CCP Virus Reimbursement For States Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-4000
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Santos, George [R-NY-3]
Introduced: 2023-06-12
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-15
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H2953-2955)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>CCP Virus Reimbursement For States Act of 2023</b></p> <p> This bill authorizes states to sue the Chinese government for harm suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill specifies that the actionable harms for which a state may seek damages include, but are not limited to, expenditures such as overtime wages paid to frontline workers, vaccine or medical equipment purchases, and research and development costs. </p> <p>Such a case must be brought in a U.S. district court. If the Chinese government fails to pay a judgment to a state within one year, the state may obtain a court order directing the federal government to pay the amount owed. If the federal government is ordered to pay the judgment, the federal government must deduct an equivalent amount from (1) any interest or debt owed by the United States to China, or (2) any amounts made available to provide U.S. assistance to China.</p> <p><br> </p> </p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4000 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 12, 2023 Mr. Santos introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To authorize States to bring civil actions against the Government of the People’s Republic of China for harm suffered by the State as a result of the COVID–19 pandemic.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the CCP Virus Reimbursement For States Act of 2023 . 2. Civil action authorized for States related to COVID–19 harm (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including chapter 85 of title 28, United States Code, commonly referred to as the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act ) a State may bring an action for damages in an appropriate district court of the United States against the Government of the People’s Republic of China for harm suffered by the State as a result of the COVID–19 pandemic. (b) Payment by United States If a State is awarded damages in an action under this section, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China has not satisfied such award before the date that is one year after the date on which the damages were awarded, the State may seek an order from the court directing the United States to pay such award to the State. The payment by the United States of any such award shall be deducted from any interest or debt owed by the United States to the People’s Republic of China, or from any amounts made available to provide United States assistance to the People’s Republic of China. (c) Definition In this section, the term harm includes costs associated with— (1) the payment of overtime to frontline workers; (2) purchasing masks and sanitizing products; (3) purchasing vaccines; (4) research and development; (5) developing COVID–19 testing sites and testing individuals for COVID–19; (6) purchasing medical equipment related to COVID–19; (7) unemployment payments; and (8) laws to provide other assistance during the COVID–19 pandemic.