[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 130 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 130
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in condemning the
Government of the People's Republic of China for its harassment and
efforts to intimidate American citizens and other individuals on United
States soil with the goal of suppressing speech and narratives the
People's Republic of China finds unwelcome.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2025
Mr. Bera (for himself and Mr. Barr) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition
to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Education and Workforce, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in condemning the
Government of the People's Republic of China for its harassment and
efforts to intimidate American citizens and other individuals on United
States soil with the goal of suppressing speech and narratives the
People's Republic of China finds unwelcome.
Whereas freedom of speech is essential to the functioning of a free and open
society, allowing for the exchange of ideas and accountability of
governments and institutions;
Whereas Congress relies on credible, independent research and analysis from
academic institutions and think tanks to inform and help shape United
States policy;
Whereas the exchange of ideas between United States and People's Republic of
China (PRC) scholars, including in the form of collaborative research
and Track 1.5 and Track 2.0 discussions, plays an important role in
promoting better understanding between the 2 countries;
Whereas, in November 2023, PRC leader Xi Jinping called on the United States and
China to ``build more bridges and pave more roads for people-to-people
interactions'' and ``not erect barriers or create a chilling effect'';
Whereas the PRC Government has engaged in a wide range of activities intended to
intimidate United States scholars who engage in research the PRC
Government and Chinese Communist Party find unwelcome, including--
(1) unleashing personal attacks on United States scholars in PRC state
media and quasi-state media;
(2) pressuring PRC citizens to resign from jobs supporting the research
of United States scholars;
(3) withdrawing invitations for United States scholars to attend
conferences in the PRC; and
(4) sending PRC diplomats and nongovernment surrogates to United States
scholars' offices to protest their research, discourage future research on
specific topics, and warn against scholarly collaboration with specific
other United States scholars;
Whereas the Department of State has stated in regard to the PRC state media and
quasi-state media attacks on United States scholars that ``combating
transnational repression is a priority component of U.S. efforts to
counter rising authoritarianism and defend human rights around the
world'', emphasizing that ``any kind of harassment'' toward academics,
scholars, journalists, or other individuals is ``unacceptable'', and
noting that, ``everyone has a right to express their point of view'';
Whereas the PRC Government's harassment of United States scholars whose research
the PRC disagrees with and the PRC Government's efforts to intimidate
other United States and PRC scholars into distancing themselves from
such scholars creates a chilling effect on United States-PRC academic
exchange and research;
Whereas PRC restrictions on visas for scholars whose research the PRC disagrees
with limit visits and field research of United States scholars in China
that promote global understanding of the PRC and the bilateral
relationship;
Whereas, in 2023 and 2024, the Hong Kong police put 19 Hong Kong democracy
activists living overseas, including a United States citizen, on a
wanted list and offered bounties for information leading to their
capture, and in 2024 cancelled the passports of 7 of them;
Whereas, according to the Washington Post, in November 2023, the PRC consulate
in Los Angeles paid for the hotel rooms and meals of pro-PRC counter-
protesters who turned out on the streets of San Francisco during a visit
by Xi Jinping, and hired private security guards for the visit;
Whereas, during PRC leader Xi's 2023 visit, some counter-protesters and
consulate-hired security guards reportedly physically harassed and
intimidated protesters opposed to Beijing's policies who were exercising
their First Amendment rights;
Whereas consulate-hired security guards were reportedly instructed by the PRC
consulate to ``protect `our' friends'', with one guard stating that the
use of violence ``was always insinuated'';
Whereas, ahead of Xi's departure from San Francisco, Chemi Lhamo, a Tibetan
activist holding a Tibetan flag, was pressed against the railing of a
bridge, unable to extract herself from a crowd of PRC supporters that
included 2 PRC consular officials, and at least 8 men from the same
crowd reportedly attacked 2 Tibetan teenagers later that day;
Whereas, according to the advocacy organization Freedom House, the Government of
the PRC is increasingly disregarding the laws of the United States in
order to threaten, harass, surveil, stalk, intimidate, and, in some
cases, plot physical harm to individuals across the United States;
Whereas, between 2014 and April 2023, Freedom House cataloged 253 instances
globally of direct, physical attacks originating from the PRC, with the
PRC accounting for 30 percent of all recorded incidents, far more than
any other country:
Whereas, in 2023, Freedom House reported that ``China is the world's leading
perpetrator of transnational repression, employing a wide array of
tactics and targeting both groups and individuals'';
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation defines transnational repression as
when foreign governments reach beyond their borders to intimidate,
silence, coerce, harass, or harm members of their diaspora and exile
communities in the United States;
Whereas, in April 2023, the Department of Justice charged 40 officers of China's
Ministry of Public Security and 2 officials of the Cyberspace
Administration of China with engaging in transnational repression
schemes targeting American citizens and lawful permanent residents; and
Whereas then-Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Department of
Justice's National Security Division stated at the time, ``These cases
demonstrate the lengths to which the PRC government will go to silence
and harass U.S. persons who exercise their fundamental rights to speak
out against PRC oppression'', and that ``these actions violate our laws
and are an affront to our democratic values and basic human rights.'':
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) strongly condemns the Government of the People's
Republic of China's (PRC) efforts to suppress free speech,
assembly, and academic freedom in the United States, including
through harassment and intimidation;
(2) calls on United States Federal and local law
enforcement agencies to enhance vigilance and take swift action
against the PRC's attempts to extend its intolerance of dissent
into the United States and to target people exercising their
First Amendment rights on American soil;
(3) urges United States academic institutions and think
tanks to protect academic freedom by resisting pressure from
foreign entities, including the PRC, aimed at stifling open
scholarly research and debate;
(4) reaffirms the United States commitment to defend the
rights of individuals to express themselves freely without fear
of retaliation, both domestically and globally;
(5) calls on the executive branch, including the Secretary
of State, to raise in diplomatic engagements with the PRC
Government incidents of PRC harassment and intimidation
intended to limit free speech, highlighting specific cases of
intimidation of individuals intended to stifle free speech in
the United States;
(6) advocates for international collaboration with like-
minded allies and partners to highlight and address the threat
of transnational repression and establish global norms to
combat it; and
(7) calls on United States representatives to international
organizations to use their voice and vote to support
resolutions condemning the transnational suppression of free
speech and demanding accountability.
<all>