HR 8428 RFS
icy’’ and therefore ‘‘naturally applies to United 
States policy toward Hong Kong’’; 
(C) ‘‘the human rights of the people of 
Hong Kong are of great importance to the 
United States and are directly relevant to 
United States interests in Hong Kong and 
serve as a basis for Hong Kong’s continued eco-
nomic prosperity’’; and 
(D) Hong Kong must remain sufficiently 
autonomous from the PRC to ‘‘justify treat-
ment under a particular law of the United 
States, or any provision thereof, different from 
that accorded the People’s Republic of China’’; 
(2) to continue to support the high degree of 
autonomy and fundamental rights and freedoms of 
the people of Hong Kong, as enumerated by— 
(A) the Joint Declaration; 
(B) the International Covenant on Civil 
and Political Rights, done at New York Decem-
ber 19, 1966; and 
(C) the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights, done at Paris December 10, 1948; 
(3) to continue to support the democratic aspi-
rations of the people of Hong Kong, including the 
‘‘ultimate aim’’ of the selection of the Chief Execu-
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HR 8428 RFS
tive and all members of the Legislative Council by 
universal suffrage, as articulated in the Basic Law; 
(4) to urge the Government of the PRC, despite 
its recent actions, to uphold its commitments to 
Hong Kong, including allowing the people of Hong 
Kong to govern Hong Kong with a high degree of 
autonomy and without undue interference, and en-
suring that Hong Kong voters freely enjoy the right 
to elect the Chief Executive and all members of the 
Hong Kong Legislative Council by universal suf-
frage; 
(5) to support the establishment of a genuine 
democratic option to freely and fairly nominate and 
elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and the es-
tablishment of open and direct democratic elections 
for all members of the Hong Kong Legislative Coun-
cil; 
(6) to support the robust exercise by residents 
of Hong Kong of the rights to free speech, the press, 
and other fundamental freedoms, as provided by the 
Basic Law, the Joint Declaration, and the Inter-
national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; 
(7) to support freedom from arbitrary or unlaw-
ful arrest, detention, or imprisonment for all Hong 
Kong residents, as provided by the Basic Law, the 
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Joint Declaration, and the International Covenant 
on Civil and Political Rights; 
(8) to draw international attention to any viola-
tions by the Government of the PRC of the funda-
mental rights of the people of Hong Kong, as pro-
vided by the International Covenant on Civil and Po-
litical Rights, and any encroachment upon the au-
tonomy guaranteed to Hong Kong by the Basic Law 
and the Joint Declaration; 
(9) to protect United States citizens and long- 
term permanent residents living in Hong Kong, as 
well as people visiting and transiting through Hong 
Kong; 
(10) to maintain the economic and cultural ties 
that provide significant benefits to both the United 
States and Hong Kong, including the reinstatement 
of the Fulbright exchange program with regard to 
Hong Kong at the earliest opportunity; 
(11) to coordinate with allies, including the 
United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the 
Republic of Korea, to promote democracy and 
human rights in Hong Kong; and 
(12) to welcome and protect in the United 
States residents of Hong Kong fleeing persecution or 
otherwise seeking a safe haven from violations by 
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the Government of the PRC of the fundamental 
rights of the people of Hong Kong. 
SEC. 5. TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR HONG KONG 
RESIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. 
(a) DESIGNATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of section 244 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1254a), Hong Kong shall be treated as if it had 
been designated under subsection (b)(1)(C) of that 
section, subject to the provisions of this section. 
(2) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—The initial pe-
riod of the designation referred to in paragraph (1) 
shall be for the 18-month period beginning on the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) ALIENS ELIGIBLE.—As a result of the designa-
tion made under subsection (a), an alien is deemed to sat-
isfy the requirements under paragraph (1) of section 
244(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1254a(c)), subject to paragraph (3) of such section, if the 
alien— 
(1) was a permanent resident of Hong Kong at 
the time such individual arrived into the United 
States and is a national of the PRC (or in the case 
of an individual having no nationality, is a person 
who last habitually resided in Hong Kong); 
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(2) has been continuously physically present in 
the United States since the date of the enactment of 
this Act; 
(3) is admissible as an immigrant, except as 
otherwise provided in paragraph (2)(A) of such sec-
tion, and is not ineligible for temporary protected 
status under paragraph (2)(B) of such section; and 
(4) registers for temporary protected status in 
a manner established by the Secretary of Homeland 
Security. 
(c) CONSENT TO TRAVEL ABROAD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall give prior consent to travel abroad, in 
accordance with section 244(f)(3) of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a(f)(3)), to 
an alien who is granted temporary protected status 
pursuant to the designation made under subsection 
(a) if the alien establishes to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary of Homeland Security that emergency and 
extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the 
alien require the alien to depart for a brief, tem-
porary trip abroad. 
(2) TREATMENT UPON RETURN.—An alien re-
turning to the United States in accordance with an 
authorization described in paragraph (1) shall be 
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