Vietnam Human Rights Act

Bill: 117-hr-3001
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2021-05-04 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Asia
Bank accounts, deposits, capital
China
Computer security and identity theft
Congressional oversight
Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Foreign aid and international relief
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Human rights
Human trafficking
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor standards
Labor-management relations
Marriage and family status
Military assistance, sales, and agreements
News media and reporting
Protest and dissent
Public contracts and procurement
Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Religion
Right of privacy
Rule of law and government transparency
Sanctions
Tariffs
Trade agreements and negotiations
Vietnam
Violent crime

Summary:
action_date: 2021-05-04
text: 

Vietnam Human Rights Act

 
This bill requires actions related to human rights in Vietnam and addresses related issues.
 
The Department of State must assist eligible individuals and entities working to secure the release of political and religious prisoners in Vietnam. 
 
The Office of Internet Freedom within the U.S. Agency for Global Media and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor within the State Department shall prioritize (1) the immediate distribution of censorship circumvention tools for computers and smartphones in Vietnam; and (2) projects to ensure the safety and privacy of bloggers, journalists, and human rights defenders in Vietnam. 
 
Foreign assistance may not be used to assist any unit of the Vietnamese government engaged in cyberespionage activities. 
 
The State Department may establish programs to (1) monitor and halt sex trafficking of women from Vietnam and other Asian countries, and (2) address Vietnam's growing sex-ratio disparity.
 
The bill also requires various reports to Congress, including reports on (1) persons subject to U.S. sanctions for human rights violations in Vietnam, (2) a strategy to promote internet freedom in Vietnam, and (3) cyberespionage activities sanctioned by the Vietnamese government targeting Vietnamese dissidents and human rights advocates living outside of Vietnam.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-11-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
action_date: 2021-05-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2021-05-04
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 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: 2021-05-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-05-04
text: Introduced in House