UIGHUR Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-1025
Sponsor: Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-30]
Introduced: 2019-02-06 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advanced technology and technological innovations
Africa
Asia
Assault and harassment offenses
China
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Department of Commerce
Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Human rights
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International exchange and broadcasting
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Middle East
News media and reporting
Public contracts and procurement
Racial and ethnic relations
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Right of privacy
Sanctions
Technology transfer and commercialization
Trade restrictions
Travel and tourism
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: 

Uighur Intervention and Global Humanitarian Unified Response Act of 2019 or the UIGHUR Act of 2019

 
This bill imposes sourcing restrictions and export controls related to China's mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group in Xinjiang province.
 
Executive agencies shall not procure goods or services from foreign persons who in the last three years substantially facilitated or knowingly assisted such mass detention. When procuring goods or services from U.S. persons, executive agencies shall provide adverse consideration to awarding contracts to those involved with such mass detention, and assess the availability of other sources. The President may waive these restrictions for national security or national interest purposes.
 
The Department of Commerce shall deny applications to export to China various technologies, including those related to artificial intelligence or biometrics, unless the applicant certifies that the technology will not be knowingly used to facilitate the mass detention of Turkic Muslims. 
 
The Department of State shall ensure that certain U.S. diplomatic facilities in China can provide services in the Uyghur language. The State Department shall establish a website for reporting harassment or surveillance of persons in the United States by Chinese representatives or agents, and procedures for sharing such reports with law enforcement agencies.
 
This bill directs various agencies to report on specified topics, including China's development of technologies related to mass detection and surveillance. 
 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-03-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Introduced in House