ture has increased at twice the global average, caus-
ing melting of the glaciers, which will result in vari-
able water flows in the future. 
(3) Tibet’s rivers support wetlands that play a 
key role in water storage, water quality, and the reg-
ulation of water flow, and support biodiversity, fos-
ter vegetation growth, and act as carbon sinks. 
(4) The grasslands of Tibet play a significant 
role in carbon production and sequestration. 
(5) Changes in permafrost levels, caused by ris-
ing temperatures and intensifying evaporation, can 
affect the water supply, cause desertification, and 
destabilize infrastructure on the Tibetan Plateau 
and beyond. 
(6) The warming of the Tibetan plateau may 
cause changes in the monsoon cycle in South and 
Southeast Asia, which could lead to droughts or 
floods that overwhelm infrastructure and damage 
crops. 
(7) The resettlement of nomads from Tibetan 
grasslands undermines the application of traditional 
stewardship practices developed though centuries of 
pastoral practices, which can be key to mitigating 
the negative effects of warming on the Tibetan Pla-
teau. 
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(8) The construction of large hydroelectric 
power dams in Tibet, planned to be used in part to 
transmit power to Chinese provinces outside of 
Tibet, as well as other infrastructure projects, in-
cluding the Sichuan-Tibet railroad may also lead to 
the resettlement of thousands of Tibetans and trans-
form the environment. 
(9) Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam are 
members of the Mekong River Commission, which 
promotes sustainable management and development 
of water and related resources among member na-
tions. 
(10) The People’s Republic of China is not a 
full party to the Mekong River Commission. 
(11) The People’s Republic of China has ap-
proximately 20 percent of the world’s population but 
only around 7 percent of the world’s water supply, 
with India and the rest of South and Southeast Asia 
also relying on the rivers flowing from the 
Himalayas of the Tibetan Plateau. 
(12) The People’s Republic of China has al-
ready completed water transfer programs diverting 
billions of cubic meters of water yearly and there are 
plans to divert more waters from the Tibetan pla-
teau in China. 
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(b) WATER RESOURCES IN TIBET AND THE TIBETAN 
WATERSHED.—The Secretary of State, in coordination 
with relevant agencies of the United States Government, 
shall— 
(1) pursue collaborative efforts with Chinese 
and international scientific institutions to monitor 
the environment on the Tibetan Plateau, including 
glacial retreat, temperature rise, and carbon levels, 
in order to promote a greater understanding of the 
effects on permafrost, river flows, grasslands and 
desertification, and the monsoon cycle; 
(2) engage with the Government of the People’s 
Republic of China and nongovernmental organiza-
tions to encourage the participation of Tibetan no-
mads and other Tibetan stakeholders in the develop-
ment and implementation of grassland management 
policies, in order to utilize their indigenous experi-
ence in mitigation and stewardship of the land and 
to assess policies on the forced resettlement of no-
mads; and 
(3) encourage a regional framework on water 
security, or use existing frameworks, such as the 
Lower Mekong Initiative, to facilitate cooperative 
agreements among all riparian nations that would 
promote transparency, sharing of information, pollu-
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tion regulation, and arrangements on impounding 
and diversion of waters that originate on the Ti-
betan Plateau. 
(c) TIBETAN WATER RESOURCES AND NATIONAL SE-
CURITY.—Section 1202(b) of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–65; 10 U.S.C. 
113 note) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(29) Tibet’s strategic importance and the stra-
tegic importance of water resources from the Ti-
betan Plateau in regional and territorial disputes.’’. 
SEC. 6. DEMOCRACY IN THE TIBETAN EXILE COMMUNITY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The 14th Dalai Lama has overseen a proc-
ess of democratization within the Tibetan polity, be-
ginning in Tibet in the 1950s and continuing in exile 
from the 1960s to the present. 
(2) The first representative body in Tibetan his-
tory, formed on September 2, 1960, was the pre-
cursor of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, the legis-
lative branch within the Central Tibetan Administra-
tion. 
(3) The first direct election for the chief execu-
tive of the Central Tibetan Administration was held 
on July 29, 2001, with the election of Professor 
Samdhong Rinpoche. 
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(4) On March 10, 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama 
announced that he would relinquish his political re-
sponsibilities and on August 8, 2011, he transferred 
full political power to the elected leadership of the 
Central Tibetan Administration. 
(5) On March 20, 2011, members of the Ti-
betan exile community across some 30 countries held 
elections, monitored by international observers and 
assessed to be free and fair, to select the next par-
liament and chief executive. 
(6) As a result of the codification of the trans-
fer of political power from the Dalai Lama, the 
Kalon Tripa, or Chief of the Cabinet, assumed full 
executive authority and the Tibetan Parliament in 
Exile assumed full legislative authority within the 
Central Tibetan Administration. 
(7) As a result of the 2011 elections, the 15th 
Tibetan Parliament was seated and Lobsang Sangay 
was chosen as Kalon Tripa, a title changed to 
Sikyong in 2012. 
(8) Approximately six million Tibetans in Tibet 
do not enjoy a democratic form of government or the 
ability to elect their political representatives. 
(9) Section 355 of the Foreign Relations Au-
thorization Act, Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 ex-
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pressed the sense of Congress that Tibet’s true rep-
resentatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan 
government-in-exile as recognized by the Tibetan 
people and that Tibet has maintained throughout its 
history a distinctive and sovereign national, cultural, 
and religious identity separate from that of China 
and, except during periods of illegal Chinese occupa-
tion, has maintained a separate and sovereign polit-
ical and territorial identity. 
(10) The Middle Way Approach, the official 
policy of the Central Tibetan Administration, seeks 
genuine autonomy for the six million Tibetans in 
Tibet. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) Tibetan exile communities around the world 
should be commended for the successful adoption of 
a system of self governance with democratic institu-
tions and free elections to choose their leaders; 
(2) the Dalai Lama should be commended for 
his decision to transfer political authority to elected 
leaders in accordance with democratic principles; 
(3) the Central Tibetan Administration legiti-
mately represents and reflects the aspirations of Ti-
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betan people around the world and the Sikyong is 
the President of the Central Tibetan Administration; 
(4) as consistent with section 621(d)(3) of the 
Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note), 
the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan 
Issues should continue to maintain close contact 
with the religious, cultural, and elected leaders of 
the Tibetan people; and 
(5) the adoption of democracy within the Ti-
betan exile community can serve as an example to 
other sub-national or non-sovereign communities 
around the world. 
SEC. 7. SUSTAINABILITY IN TIBETAN COMMUNITIES SEEK-
ING TO PRESERVE THEIR CULTURE, RELI-
GION, AND LANGUAGE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Following the flight into exile of the Dalai 
Lama and tens of thousands of fellow Tibetans, the 
Government of India graciously granted land on 
which the Tibetan refugees could settle. 
(2) Under the leadership of the Dalai Lama, 
Tibetan refugees established in settlements in India, 
Nepal, and Bhutan monastic, cultural, and edu-
cational institutions for the purpose of preserving 
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their religion, culture, and language until the time 
that they could return to Tibet. 
(3) Many of the Tibetan settlements are more 
than 50 years old with aging infrastructure, chal-
lenging the capacity to absorb new refugees and pro-
vide modern services and gainful employment. 
(4) The threats to Tibetan culture, religion, and 
language in the People’s Republic of China justify 
support for efforts by Tibetans outside China to pre-
serve their heritage. 
(5) Many long-staying Tibetans in Nepal have 
not received documentation that would provide legal 
resident status and allow them fuller access to edu-
cational opportunities and sustainable participation 
in the economy and society of Nepal. 
(6) It is United States policy to promote the 
human rights of the Tibetan people and the preser-
vation of the distinct Tibetan cultural, religious, and 
linguistic heritage. 
(7) The Dalai Lama has said that the Central 
Tibetan Administration will cease to exist once a ne-
gotiated settlement has been achieved that allows Ti-
betans to freely enjoy their culture, religion, and lan-
guage in Tibet. 
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(b) DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.—Of the amount au-
thorized to be appropriated for development assistance for 
fiscal year 2020, such sums as may be necessary are au-
thorized to be available to support the preservation of Ti-
betan cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage, as well 
as the education, skills development, and entrepreneurship 
of Tibetans residing in settlements in South Asia, subject 
to review and approval of the United States Special Coor-
dinator for Tibetan Issues. 
(c) STATUS OF TIBETANS IN NEPAL.—The Secretary 
of State shall urge the Government of Nepal to provide 
legal documentation to long-staying Tibetan residents in 
Nepal who fled a credible threat of persecution in Tibet 
in order to allow them to more fully participate in the 
economy and society of Nepal. 
(d) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC, is the 
representative office in the United States of the Dalai 
Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration. 
(e) SUNSET.—This section shall terminate on the 
date that is one year after the date on which the Secretary 
of State certifies to Congress that a negotiated settlement 
between the Government of the People’s Republic of China 
and the Dalai Lama or his representatives on Tibet has 
been concluded. 
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SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES SPECIAL COOR-
DINATOR FOR TIBETAN ISSUES.—Of the amounts author-
ized to be appropriated to the Department of State for 
administration of foreign affairs, not less than $1,000,000 
is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2020 and 
each subsequent fiscal year for the Office of the United 
States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. 
(b) 
TIBETAN
SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
AND 
‘‘NGWANG CHOEPEL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS’’.—Of the 
amounts authorized to be appropriated for educational 
and cultural exchange programs for fiscal year 2020 and 
each subsequent fiscal year— 
(1) not less than $750,000 is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the Tibetan scholarship 
program established under section 103(b)(1) of the 
Human Rights, Refugee, and Other Foreign Rela-
tions Provisions Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–319; 
22 U.S.C. 2151 note); and 
(2) not less than $650,000 is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the ‘‘Ngwang Choepel Ex-
change Programs’’ (formerly known as ‘‘programs of 
educational and cultural exchange between the 
United States and the people of Tibet’’) under sec-
tion 103(a) of the Human Rights, Refugee, and 
Other Foreign Relations Provisions Act of 1996. 
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