South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1657
Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-05-17 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances
Asia
Aviation and airports
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
Building construction
China
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign and international banking
Foreign property
Geography and mapping
Government information and archives
International law and treaties
Japan
Marine and inland water transportation
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Military operations and strategy
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Pacific Ocean
Philippines
Sanctions
South Korea
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
U.S. and foreign investments
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: 

South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021 

 
This bill imposes sanctions on Chinese persons and entities that participate in certain activities related to China's territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea and addresses other related issues.
 
The President must impose property-blocking and visa-denial sanctions on Chinese persons and entities that (1) contribute to development projects in parts of the South China Sea contested by a member country of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or (2) engage in actions or policies that threaten the peace or stability in disputed South China Sea areas or in an East China Sea area administered by Japan or South Korea. The bill prohibits U.S. entities from investing in or insuring projects involving sanctioned entities in either sea.
 
The President must also impose prohibitions and restrictions on correspondent and payable-through accounts related to sanctioned entities if the Office of the Director of National Intelligence determines that China has taken certain actions, such as declaring an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea.
 
The Government Publishing Office may not publish any resources that portray the contested territories in either sea as part of China, with limited exceptions. The Department of Defense, U.S. flagged vessels, or U.S. aircraft may not take any action that implies recognition of China's claimed sovereignty over contested territories. 
 
The Department of State must periodically report to Congress identifying countries that recognize China's claims to the contested territories. Certain types of foreign aid may not be provided to such countries.

action_date: 2021-10-28
text: 

South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021

 
This bill authorizes sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities that participate in certain activities related to China's territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
 
The President may impose property-blocking and visa-denial sanctions on certain Chinese individuals and entities, including those that are (1) responsible for or significantly contributing to certain large-scale projects, such as reclamation and militarization projects, in the disputed parts of the South China Sea; (2) responsible for or significantly contributing to actions that inhibit another country from protecting its sovereign rights to access resources in the South China Sea; and (3) responsible for or complicit in actions that threaten the peace, security, or stability in disputed South China Sea areas or in an East China Sea area administered by Japan or South Korea.
 
The President may also (1) deny visas to the corporate officers and controlling shareholders of sanctioned entities, (2) subject sanctioned individuals or entities to certain export restrictions, and (3) prohibit U.S. individuals and entities from investing in sanctioned entities or individuals.
 
The Department of State must periodically submit a report to Congress identifying countries that recognize China's claims to the contested territories. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-10-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 158.
action_date: 2021-10-28
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-10-28
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-10-19
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: Introduced in Senate