119 S2560 IS: Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025
U.S. Senate
2025-07-30
text/xml
EN
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II
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2560
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2025
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Merkley) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
A BILL
To expand the imposition of sanctions under the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 with respect to human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China and to counter the genocidal policies of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title; table of contents
(a)

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025”.
(b)

Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Expansion of sanctions under Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020.
Sec. 3. Denial of United States entry for individuals complicit in forced abortions or forced sterilizations.
Sec. 4. Physical and psychological support for Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic groups.
Sec. 5. Preservation of cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage of ethnic and religious groups oppressed by the People’s Republic of China.
Sec. 6. Determination of whether actions of certain Chinese entities meet criteria for imposition of sanctions.
Sec. 7. Countering propaganda from the People’s Republic of China about genocide and crimes against humanity.
Sec. 8. Documenting atrocities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Sec. 9. Prohibition on certain United States Government agency contracts.
Sec. 10. Strategy to address allegations of forced organ harvesting in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Sec. 11. Information on detained family members of United States citizens in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Sec. 12. Report on ability of Department of Defense to identify prohibited seafood imports in supply chain for food procurement.
Sec. 13. Prohibition on procurement and commissary sales of seafood originating or processed in the People’s Republic of China.
2.

Expansion of sanctions under Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020
(a)

In general
Section 6 of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–145; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “persons in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” and inserting “persons residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or members of those groups in countries outside of the People’s Republic of China”; and
(ii)
by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following:
“(G)
Systematic rape, coercive abortion, forced sterilization, or involuntary contraceptive implantation policies and practices.
(H)
Human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal.
(I)
Forced separation of children from their parents to be placed in boarding schools.
(J)
Forced deportation or refoulement to the People’s Republic of China.”;
(B)
by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(C)
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
“(2)

Additional matters to be included
The President shall include in the report required by paragraph (1) an identification of—
(A)
each foreign person that knowingly provides significant goods, services, or technology to or for a person identified in the report; and
(B)
each foreign person that knowingly engages in a significant transaction relating to any of the acts described in subparagraphs (A) through (J) of paragraph (1).”;
(2)
in subsection (b), by striking “subsection (a)(1)” and inserting “subsection (a)”; and
(3)
by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
“(d)

Implementation; regulatory authority
(1)

Implementation
The President may exercise all authorities provided under section 203 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702) to carry out this section.
(2)

Regulatory authority
The President shall issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as necessary to carry out this section.”.
(b)

Effective date; applicability
The amendments made by this section—
(1)
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2)
apply with respect to the first report required by section 6(a)(1) of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 submitted after such date of enactment.
3.

Denial of United States entry for individuals complicit in forced abortions or forced sterilizations
Section 801 of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001 (8 U.S.C. 1182e) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a), by striking “may not” each place it appears and inserting “shall not”; and
(2)
by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
“(c)

Waiver
The Secretary of State may waive the prohibitions in subsection (a) with respect to a foreign national if the Secretary—
(1)
determines that—
(A)
the foreign national is not directly complicit in atrocities, specifically the oversight of programs or policies the intent of which is to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group through the use of forced sterilization, forced abortion, or other egregious population control policies;
(B)
admitting or paroling the foreign national into the United States is necessary—
(i)
to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success on June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations of the United States; or
(ii)
to carry out or assist law enforcement activity of the United States; and
(C)
it is important to the national security interest of the United States to admit or parole the foreign national into the United States; and
(2)
provides written notification to the appropriate congressional committees containing a justification for the waiver.
(d)

Notice
The Secretary of State shall make a public announcement whenever the prohibitions under subsection (a) are imposed under this section.
(e)

Information requested by congress
The Secretary of State, upon the request of a Member of Congress, shall provide information about the use of the prohibitions under subsection (a), including the number of times such prohibitions were imposed, disaggregated by country and by year and whether additional sanctions under any other Act were employed to advance the purposes of this section.”.
4.

Physical and psychological support for Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic groups
(a)

Authorization
(1)

In general
Using funds appropriated to the Department of State in annual appropriations Acts under the heading “DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE”, the Secretary of State is authorized, subject to the requirements under chapters 1 and 10 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) and section 634A of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2394–1)—
(A)
to provide the assistance described in paragraph (2) to individuals who—
(i)
belong to the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, or another oppressed ethnic group in the People’s Republic of China;
(ii)
experienced torture, forced sterilization, rape, forced abortion, forced labor, or other atrocities in the People’s Republic of China; and
(iii)
are residing outside of the People’s Republic of China; and
(B)
to build local capacity for the assistance described in paragraph (2) through—
(i)
grants to treatment centers and programs in foreign countries in accordance with section 130(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2152(b)); and
(ii)
research and training to health care providers outside of such treatment centers or programs in accordance with section 130(c)(2) of such Act.
(2)

Authorized assistance
The assistance described in this paragraph is—
(A)
medical care;
(B)
physical therapy; and
(C)
psychological support.
(b)

Briefing
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that describes—
(1)
the direct care or services provided in foreign countries for individuals described in subsection (a)(1)(A); and
(2)
any projects started or supported in foreign countries to provide the care or services described in paragraph (1).
(c)

Federal share
Not more than 50 percent of the costs of providing the assistance authorized under subsection (a) may be paid by the United States Government.
5.

Preservation of cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage of ethnic and religious groups oppressed by the People’s Republic of China
(a)

Finding
Congress finds that the genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated by officials of the Government of the People’s Republic of China in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region aim to erase the distinct cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage of oppressed ethnic and religious groups.
(b)

Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government should use its diplomatic, development, and cultural activities to promote the preservation of cultural, religious, and linguistic heritages of ethnic and religious groups in the People’s Republic of China threatened by officials of the Government of People’s Republic of China.
(c)

Report required
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that—
(1)
assesses the feasibility of establishing a grant program to assist communities facing threats to their cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage from officials of the Government of the People’s Republic of China; and
(2)
provides recommendations for Congress with respect to whether such a program needs additional authorities or funding.
(d)

Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029, to support the establishment of a Repressed Cultures Preservation Initiative within the Smithsonian Institution to pool Institution-wide efforts toward research, exhibitions, and education related to the cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage of ethnic and religious groups the cultures of which are threatened by repressive regimes, including officials of the Government of People’s Republic of China.
6.

Determination of whether actions of certain Chinese entities meet criteria for imposition of sanctions
(a)

In general
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, shall—
(1)
determine whether any entity specified in subsection (b)—
(A)
is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuses against Uyghurs or other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China; or
(B)
meets the criteria for the imposition of sanctions under—
(i)
the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.);
(ii)
section 6 of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–145; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note);
(iii)
section 105, 105A, 105B, or 105C of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8514, 8514a, 8514b, and 8514c);
(iv)
Executive Order 13818 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking the property of persons involved in serious human rights abuse or corruption), as amended on or after the date of the enactment of this Act; or
(v)
Executive Order 13553 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of certain persons with respect to serious human rights abuses by the Government of Iran and taking certain other actions), as amended on or after the date of the enactment of this Act;
(2)
if the Secretary of the Treasury determines under paragraph (1) that an entity is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuses described in subparagraph (A) of that paragraph or meets the criteria for the imposition of sanctions described in subparagraph (B) of that paragraph, include the entity on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control; and
(3)
submit to Congress a report on that determination that includes the reasons for the determination.
(b)

Entities specified
An entity specified in this subsection is any of the following:
(1)
Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.
(2)
Shenzhen Huada Gene Technology Co., Ltd. (BGI Group).
(3)
Tiandy Technologies Co., Ltd.
(4)
Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd.
(5)
China Electronics Technology Group Co.
(6)
Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co., Ltd.
(7)
ByteDance Ltd.
(c)

Form of report
The report required by subsection (a)(3) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
7.

Countering propaganda from the People’s Republic of China about genocide and crimes against humanity
(a)

In general
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a strategy for countering propaganda and other messaging from news and information sources associated with the Government of the People’s Republic of China or entities associated with the Chinese Communist Party or influenced by the Chinese Communist Party or the Government of the People’s Republic of China that—
(1)
deny the genocide, crimes against humanity, and other egregious human rights abuses experienced by Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region;
(2)
spread propaganda regarding the role of the United States Government in imposing economic and reputational costs on the Chinese Communist Party or the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its ongoing genocide;
(3)
target Uyghurs and other people who publicly oppose the Government of the People’s Republic of China’s genocidal policies and forced labor practices, including the detention and intimidation of their family members; or
(4)
increase pressure on member countries of the United Nations to deny or defend genocide or other egregious violations of internationally recognized human rights in the People’s Republic of China within international organizations and multilateral fora, including at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
(b)

Strategy elements
The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
existing messaging strategies and specific broadcasting efforts to counter the propaganda described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) and the reach of such strategies and efforts to audiences targeted by such propaganda;
(2)
specific metrics used for determining the success or failure of the messaging strategies and media efforts to reach targeted audiences through radio, television, social media, print, and any other means of broadcasting or media and an analysis of the impact of such strategies and efforts;
(3)
a description of any new or pilot messaging strategies and media efforts expected to be implemented during the 12-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and an explanation of the need for such strategies and efforts;
(4)
measurable goals to be completed during the 12-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and tangible outcomes for expanding broadcasting efforts and countering propaganda; and
(5)
estimates of additional funding needed to counter the propaganda described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).
(c)

Funding
The Secretary of State is authorized to use amounts made available for the Countering PRC Influence Fund under section 7043(c)(2) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022 (division K of Public Law 117–103; 136 Stat. 646) to develop and carry out the strategy required under subsection (a).
8.

Documenting atrocities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
The Secretary of State may provide assistance, including financial and technical assistance, as necessary and appropriate, to support the efforts of entities, including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law, to address genocide, crimes against humanity, and their constituent crimes by the Government of the People’s Republic of China by—
(1)
collecting, documenting, and archiving evidence, including the testimonies of victims and visuals from social media, and preserving the chain of custody for such evidence;
(2)
identifying suspected perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity;
(3)
conducting criminal investigations of atrocity crimes, including by developing indigenous investigative and judicial skills through partnerships, direct mentoring, and providing the necessary equipment and infrastructure to effectively adjudicate cases for use in prosecutions in domestic courts, hybrid courts, and internationalized domestic courts;
(4)
supporting investigations conducted by foreign countries, civil society groups, and multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations; and
(5)
supporting and protecting witnesses participating in such investigations.
9.

Prohibition on certain United States Government agency contracts
(a)

Prohibition
The head of an executive agency may not enter into a contract for the procurement of goods or services with or for any of the following:
(1)
Any person identified in the report required by section 6(a) of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–145; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note).
(2)
Any person that mined, produced, or manufactured goods, wares, articles, and merchandise detained and denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection pursuant to section 3 of the Act entitled “An Act to ensure that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China do not enter the United States market, and for other purposes”, approved December 23, 2021 (Public Law 117–78; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) (commonly referred to as the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act”).
(3)
Any person that the head of the executive agency determines, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, facilitates the genocide and human rights abuses occurring in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China.
(4)
Any person, program, project, or activity that—
(A)
contributes to forced labor, particularly through the procurement of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly, or in part, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or by the forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs or other persecuted individuals or groups in the People’s Republic of China; or
(B)
violates internationally recognized worker rights of individuals in the People’s Republic of China.
(b)

Consultations
The head of each executive agency shall consult with the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, established under section 741 of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4681), with respect to the implementation of subsection (a)(2).
(c)

Report required
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit a report on the implementation of this section to—
(1)
the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(2)
the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives.
(d)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Executive agency
The term executive agency has the meaning given the term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.
(2)

Internationally recognized worker rights
The term internationally recognized worker rights has the meaning given in section 507 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2467).
10.

Strategy to address allegations of forced organ harvesting in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
(a)

In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to Congress—
(1)
a determination with respect to whether the practice of forced organ harvesting has occurred in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and to what extent the practice has been used from 2017 to the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(2)
subject to the determination required by paragraph (1), a strategy to address forced organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China and hold accountable individuals and entities engaged in the practice of human trafficking for the purpose of organ removal.
(b)

Matters To Be included
The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
specific steps to be taken to address the practice of forced organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China and an analysis of what efforts in the past, if any, proved to be an effective deterrent;
(2)
details on bilateral and multilateral diplomatic outreach to address the issue of forced organ harvesting, including the number and level of diplomatic discussions that have occurred with member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on the issue of forced organ harvesting and organ tourism by citizens of such member states to the People’s Republic of China; and
(3)
details on the use of existing rewards programs of the Department of State to seek actionable information on forced organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China and whether additional authorities or funding are needed from Congress to expand such programs for that purpose.
(c)

Consultations
The Secretary of State may consult with the Director of National Intelligence and the head of any other relevant Federal agency in carrying out the requirements of subsection (a).
11.

Information on detained family members of United States citizens in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
(a)

In general
The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, begin compiling information on the family members of United States citizens and legal permanent residents detained or missing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, particularly those detained to silence or intimidate United States citizens or legal permanent residents engaged in human rights advocacy or journalism or those arrested because they participated in programs carried out by the Department of State, including—
(1)
Gulshan Abbas;
(2)
Ekpar Asat; and
(3)
employees of Radio Free Asia.
(b)

Use of information
The information compiled under subsection (a) should be used by United States Government officials and Members of Congress during interactions with officials from the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
(c)

Aggregation of information
The Secretary of State should consider aggregating the information compiled under subsection (a) for Members of Congress by State and congressional district of the United States citizens and legal permanent residents described in subsection (a).
(d)

Consultations
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of State should consult with the Uyghur-American community to ensure that concerns about the safety of their families are taken into account.
12.

Report on ability of Department of Defense to identify prohibited seafood imports in supply chain for food procurement
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code) a report assessing whether the Department has policies and procedures in place to verify that the food the Department procures does not include seafood originating in the People’s Republic of China the importation of which is prohibited under section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307), including pursuant to a presumption under—
(1)
section 3 of the Act entitled “An Act to ensure that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China do not enter the United States market, and for other purposes”, approved December 23, 2021 (Public Law 117–78; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) (commonly referred to as the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act”); or
(2)
section 302A of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9241a).
13.

Prohibition on procurement and commissary sales of seafood originating or processed in the People’s Republic of China
(a)

Prohibition on procurement of seafood originating or processed in the People's Republic of China for military dining facilities
(1)

In general
Except as provided by paragraph (2) or (3), the Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract for the procurement of seafood or seafood products that originate or are processed in the People’s Republic of China for use in military dining facilities, including galleys onboard United States naval vessels.
(2)

Exceptions
(A)

Undue burden
The Secretary of Defense, or a designee of the Secretary, may grant exceptions to the prohibition under paragraph (1) to facilities on military installations located outside of the United States if such prohibition would unduly burden or prevent seafood and seafood products from being served at such facility.
(B)

United states vessels visiting foreign ports
The Secretary of Defense, or a designee of the Secretary, may grant exceptions to the prohibition under paragraph (1) to United States vessels visiting foreign ports.
(3)

Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under paragraph (1).
(b)

Prohibition on sales of seafood originating in the People’s Republic of China at commissary stores
(1)

In general
Section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(l)

Prohibition on sales of seafood originating in the People’s Republic of China
(1)

In general
Except as provided by paragraph (2), raw or processed seafood or seafood products originating in the People’s Republic of China may not be sold at commissary stores.
(2)

Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under paragraph (1).”.
(2)

Briefing on compliance
Section 2481(c)(4) of such title is amended—
(A)
in subparagraph (D), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); and
(C)
by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph (E):
“(E)
an assessment of compliance with the prohibition under section 2484(l) of this title; and”.
(3)

Transition rules
(A)

Applicability
The prohibition under subsection (l) of section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply on and after the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(B)

Disposal of remaining stock
The Director of the Defense Commissary Agency may determine how to dispose of any stock covered by the prohibition under subsection (l) of section 2484 of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), that remains as of the date described in subparagraph (A).
(c)

Effective date
The prohibitions under this section, and the amendments made by this section, shall take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.