S. 178 would require the Administration to provide several reports to the Congress on the Chinese government’s repression of ethnic and religious minorities in China, especially of Uyghur people in the Xinjiang region. Specifically:
The Director of National Intelligence would report on effects on national and regional security of China’s repression, surveillance, and mass internment of minorities;
The Federal Bureau of Investigation would report on its efforts to inform and protect U.S. citizens and residents who have been or have had family members targeted by China;
The U.S. Agency for Global Media would report on its broadcasting to Xinjiang and the Uyghur diaspora, on the intimidation of its reporters in China, and on Chinese disinformation and propaganda targeting Uyghurs and downplaying human rights violations; and
The Department of State would report on camps where detainees are politically indoctrinated and abused, on surveillance and other methods of controlling minority communities, and on impediments to diplomatic efforts to monitor human rights violations.
The bill also would require the Department of State to assess whether to sanction Chinese government officials under existing laws that are intended to protect human rights. Finally, the bill would authorize the department to assess the feasibility of creating a database to which U.S. citizens and residents could voluntarily report missing family members. Such information would then be used to hold the Chinese government accountable for its actions and to expedite the processing of applications for asylum in the United States from Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.
On the basis of information about similar reporting requirements, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 each year and total $2 million over the 2019-2024 period; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
