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H.R. 7440 · 116th Congress

Hong Kong Autonomy Act

Law · 116-149 · Jul 14, 2020
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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Became law without a recorded vote. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted.

BSD ShermanSponsor
11 cosponsors · 4 D, 7 R
ABR Barr GCD Connolly JCR Curtis BFR Fitzpatrick MGR Guest CMD Maloney SPR Perry GRR Reschenthaler TSD Suozzi ASD Spanberger TYR Yoho

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

  1. House Introduced Jul 1, 2020
  2. House Passed Jul 1, 2020
  3. Senate Passed Jul 2, 2020
  4. President To the President Jul 2, 2020
  5. President Signed Jul 14, 2020
  6. Law Jul 14, 2020

This bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that materially contribute to China's failure to preserve Hong Kong's autonomy.

What it does: CRS summary · Public Law · Jul 14, 2020

Hong Kong Autonomy Act

This bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that materially contribute to China's failure to preserve Hong Kong's autonomy.

Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system with protections for civil rights such as freedom of speech. This arrangement is enshrined in (1) the Joint Declaration, a 1984 treaty pertaining to the United Kingdom's transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China; and (2) the Basic Law, Hong Kong's constitutional document.

The Department of State shall report annually to Congress information about (1) foreign individuals and entities that materially contributed to China's failure to comply with the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law; and (2) foreign financial institutions that knowingly conducted a significant transaction with such identified individuals and entities. An individual, entity, or financial institution may be excluded from this report for various reasons, such as to protect an intelligence source.

The President shall impose property-blocking sanctions on an individual or entity named in a report, and visa-blocking sanctions on a named individual. The President shall impose various sanctions on a financial institution named in a report, such as prohibiting the institution from receiving loans from a U.S. financial institution.

The President may waive or terminate the imposition of sanctions under this bill. Congress may override such a waiver or termination by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

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

About this bill and sources

Official title: Hong Kong Autonomy Act

Latest action (Jul 14, 2020): Became Public Law No: 116-149.

Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 1, 2020

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

  1. House Introduced Jul 1, 2020
  2. House Passed Jul 1, 2020
  3. Senate Passed Jul 2, 2020
  4. President To the President Jul 2, 2020
  5. President Signed Jul 14, 2020
  6. Law Jul 14, 2020

No recorded floor vote found.