[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4101 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 661
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4101
To require the Secretary of Commerce to provide training and guidance
relating to human rights abuses, including such abuses perpetrated
against the Uyghur population by the Government of the People's
Republic of China, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 27, 2022
Mr. Peters (for himself and Ms. Lummis) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
December 15, 2022
Reported by Ms. Cantwell, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Commerce to provide training and guidance
relating to human rights abuses, including such abuses perpetrated
against the Uyghur population by the Government of the People's
Republic of China, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Human Rights Abuses Act of
2022''.
SEC. 2. TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE RELATING
TO AWARENESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall provide training
described in subsection (b) to such employees of the Department of
Commerce who provide counseling services to businesses engaged in
interstate commerce or foreign direct investment as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
(b) Contents of Training.--The training required under subsection
(a) shall be--
(1) designed to raise awareness about emerging trends and
issues with respect to human rights abuses occurring worldwide,
such as human rights abuses perpetrated by the Government of
the People's Republic of China, including the use of forced
labor, against Uyghurs and other ethnic minority populations in
the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; and
(2) incorporated to the greatest extent possible into
existing training provided by the Department of Commerce.
(c) Timing.--The training required under subsection (a) shall be
offered and updated at such times as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
SEC. 3. GUIDANCE FOR UNITED STATES BUSINESSES RELATING TO AWARENESS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall--
(1) offer guidance for United States businesses engaged in
interstate commerce or foreign direct investment, including
such businesses that are, or are considering, conducting
transactions with entities subject to the control or influence
of jurisdictions where significant human rights abuses have
occurred, such as the People's Republic of China; and
(2) incorporate the guidance required under paragraph (1)
into any counseling services that the Department of Commerce
provides to such businesses as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(b) Contents of Guidance.--The guidance required under subsection
(a) shall--
(1) provide information about emerging trends and issues
involving human rights abuses, such as information that
describes--
(A) human rights abuses perpetrated by the
Government of the People's Republic of China, including
the use of forced labor, against Uyghurs and other
ethnic minority populations in the Xinjiang Uyghur
Autonomous Region;
(B) risk factors that may be used to identify
entities subject to the influence or control of
jurisdictions such as the People's Republic of China
that may be implicated in human rights abuses;
(C) ways to avoid doing business with entities
described in subparagraph (B); and
(D) potential reputational, economic, legal, and
other risks of conducting transactions with an entity
described in subparagraph (B); and
(2) make clear that the guidance is for advisory purposes
and that the Department of Commerce is not responsible for
certifying the accuracy or completeness of the information
provided in the guidance.
Calendar No. 661
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4101
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Commerce to provide training and guidance
relating to human rights abuses, including such abuses perpetrated
against the Uyghur population by the Government of the People's
Republic of China, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 15, 2022
Reported without amendment