions. China has also signed the International Cov-
enant on Civil and Political Rights. Article One of 
both covenants state that all peoples have the right 
to self-determination. 
(5) An official campaign to encourage Han Chi-
nese migration into the XUAR has placed immense 
pressure on those who seek to preserve the ethnic, 
cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions of the 
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Uyghurs people. Chinese authorities have supported 
an influx of Han Chinese economic immigrants into 
the XUAR, implemented discrimination against 
Uyghurs in hiring practices, and provided unequal 
access to healthcare services. 
(6) The authorities of the People’s Republic of 
China have manipulated the strategic objectives of 
the international war on terror to increase their cul-
tural and religious oppression of the Muslim popu-
lation residing in the XUAR. 
(7) Following unrest in the region, in 2014, 
Chinese authorities launched their ‘‘Strike Hard 
against Violent Extremism’’ campaign, in which du-
bious threats of widespread extremist activity were 
used as justification for gross human rights viola-
tions committed against members of the Uyghur 
community in the XUAR. 
(8) Chinese authorities have made use of the 
legal system as a tool of repression, including for the 
imposition of arbitrary detentions and for torture 
against members of the Uyghur and other popu-
lations. 
(9) Uyghurs and Kazakhs who have secured 
citizenship or permanent residency outside of China 
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have attested to repeated threats, harassment, and 
surveillance by Chinese officials. 
(10) Reporting from international news organi-
zations has found that over the past decade, family 
members of Uyghurs living outside of China have 
gone missing or been detained to force their return 
to China or silence dissent. 
(11) Credible evidence from human rights orga-
nizations, think tanks, and journalists confirms that 
more than 1,000,000 Uyghurs and members of other 
Muslim ethnic minority groups have been imprisoned 
in ‘‘political reeducation’’ centers. 
(12) Independent accounts from former detain-
ees of ‘‘political reeducation’’ centers describe inhu-
mane conditions and treatment including forced po-
litical indoctrination, torture, beatings, rape, forced 
sterilization, and food deprivation. Former detainees 
also confirmed that they were told by guards the 
only way to secure release was to demonstrate suffi-
cient political loyalty. 
(13) News surrounding the ongoing atrocities in 
the XUAR and advocacy efforts to assist Uyghurs 
remains muted in most Muslim majority nations 
around the world. 
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(14) Both Secretary of State Antony Blinken 
and Former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo 
have stated that the Chinese government in Xinjiang 
has committed genocide and crimes against human-
ity. 
(15) Government branches of other nations 
have also declared genocide in Xinjiang, including 
the parliaments of the United Kingdom, Belgium, 
Czechia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Canada. 
SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY. 
Congress— 
(1) calls upon the Government of the People’s 
Republic of China to open the XUAR to regular vis-
its by United States Members of Congress, Congres-
sional staff delegations, the United States Special 
Coordinator for Uyghur Issues under section 4, and 
members and staff of the Congressional-Executive 
Commission on the People’s Republic of China; 
(2) calls upon the Government of the People’s 
Republic of China to recognize, and seek to ensure, 
the distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic 
identity of Uyghurs and members of other groups in 
the XUAR; 
(3) calls upon the Government of the People’s 
Republic of China to cease all government-sponsored 
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