[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2801 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]






                                                       Calendar No. 643
106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2801

 To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move of the Embassy of 
the People's Republic of China in the United States until the Secretary 
  of State has required the divestiture of property purchased by the 
      Xinhua News Agency in violation of the Foreign Missions Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 27, 2000

 Mr. Shelby (for himself and Mr. Helms) introduced the following bill; 
                     which was read the first time

                             June 28, 2000

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move of the Embassy of 
the People's Republic of China in the United States until the Secretary 
  of State has required the divestiture of property purchased by the 
      Xinhua News Agency in violation of the Foreign Missions Act.

    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 ``Chinese News Agency Divestiture Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On June 15, 2000, the Xinhua News Agency purchased a 
        building at 1515 Arlington Ridge Road in Arlington, Virginia.
            (2) The Xinhua News Agency is owned by the People's 
        Republic of China and is required under the Foreign Missions 
        Act (22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.), and a subsequent diplomatic 
        notification provided to the People's Republic of China in 
        1985, to provide notification to the Department of State in 
        advance of any purchase of property.
            (3) The purchase of the property by the Xinhua News Agency 
        was made without prior notification to the Department of State 
        as required by the Foreign Missions Act.
            (4) Under the Foreign Missions Act, the Secretary of State 
        is authorized to require the divestiture of property that was 
        not attained in accordance with the Foreign Missions Act.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON DIVESTITURE OF PROPERTY BY THE XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.

    Not later than 15 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State shall submit to the Select Committee on 
Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a 
report on whether the Secretary intends to require, pursuant to section 
205(b) of the Foreign Missions Act (22 U.S.C. 4305(b)), that the 
People's Republic of China divest itself of the property purchased at 
1515 Arlington Ridge Road by the Xinhua News Agency, a news agency 
owned by the People's Republic of China.

SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO NEGOTIATE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY 
              FOR RELOCATION OF EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF 
              CHINA IN THE UNITED STATES.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds available to 
the Department of State for Administration of Foreign Affairs may be 
obligated or expended to negotiate the purchase of property by the 
People's Republic of China to relocate its embassy in the United States 
until the Secretary of State certifies to the Select Committee on 
Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that 
the Secretary--
            (1) has instituted divestiture proceedings pursuant to 
        section 205(b) of the Foreign Missions Act (22 U.S.C. 4305(b)) 
        against the property purchased at 1515 Arlington Ridge Road by 
        the Xinhua News Agency; and
            (2) shall ensure that any further purchases of real 
        property by the Government of the People's Republic of China, 
        or any entity owned by that government, are made pursuant to 
        the procedures set out in section 205 of the Foreign Missions 
        Act.




                                                       Calendar No. 643

106th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2801

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To prohibit funding of the negotiation of the move of the Embassy of 
the People's Republic of China in the United States until the Secretary 
  of State has required the divestiture of property purchased by the 
      Xinhua News Agency in violation of the Foreign Missions Act.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 28, 2000

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar