[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7668-H7670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CAMBODIA DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2018

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary be 
discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 5754) to 
promote free and fair elections, political freedoms, and human rights 
in Cambodia, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate 
consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5754

       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 ``Cambodia Democracy Act of 
     2018''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Cambodia's present political system was established in 
     1991, after decades of internal conflict, by the United 
     Nations-brokered Paris Peace Accords. The first national 
     elections under this system were administered by the United 
     Nations in 1993. Hun Sen, the current Prime Minister of 
     Cambodia, has been in power in Cambodia since before this 
     time, serving as premier from 1985 to 1993, and as Prime 
     Minister thereafter. Hun Sen has used his position to cling 
     to the pinnacle of power in Cambodia for 32 years, through 
     tactics including coup d'etat, irregular election procedures, 
     and the silencing of opposition voices.
       (2) In Cambodia's most recent general elections in 2013, 
     Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) maintained its 
     parliamentary majority by the smallest margin to date, while 
     a unified opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) 
     made substantial gains. The Department of State's Country 
     Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 described 
     Cambodia's 2013 elections as ``largely free of intimidation, 
     in contrast to previous national elections'', yet also 
     ``fraught with irregularities''. Subsequent local elections 
     marked similar setbacks for the ruling CPP.
       (3) Cambodia's next general elections will occur in June 
     2018. According to the 2017 Freedom in the World Report 
     issued by Freedom House, in the intervening period Hun Sen 
     has overseen ``a decisive crackdown on the country's 
     beleaguered opposition and press corps as his [CPP] prepared 
     for national elections''. Regional experts have reached a 
     general consensus that Hun Sen and the CPP have undertaken 
     this crackdown to consolidate power ahead of an election that 
     may have ended their grip on power.
       (4) Hun Sen's actions in late 2017 pushed Cambodia further 
     away from democracy. In late August 2017, the regime shut 
     down the National Democratic Institute and expelled its 
     entire foreign staff from the country within a week. Less 
     than a week later, radio stations carrying Radio Free Asia 
     and Voice of America were also shut down by the regime. On 
     September 3, 2017, authorities arrested Kem Sokha, the leader 
     of the CNRP, and charged him with treason, allegedly for 
     participating in an American plot to undermine Hun Sen's 
     regime. Kem Sokha remains in detention. On November 16, 2017, 
     Cambodia's Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP, eliminating the 
     most popular and viable challenger to Hun Sen's regime. 
     Subsequent actions by Hun Sen have aimed to ``cement total 
     control over Cambodian government and business'', according 
     to Human Rights Watch.
       (5) Since the dissolution of the CNRP, both the Department 
     of State and the White House have issued statements 
     condemning the Hun Sen regime's actions to undermine 
     democracy and calling for Kem Sokha's release. On November 
     16, 2017, the White House announced that the United States 
     would terminate support for Cambodia's National Election 
     Committee. On December 6, 2017, the Department of State began 
     implementing visa restrictions for officials responsible for 
     undermining Cambodian democracy. On February 27, 2018, the 
     White House announced further assistance reductions following 
     Cambodian Senate elections on February 25 which did not 
     represent the genuine will of the Cambodian people.

     SEC. 3. SANCTIONS RELATING TO UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY IN 
                   CAMBODIA.

       (a) Designation of Persons Responsible for Undermining 
     Democracy in Cambodia.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the President shall apply the 
     sanctions described in subsection (b) on--
       (1) each senior official of the Government, military, or 
     security forces of Cambodia that the President determines has 
     directly and substantially undermined democracy in Cambodia; 
     and
       (2) each senior official of the Government, military, or 
     security forces of Cambodia that the President determines has 
     committed or directed serious human rights violations 
     associated with undermining democracy in Cambodia.
       (b) Sanctions Described.--
       (1) Asset blocking.--The President shall exercise all of 
     the powers granted to the President under the International 
     Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the 
     extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in 
     property and interests in property of a person designated 
     under subsection (a) if such property and interests in 
     property are in the United States, come within the United 
     States, or are or come within the possession or control of a 
     United States person.
       (2) Visa restrictions.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
     with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall continue to 
     implement the policy announced by the Department of State on 
     December 6, 2017, to restrict entry into the United States of 
     person involved in undermining democracy in Cambodia, 
     including any person designated under subsection (a).
       (B) Exception for multilateral activities.--Persons 
     otherwise restricted from entry into the United States under 
     this section may be admitted if such admission is necessary 
     to comply with United States obligations under the Agreement 
     between the United Nations and the United States of America 
     regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at 
     Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 
     21, 1947, or under the Convention on Consular Relations, done 
     at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 
     1967, or other applicable international obligations of the 
     United States.
       (3) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections 
     (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 
     Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person 
     that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
     causes a violation of paragraph (1) to the same extent that 
     such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act 
     described in subsection (a) of such section 206.
       (e) List of Designated Persons.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a list of persons 
     designated under subsection (a).
       (2) Updates.--The President shall transmit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees updated lists under 
     paragraph (1) as new information becomes available.
       (f) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
     authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the 
     International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 
     and 1704) to carry out this section.
       (g) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of 
     sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a 
     person described in subsection (a) if the President 
     determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional 
     committees that such waiver is in the national interest of 
     the United States.

     SEC. 4. SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS.

       (a) Suspension.--The sanctions described in section 3 may 
     be suspended for up to one year upon certification by the 
     President to the appropriate congressional committees that 
     Cambodia is making meaningful progress toward the following:
       (1) Ending government efforts to undermine democracy.
       (2) Ending human rights violations associated with 
     undermining democracy.
       (3) Conducting free and fair elections which allow for the 
     active participation of credible opposition candidates.
       (b) Renewal of Suspension.--The suspension described in 
     subsection (a) may be renewed for additional, consecutive 
     180-day periods if the President certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees that Cambodia is continuing to make 
     meaningful progress towards satisfying the conditions 
     described in such subsection during the previous year.

     SEC. 5. SUNSET.

       This Act shall terminate on the date that is five years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of 
     the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
     Affairs of the Senate.
       (2) United states person; 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 of any jurisdiction of

[[Page H7669]]

     the United States, including a foreign branch of such an 
     entity.


              Amendment Offered by Mr. Royce of California

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Cambodia Democracy Act of 
     2018''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power in Cambodia 
     since 1985 and is the longest-serving leader in Southeast 
     Asia. Despite decades of international attention and 
     assistance to promote a pluralistic, multi-party democratic 
     system in Cambodia, the Government of Cambodia continues to 
     be undemocratically dominated by the ruling Cambodia People's 
     Party (CPP), which controls every agency and security 
     apparatus of the state.
       (2) In 2015, the CPP-controlled parliament passed the ``Law 
     on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations'', which 
     gave the government sweeping powers to revoke the 
     registration of NGOs that the government believed to be 
     operating with a political bias in a blatant attempt to 
     restrict the legitimate work of civil society. On August 23, 
     2017, Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered the 
     closure of the National Democratic Institute and the 
     expulsion of its foreign staff. On September 15, 2017, Prime 
     Minister Hun Sen called for the withdrawal of all volunteers 
     from the United States Peace Corps, which has operated in 
     Cambodia since 2006 with 500 United States volunteers 
     providing English language and healthcare training.
       (3) The Government of Cambodia has taken several measures 
     to restrict its media environment, especially through 
     politicized tax investigations against independent media 
     outlets that resulted in the closure of The Cambodian Daily 
     and Radio Free Asia in early September 2017. Additionally, 
     the Government of Cambodia has ordered several radio stations 
     to stop the broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of 
     America programming.
       (4) Each of the five elections that have taken place in 
     Cambodia since 1991 were conducted in circumstances that were 
     not free and fair, and were marked by fraud, intimidation, 
     violence, and the government's misuse of legal mechanisms to 
     weaken opposition candidates and parties.
       (5) On September 3, 2017, Kem Sokha, the President of the 
     Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested on 
     politically motivated charges, including treason and 
     conspiring to overthrow the Government of Cambodia, and faces 
     up to 30 years in prison. The CNRP's previous leader, Sam 
     Rainsy, remains in exile. On November 16, 2017, Cambodia's 
     Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP, eliminating the CPP's only 
     viable challenger.
       (6) The United States is committed to promoting democracy, 
     human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia. The United 
     States continues to urge the Government of Cambodia to 
     immediately release Mr. Kem Sokha, reinstate the political 
     status of the CNRP and its 55 elected seats in the National 
     Assembly, and support electoral reform efforts in Cambodia 
     with free and fair elections in 2018 monitored by 
     international observers.

     SEC. 3. SANCTIONS RELATING TO UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY IN 
                   CAMBODIA.

       (a) Designation of Persons Responsible for Undermining 
     Democracy in Cambodia.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall apply 
     the sanctions described in subsection (b) on--
       (1) each senior official of the Government, military, or 
     security forces of Cambodia that the President determines has 
     directly and substantially undermined democracy in Cambodia
       (2) each senior official of the Government, military, or 
     security forces of Cambodia that the President determines has 
     committed or directed serious human rights violations 
     associated with undermining democracy in Cambodia; and
       (3) entities owned or controlled by senior officials of the 
     Government, military, or security forces of Cambodia 
     described in (1) and (2).
       (b) Sanctions Described.--
       (1) Asset blocking.--The President shall exercise all of 
     the powers granted to the President under the International 
     Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the 
     extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in 
     property and interests in property of a person designated 
     under subsection (a) if such property and interests in 
     property are in the United States, come within the United 
     States, or are or come within the possession or control of a 
     United States person.
       (2) Visa restrictions.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
     with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall continue to 
     implement the policy announced by the Department of State on 
     December 6, 2017, to restrict entry into the United States of 
     persons involved in undermining democracy in Cambodia, 
     including any person designated under subsection (a).
       (B) Exception for multilateral activities.--Persons 
     otherwise restricted from entry into the United States under 
     this section may be admitted if such admission is necessary 
     to comply with United States obligations under the Agreement 
     between the United Nations and the United States of America 
     regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at 
     Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 
     21, 1947, or under the Convention on Consular Relations, done 
     at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 
     1967, or other applicable international obligations of the 
     United States.
       (3) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections 
     (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 
     Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person 
     that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
     causes a violation of paragraph (1) to the same extent that 
     such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act 
     described in subsection (a) of such section 206.
       (e) List of Designated Persons.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a list of persons 
     designated under subsection (a).
       (2) Updates.--The President shall transmit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees updated lists under 
     paragraph (1) as new information becomes available.
       (f) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
     authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the 
     International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 
     and 1704) to carry out this section.
       (g) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of 
     sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a 
     person designated under subsection (a) if the President 
     determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional 
     committees that such waiver is in the national interest of 
     the United States.

     SEC. 4. SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS.

       (a) Suspension.--The sanctions described in section 3 may 
     be suspended for up to one year upon certification by the 
     President to the appropriate congressional committees that 
     Cambodia is making meaningful progress toward the following:
       (1) Ending government efforts to undermine democracy.
       (2) Ending human rights violations associated with 
     undermining democracy.
       (3) Conducting free and fair elections which allow for the 
     active participation of credible opposition candidates.
       (b) Renewal of Suspension.--The suspension described in 
     subsection (a) may be renewed for additional, consecutive 
     180-day periods if the President certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees that Cambodia is continuing to make 
     meaningful progress towards satisfying the conditions 
     described in such subsection during the previous year.

     SEC. 5. SUNSET.

       This Act shall terminate on the date that is five years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Financial Services of 
     the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
     Affairs of the Senate.
       (2) Person.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``person'' means--
       (i) a natural person; or
       (ii) a corporation, business association, partnership, 
     society, trust, financial institution, insurer, underwriter, 
     guarantor, and any other business organization, any other 
     nongovernmental entity, organization, or group, and any 
     governmental entity operating as a business enterprise or any 
     successor to any entity described in this clause.
       (B) Application to governmental entities.--The term 
     ``person'' does not include a government or governmental 
     entity that is not operating as a business enterprise.
       (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 of any jurisdiction of the United States, including a 
     foreign branch of such an entity.

  Mr. ROYCE of California (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent to dispense with the reading.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

[[Page H7670]]

  

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