Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D MalinowskiSponsor

15 cosponsors · 11 D, 4 R

5 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill provides for immigration benefits related to Hong Kong in the event that China puts into effect national security legislation in Hong Kong that would curtail political freedoms. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a separate legal system. U.S. law provides Hong Kong with special treatment due to this autonomy.)

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jun 30, 2020

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act

If China promulgates the Hong Kong national security law, Hong Kong shall receive temporary protected status for 18 months. During this period, qualifying Hong Kong residents who have been continuously present in the United States since this bill's enactment and apply for such status shall have work authorization and may not be removed from the United States.

If the President suspends Hong Kong's special treatment under U.S. law, Hong Kong shall continue for five years to be treated as a separate foreign state when calculating annual per-country caps under immigration law.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may provide special immigrant status to a qualifying Hong Kong resident who meets certain educational requirements or owns a company of a certain size. DHS may admit up to 50,000 principal aliens under this provision for each of the five fiscal years after this bill's enactment, and such aliens shall not be subject to other numerical limits.

Qualifying Hong Kong residents who fear political persecution from China and apply for permanent resident status shall be deemed to have an approved petition. Certain provisions, such as requiring applicants to have a valid entry document, shall not apply to such individuals.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act

Latest action (Jun 30, 2020): Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.

Policy area: Immigration · Origin: House · Introduced: Jun 30, 2020

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.