[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3695 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3695
To establish the China Censorship Monitor and Action Group, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 4, 2021
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mr. Meijer) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the China Censorship Monitor and Action Group, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives.
(2) Qualified research entity.--The term ``qualified
research entity'' means an entity that--
(A) is a nonpartisan research organization or a
federally funded research and development center;
(B) has appropriate expertise and analytical
capability to write the report required under section
3; and
(C) is free from any financial, commercial, or
other entanglements, which could undermine the
independence of such report or create a conflict of
interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest,
with--
(i) the Government of the People's Republic
of China;
(ii) the Chinese Communist Party;
(iii) any company incorporated in the
People's Republic of China or a subsidiary of
such company; or
(iv) any company or entity incorporated
outside of the People's Republic of China that
is believed to have a substantial financial or
commercial interest in the People's Republic of
China.
(3) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully
admitted for permanent residence to the United States;
or
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the
United States or any jurisdiction within the United
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.
SEC. 2. CHINA CENSORSHIP MONITOR AND ACTION GROUP.
(a) In General.--The President shall establish an interagency task
force, which shall be known as the ``China Censorship Monitor and
Action Group'' (referred to in this section as the ``Task Force'').
(b) Membership.--The President shall--
(1) appoint the chair of the Task Force from among the
staff of the National Security Council;
(2) appoint the vice chair of the Task Force from among the
staff of the National Economic Council; and
(3) direct the head of each of the following executive
branch agencies to appoint personnel to participate in the Task
Force:
(A) The Department of State.
(B) The Department of Commerce.
(C) The Department of the Treasury.
(D) The Department of Justice.
(E) The Office of the United States Trade
Representative.
(F) The Office of the Director of National
Intelligence, and other appropriate elements of the
intelligence community (as defined in section 3 of the
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)).
(G) The Federal Communications Commission.
(H) The United States Agency for Global Media.
(I) Other agencies designated by the President.
(c) Responsibilities.--The Task Force shall--
(1) oversee the development and execution of an integrated
Federal Government strategy to monitor and address the impacts
of efforts directed, or directly supported, by the Government
of the People's Republic of China to censor or intimidate, in
the United States or in any of its possessions or territories,
any United States person, including United States companies
that conduct business in the People's Republic of China, which
are exercising their right to freedom of speech; and
(2) submit the strategy developed pursuant to paragraph (1)
to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 120
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Meetings.--The Task Force shall meet not less frequently than
twice per year.
(e) Consultations.--The Task Force should regularly consult, to the
extent necessary and appropriate, with--
(1) Federal agencies that are not represented on the Task
Force;
(2) independent agencies of the United States Government
that are not represented on the Task Force;
(3) relevant stakeholders in the private sector and the
media; and
(4) relevant stakeholders among United States allies and
partners facing similar challenges related to censorship or
intimidation by the Government of the People's Republic of
China.
(f) Reporting Requirements.--
(1) Annual report.--The Task Force shall submit an annual
report to the appropriate congressional committees that
describes, with respect to the reporting period--
(A) the strategic objectives and policies pursued
by the Task Force to address the challenges of
censorship and intimidation of United States persons
while in the United States or any of its possessions or
territories, which is directed or directly supported by
the Government of the People's Republic of China;
(B) the activities conducted by the Task Force in
support of the strategic objectives and policies
referred to in subparagraph (A); and
(C) the results of the activities referred to in
subparagraph (B) and the impact of such activities on
the national interests of the United States.
(2) Form of report.--Each report submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be unclassified, but may include a
classified annex.
(3) Congressional briefings.--Not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
the Task Force shall provide briefings to the appropriate
congressional committees regarding the activities of the Task
Force to execute the strategy developed pursuant to subsection
(c)(1).
SEC. 3. REPORT ON CENSORSHIP AND INTIMIDATION OF UNITED STATES PERSONS
BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
(a) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall select
and seek to enter into an agreement with a qualified research
entity that is independent of the Department of State to write
a report on censorship and intimidation in the United States
and its possessions and territories of United States persons,
including United States companies that conduct business in the
People's Republic of China, which is directed or directly
supported by the Government of the People's Republic of China.
(2) Matters to be included.--The report required under
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) assess major trends, patterns, and methods of
the Government of the People's Republic of China's
efforts to direct or directly support censorship and
intimidation of United States persons, including United
States companies that conduct business in the People's
Republic of China, which are exercising their right to
freedom of speech;
(B) assess, including through the use of
illustrative examples, as appropriate, the impact on
and consequences for United States persons, including
United States companies that conduct business in the
People's Republic of China, that criticize--
(i) the Chinese Communist Party;
(ii) the Government of the People's
Republic of China;
(iii) the authoritarian model of government
of the People's Republic of China; or
(iv) a particular policy advanced by the
Chinese Communist Party or the Government of
the People's Republic of China;
(C) identify the implications for the United States
of the matters described in subparagraphs (A) and (B);
(D) include best practices for industries in which
freedom of expression issues are particularly acute,
including the media and film industries;
(E) include policy recommendations for the United
States Government, including recommendations regarding
collaboration with United States allies and partners,
to address censorship and intimidation by the
Government of the People's Republic of China; and
(F) include policy recommendations for United
States persons, including United States companies that
conduct business in China, to address censorship and
intimidation by the Government of the People's Republic
of China.
(3) Applicability to united states allies and partners.--To
the extent practicable, the report required under paragraph (1)
should identify implications and policy recommendations that
are relevant to United States allies and partners facing
censorship and intimidation directed or directly supported by
the Government of the People's Republic of China.
(b) Submission of Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit
the report written by the qualified research entity selected
pursuant to subsection (a)(1) to the appropriate congressional
committees.
(2) Publication.--The report referred to in paragraph (1)
shall be made accessible to the public online through relevant
United States Government websites.
(c) Federal Government Support.--The Secretary of State and other
Federal agencies selected by the President shall provide the qualified
research entity selected pursuant to subsection (a)(1) with timely
access to appropriate information, data, resources, and analyses
necessary for such entity to write the report described in subsection
(a) in a thorough and independent manner.
SEC. 4. SUNSET.
This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
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