Title: A bill to prohibit the commercial export of covered munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This bill directs the President to prohibit the issuance of licenses to export specified munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force. The specified items include tear gas, rubber bullets, and handcuffs. The President may make an exception upon certifying to Congress as to how such exports are important to U.S. national interests and foreign policy goals.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2710 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2710

  To prohibit the commercial export of covered munitions items to the 
                        Hong Kong Police Force.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 24, 2019

 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. 
  Leahy, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Coons, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Blumenthal, 
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Inhofe, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To prohibit the commercial export of covered munitions items to the 
                        Hong Kong Police Force.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives.
            (2) Covered munitions items.--The term ``covered munitions 
        items'' means tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, foam 
        rounds, bean bag rounds, pepper balls, water cannons, 
        handcuffs, shackles, stun guns, and tasers.
            (3) Hong kong.--The term ``Hong Kong'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 3 of the United States-Hong Kong 
        Policy Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 5702).
            (4) Hong kong police force.--The term ``Hong Kong Police 
        Force'' means--
                    (A) the Hong Kong Police Force; and
                    (B) the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON COMMERCIAL EXPORT OF COVERED MUNITIONS ITEMS TO 
              THE HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), beginning on 
the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the President shall prohibit the issuance of licenses to export covered 
munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force.
    (b) Exceptions.--The prohibition set forth in subsection (a) shall 
not apply to the issuance of a license with respect to which the 
President submits to the appropriate congressional committees, not 
fewer than 30 days before the date of such issuance, a written notice--
            (1) certifying that the exports to be covered by such 
        license are important to the national interests and foreign 
        policy goals of the United States; and
            (2) describing the manner in which such exports will 
        promote such interests and goals.
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