Washington, DC – Today, the House passed the bipartisan Uyghur Policy Act (H.R. 2635), led by Rep. Young Kim (CA-40), Rep. Ami Bera (CA-06), Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, and Committee Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-05). This bill advances a comprehensive strategy for the United States to support Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities enduring grave human rights violations at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Watch Rep. Kim speak in support of the bill on the House floor HERE.
“For too long, the Chinese Communist Party has orchestrated the forced sterilization, enslavement, and systematic murder of the Uyghur people,” said Rep. Young Kim, Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific. “The United States cannot sit idly by as innocent families are torn apart, identities are erased, and generations silenced by these atrocious acts of genocide. My Uyghur Policy Act sends a clear message that America will not tolerate egregious human rights violations perpetrated by the CCP—not on our soil, not anywhere.”
“I am pleased to see the Uyghur Policy Act pass by a strong bipartisan majority in the House,” said Rep. Ami Bera, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee. “This bill takes crucial steps to bolster American efforts to safeguard the distinct ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of the Uyghur people and promote respect for human rights and religious freedom in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The United States Congress must remain vigilant in our efforts to uphold human rights at home and abroad.”
“This legislation is a vital step to ensure America stands firmly with the Uyghur people amid China’s ongoing genocide,” said Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs and Chairwoman of the Executive Committee of the World Uyghur Congress. “By making Uyghur human rights a clear priority in U.S. foreign policy, this bill strengthens accountability for the Chinese government’s crimes and delivers a powerful message of solidarity to millions of Uyghur families suffering under repression. It does so by pressing to close the camps, protect Uyghur cultural identity, and confront the growing issue of transnational repression. I strongly support its passage and am deeply grateful to Representative Young Kim and all members of Congress who continue to champion this cause.”
The Uyghur Policy Act would:
- Coordinate U.S. Efforts by designating the Secretary of State to oversee Uyghur human rights-related policies and programs that preserve Uyghurs’ ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identities.
- Empower human rights advocates working on behalf of Uyghurs and minorities persecuted by the CCP.
- Force the CCP to End Crackdowns against Uyghurs by increasing accountability to human rights organizations and developing a strategy to close detention facilities and political reeducation camps.
- Support the Uyghur Diaspora by addressing transnational repression and creating reporting mechanisms for Uyghur victims.
The Uyghur Policy Act passed the House with strong bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Read the bill HERE.
