H.R. 2140 · 114th Congress
Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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SmithSponsor18 cosponsors · 6 D, 12 R
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Connolly
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Lofgren
AL
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Lowenthal
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Rohrabacher
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Royce
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Sanchez
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Emmer
IR
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Ros-Lehtinen
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Meadows
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Poe
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Fitzpatrick
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Doggett
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Russell
MM
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McCaul
BP
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Posey
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Trott
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Comstock
CV
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Van Hollen6 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
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.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Apr 30, 2015
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.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015
Latest action (May 20, 2015): Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: Apr 30, 2015
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.