Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2140
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2015-04-30 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Area studies and international education
Asia
Congressional oversight
Cultural exchanges and relations
Detention of persons
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Human rights
Human trafficking
International exchange and broadcasting
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
News media and reporting
Political movements and philosophies
Property rights
Protest and dissent
Racial and ethnic relations
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Rule of law and government transparency
Trade restrictions
Vietnam
Youth employment and child labor

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: 
 
Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015 

 
 This bill prohibits U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to the government of Vietnam in excess of FY2014 amounts unless the President certifies to Congress that the government of Vietnam has made substantial progress respecting political, civil, media, Internet, and religious freedoms, minority rights, access to U.S. refugee programs, and actions to end trafficking in persons and the release of religious and political prisoners.
 
The President may waive such requirements: 
 
 
if increased U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance would promote the purposes of this Act or is otherwise in the U.S. national interest,
 
with respect to all U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to Vietnam, or to one or more programs or projects. 
 
 
 It is the sense of Congress that: 
 
 
 it shall be U.S. policy that further easing of the prohibition on the sale of lethal military equipment to Vietnam shall require Vietnam to take additional and sustained steps to advance human rights protections; 
 
the United States should take measures to overcome the jamming of Radio Free Asia by Vietnam and that the Broadcasting Board of Governors should not cut staffing, funding, or broadcast hours for the Vietnamese language services of the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia; 
 
U.S.-Vietnam educational and cultural exchange programs should promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam; 
 
Vietnam should be designated as a country of particular concern for religious freedom; and 
 
Vietnam does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-05-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Unanimous Consent .
action_date: 2015-05-14
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-05-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-04-30
text: Introduced in House