Title: Expressing concern over the detainment of Sandy Phan-Gillis, and for other purposes.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Expresses concern about the detainment of Sandy Phan-Gillis in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, in August 2004.
Encourages the Department of State and the intelligence community to: (1) jointly continue investigations and consider all plausible explanations for Phan-Gillis's detainment, (2) coordinate investigations with the Chinese government and solicit information from appropriate regional affairs and law enforcement experts on plausible explanations, and (3) continue to work with and inform Congress and Phan-Gillis's family on efforts to possibly recover Phan-Gillis and to resolve her detainment.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 18 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 18

 Expressing concern over the detainment of Sandy Phan-Gillis, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2017

  Mr. Al Green of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
    Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing concern over the detainment of Sandy Phan-Gillis, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas Sandy Phan-Gillis, a naturalized United States citizen of Chinese 
        ancestry and Texas businesswoman, has been detained by the Chinese State 
        Security since March 2015;
Whereas Sandy traveled to China to promote business opportunities in her 
        hometown of Houston, Texas;
Whereas Sandy was detained by Chinese security agents as she was passing through 
        an immigration control connecting mainland China with Macau;
Whereas Chinese authorities waited six months before admitting she had been 
        detained;
Whereas in June 2016, a United Nations panel ruled that China had violated 
        international human rights by denying Sandy access to legal assistance 
        and holding her without bringing her before judicial authorities;
Whereas Sandy is charged with going on a spy mission to Guangxi, China, on 
        behalf of a foreign intelligence agency in the summer of 1996;
Whereas Sandy's passport for 1996 had no Chinese visa, no Chinese entry stamps, 
        and no Chinese exit stamps;
Whereas Sandy's pay stubs from the Houston Police Department, where she worked 
        from 1993 to 1998, showed that during the time in question she took a 
        total of 11 hours of vacation;
Whereas Sandy has denied any wrongdoing and said her detention was political and 
        not criminal, according to a letter transcribed by a United States 
        consular official in China;
Whereas China has provided little information about its allegations, saying only 
        that she is suspected of stealing and spying on its national secrets and 
        that during her arrest a new crime of espionage was uncovered; and
Whereas the Department of State has said consular officials meet every month 
        with Phan-Gillis and are monitoring the case closely: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its ongoing concern about the detaining of 
        Sandy Phan-Gillis in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of 
        China, in August 2004;
            (2) encourages the Department of State and the intelligence 
        community to jointly continue investigations and to consider 
        all plausible explanations for Sandy's detainment;
            (3) urges the Department of State and the intelligence 
        community to coordinate investigations with the Government of 
        the People's Republic of China and solicit information from 
        appropriate regional affairs and law enforcement experts on 
        plausible explanations for Sandy's detainment; and
            (4) requests that the Department of State and the 
        intelligence community continue to work with and inform 
        Congress and the family of Sandy Phan-Gillis on efforts to 
        possibly recover Sandy and to resolve her detainment.
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