[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H8849-H8853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECIPROCAL ACCESS TO TIBET ACT OF 2018

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1872) to promote access for United States officials, 
journalists, and other citizens to Tibetan areas of the People's 
Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1872

       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 ``Reciprocal Access to Tibet 
     Act of 2018''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Government of the People's Republic of China does 
     not grant United States diplomats and other officials, 
     journalists, and other citizens access to China on a basis 
     that is reciprocal to the access that the Government of the 
     United States grants Chinese diplomats and other officials, 
     journalists, and citizens.
       (2) The Government of China imposes greater restrictions on 
     travel to Tibetan areas than to other areas of China.
       (3) Officials of China have stated that Tibet is open to 
     foreign visitors.
       (4) The Government of China is promoting tourism in Tibetan 
     areas, and at the Sixth Tibet Work Forum in August 2015, 
     Premier Li Keqiang called for Tibet to build ``major world 
     tourism destinations''.
       (5) The Government of China requires foreigners to obtain 
     permission from the Tibet Foreign and Overseas Affairs Office 
     or from the Tibet Tourism Bureau to enter the Tibet 
     Autonomous Region, a restriction that is not imposed on 
     travel to any other provincial-level jurisdiction in China.
       (6) The Department of State reports that--
       (A) officials of the Government of the United States 
     submitted 39 requests for diplomatic access to the Tibet 
     Autonomous Region between May 2011 and July 2015, but only 
     four were granted; and
       (B) when such requests are granted, diplomatic personnel 
     are closely supervised and given few opportunities to meet 
     local residents not approved by authorities.
       (7) The Government of China delayed United States consular 
     access for more than 48 hours after an October 28, 2013, bus 
     crash in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in which three citizens 
     of the United States died and more than a dozen others, all 
     from Walnut, California, were injured, undermining the 
     ability of the Government of the United States to provide 
     consular services to the victims and their families, and 
     failing to meet China's obligations under the Convention on 
     Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963 (21 UST 
     77).
       (8) Following a 2015 earthquake that trapped dozens of 
     citizens of the United States in the Tibet Autonomous Region, 
     the United States Consulate General in Chengdu faced 
     significant challenges in providing emergency consular 
     assistance due to a lack of consular access.
       (9) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015 
     of the Department of State stated ``With the exception of a 
     few highly controlled trips, the Chinese government also 
     denied multiple requests by foreign diplomats for permission 
     to visit the TAR.''.
       (10) Tibetan-Americans, attempting to visit their homeland, 
     report having to undergo a discriminatory visa application 
     process, different from what is typically required, at the 
     Chinese embassy and consulates in the United States, and 
     often find their requests to travel denied.
       (11) The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016 
     of the Department of State stated ``The few visits to the TAR 
     by diplomats and journalists that were allowed were tightly 
     controlled by local authorities.''.
       (12) A September 2016 article in the Washington Post 
     reported that ``The Tibet Autonomous Region . . . is harder 
     to visit as a journalist than North Korea.''.
       (13) The Government of China has failed to respond 
     positively to requests from the Government of the United 
     States to open a consulate in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.
       (14) The Foreign Correspondents Club of China reports 
     that--
       (A) 2008 rules prevent foreign reporters from visiting the 
     Tibet Autonomous Region without prior permission from the 
     Government of such Region;
       (B) such permission has only rarely been granted; and
       (C) although the 2008 rules allow journalists to travel 
     freely in other parts of China, Tibetan areas outside such 
     Region remain ``effectively off-limits to foreign 
     reporters''.
       (15) The Department of State reports that in addition to 
     having to obtain permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous 
     Region, foreign tourists--
       (A) must be accompanied at all times by a government-
     designated tour guide;
       (B) are rarely granted permission to enter the region by 
     road;
       (C) are largely barred from visiting around the March 
     anniversary of a 1959 Tibetan uprising; and
       (D) are banned from visiting the area where Larung Gar, the 
     world's largest center for the study of Tibetan Buddhism, and 
     the site of a large-scale campaign to expel students and 
     demolish living quarters, is located.
       (16) Foreign visitors also face restrictions in their 
     ability to travel freely in Tibetan areas outside the Tibet 
     Autonomous Region.
       (17) The Government of the United States generally allows 
     journalists and other citizens of China to travel freely 
     within the United States. The Government of the United States 
     requires diplomats from China to notify the Department of 
     State of their travel plans, and in certain situations, the 
     Government of the United States requires such diplomats to 
     obtain approval from the Department of State before travel. 
     However, where approval is required, it is almost always 
     granted expeditiously.
       (18) The United States regularly grants visas to Chinese 
     diplomats and other officials, scholars, and others who 
     travel to the United States to discuss, promote, and display 
     the perspective of the Government of China on the situation 
     in Tibetan areas, even as the Government of China restricts 
     the ability of citizens of the United States to travel to 
     Tibetan areas to gain their own perspective.
       (19) Chinese diplomats based in the United States generally 
     avail themselves of the freedom to travel to United States 
     cities and lobby city councils, mayors, and governors to 
     refrain from passing resolutions, issuing proclamations, or 
     making statements of concern on Tibet.
       (20) The Government of China characterizes statements made 
     by officials of the United States about the situation in 
     Tibetan areas as inappropriate interference in the internal 
     affairs of China.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     the Judiciary of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Tibetan areas.--The term ``Tibetan areas'' includes--
       (A) the Tibet Autonomous Region; and
       (B) the areas that the Chinese Government designates as 
     Tibetan Autonomous, as follows:
       (i) Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Pari 
     (Tianzhu) Tibetan Autonomous County located in Gansu 
     Province.
       (ii) Golog (Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Malho 
     (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsojang (Haibei) 
     Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan 
     Autonomous Prefecture, Tsonub (Haixi) Mongolian and Tibetan 
     Autonomous Prefecture, and Yulshul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous 
     Prefecture, located in Qinghai Province.
       (iii) Garze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Ngawa 
     (Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, and Muli 
     (Mili) Tibetan Autonomous County, located in Sichuan 
     Province.
       (iv) Dechen (Diqing) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, located 
     in Yunnan Province.

     SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT ON ACCESS TO TIBETAN AREAS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
     following five years, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees, and make available 
     to the public on the website of the Department of State, a 
     report that includes an assessment of the level of access 
     Chinese authorities granted diplomats and other officials, 
     journalists, and tourists from the United States to Tibetan 
     areas, including--
       (1) a comparison with the level of access granted to other 
     areas of China;
       (2) a comparison between the levels of access granted to 
     Tibetan and non-Tibetan areas in relevant provinces;
       (3) a comparison of the level of access in the reporting 
     year and the previous reporting year; and
       (4) a description of the required permits and other 
     measures that impede the freedom to travel in Tibetan areas.
       (b) Consolidation.--After the issuance of the first report 
     required by subsection (a),

[[Page H8850]]

     the Secretary of State is authorized to incorporate 
     subsequent reports required by subsection (a) into other 
     publicly available, annual reports produced by the Department 
     of State, provided they are submitted to the appropriate 
     congressional committees in a manner specifying that they are 
     being submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 5. INADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN ALIENS.

       (a) Ineligibility for Visas.--No individual whom the 
     Secretary of State has determined to be substantially 
     involved in the formulation or execution of policies related 
     to access for foreigners to Tibetan areas may be eligible to 
     receive a visa to enter the United States or be admitted to 
     the United States if the Secretary of State determines that--
       (1)(A) the requirement for specific official permission for 
     foreigners to enter the Tibetan Autonomous Region remains in 
     effect; or
       (B) such requirement has been replaced by a regulation that 
     has a similar effect and requires foreign travelers to gain a 
     level of permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region that 
     is not required for travel to other provinces in China; and
       (2) restrictions on travel by diplomats and other 
     officials, journalists, and citizens of the United States to 
     areas designated as ``Tibetan Autonomous'' in the provinces 
     of Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan, and Gansu of China are greater 
     than any restrictions on travel by such officials and 
     citizens to areas in such provinces that are not so 
     designated.
       (b) Current Visas Revoked.--The Secretary of State shall 
     revoke, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), the visa or other 
     documentation to enter or be present in the United States 
     issued for an alien who would be ineligible to receive such a 
     visa or documentation under subsection (a).
       (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter 
     for the following five years, the Secretary of State shall 
     provide to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
     identifying the individuals who have had visas denied or 
     revoked pursuant to this section during the preceding year 
     and, to the extent practicable, a list of Chinese officials 
     who were substantially involved in the formulation or 
     execution of policies to restrict access of United States 
     diplomats and other officials, journalists, and citizens of 
     the United States to Tibetan areas. The report required by 
     this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
     may include a classified annex.
       (d) Waiver for National Interest.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State may waive the 
     application of subsection (a) or (b) in the case of an alien 
     if the Secretary determines that such a waiver--
       (A) is necessary to permit the United States to comply with 
     the Agreement Regarding the Headquarters of the United 
     Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered 
     into force November 21, 1947 (TIAS 1676), or any other 
     applicable international obligation of the United States; or
       (B) is in the national interest of the United States.
       (2) Notification.--Upon granting a waiver under paragraph 
     (1), the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a document detailing the evidence 
     and justification for the necessity of such waiver, 
     including, if such waiver is granted pursuant to paragraph 
     (1)(B), how such waiver relates to the national interest of 
     the United States.

     SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State, 
     when granting diplomats and other officials from China access 
     to parts of the United States, including consular access, 
     should take into account the extent to which the Government 
     of China grants diplomats and other officials from the United 
     States access to parts of China, including the level of 
     access afforded to such diplomats and other officials to 
     Tibetan areas.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Rutherford) and the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. 
Jayapal) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous materials on H.R. 1872, currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1872, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018, 
addresses an issue of longstanding and increasing concern regarding 
China's treatment of Tibetans living in the Tibet Autonomous Region, 
also known as TAR, and other Tibetan areas controlled by China.
  In 1950, the Chinese People's Liberation Army went into Tibet in 
order to establish control over the region. In the years since then, as 
noted by the U.S. Department of State, the Chinese Government has 
``imposed severe restrictions on Tibetans' ability to exercise their 
human rights and fundamental freedoms.'' Such restrictions occur with 
regard to religious practice, freedom of travel, freedom to practice 
cultural and language preferences, and other aspects of everyday life.
  In addition, the Chinese Government routinely engages in human rights 
abuses, such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest. 
In fact, the Chinese Government's actions are so severe that, in recent 
years, over 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in a last-ditch effort to 
get the rest of the world to focus on this problem.
  In order to prevent documentation of the religious freedom 
restrictions and other human rights abuses to the outside world, the 
Government of China has severely limited access by foreign nationals to 
these Tibetan regions. Such limitations prevent access to U.S. 
officials seeking diplomatic and consular access, journalists, human 
rights workers, and even tourists. When rare access is granted, 
activities are closely monitored by the PRC and information 
dissemination is restricted.
  Matteo Mecacci, the president of the International Campaign for 
Tibet, has stated that the Chinese leadership is seeking to enforce 
complete isolation of Tibet, often described as being worse than in 
North Korea, where at least some foreign media are based. Independent 
international observers are shut out of Tibet or allowed to visit only 
under strictly controlled circumstances, while numerous delegations of 
party officials face no obstacles in traveling to Western democracies 
to spread their propaganda.
  In fact, travel by Chinese nationals, including those with direct and 
substantial involvement in the formulation of policies to restrict 
access to Tibet, is routinely allowed by governments all over the 
world, including the United States. During fiscal year 2017, for 
instance, nearly 1.5 million tourist visas were issued by the United 
States to Chinese nationals. Those visas are valid for 10 years, during 
which the Chinese nationals can visit the United States multiple times. 
During that same period, the United States issued nearly 4,500 
diplomatic visas to Chinese officials.
  H.R. 1872 prohibits an individual who is ``substantially involved in 
the formulation or execution of policies related to access for 
foreigners to Tibetan areas'' from being granted a U.S. visa if the 
Secretary determines that: one, the requirement for specific official 
permission for foreigners to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region remains 
in effect; or, two, such requirement has been replaced by a regulation 
that has a similar effect and requires foreign travelers to gain a 
level of permission to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region that is not 
required for travel to other provinces in China; and, three, 
restrictions on travel by officials, journalists, and citizens of the 
United States to areas designated as ``Tibetan Autonomous'' in the 
provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, Yunnan, Gansu of China are greater than 
any restrictions on travel by such officials and citizens to areas in 
such provinces that are not so designated. Any visas currently held by 
such individuals will be revoked under the bill.
  The bill then requires the State Department to report annually to the 
House and Senate Judiciary Committees as well as the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the 
number of actions taken regarding visas pursuant to this legislation.
  According to the State Department, in recent years, there have been 
very small inroads made with regard to access to the Tibetan areas. And 
while some have expressed the concern that maybe this bill could make 
the Chinese Government roll back some of those inroads, moving this 
bill is the right thing to do. It is time that Congress takes a stand 
with regard to access by foreign nationals to the Tibetan regions.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman McGovern for his work on 
this issue.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.

[[Page H8851]]

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                  Washington, DC, August 31, 2018.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Goodlatte: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee regarding H.R. 1872, the Reciprocal 
     Access to Tibet Act, and for considering our input during 
     your markup of the bill. I agree that the Foreign Affairs 
     Committee may be discharged from further consideration of 
     that measure, so that it may proceed expeditiously to the 
     House floor.
       I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding that 
     forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way 
     diminish, alter, or prejudice the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs, its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this bill or similar legislation, or its right to seek an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this bill.
       I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter 
     be included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of H.R. 1872.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                               Washington, DC, September 20, 2018.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on the Judiciary and agreeing to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 1872, the ``Reciprocal Access 
     to Tibet Act,'' so that the bill may proceed expeditiously to 
     the House floor.
       I agree that your foregoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your committee or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this bill or similar legislation in the future. I would 
     support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate 
     conference on this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 1872 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work together as this measure 
     moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
                                                         Chairman.

  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Reciprocal Access 
to Tibet bill, introduced by my colleague Jim McGovern, who has been 
working on this issue for such a long time as our ranking member on the 
Rules Committee and the co-chair of the Lantos Human Rights Commission. 
I would like to thank him for his hard work and dedication to this 
issue and on this bill.
  The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act is about fairness, human rights, 
and careful U.S. diplomacy at its core. For too long, China has 
restricted access to Tibet, preventing U.S. diplomats and journalists 
from observing human rights abuses in Tibet and preventing Tibetan 
Americans from visiting their home country. This bill seeks to reset 
that table.
  H.R. 1872 is premised on the idea that reciprocity forms the basis of 
diplomatic law and the practice of mutual exchanges between countries. 
This bill simply requires that, if Chinese officials, journalists, and 
other citizens are able to travel freely in the United States, it is 
only fair that their American counterparts are also able to do the 
same; and if Americans are not granted the same access to Tibet that 
the Chinese enjoy in the United States, then there should be 
consequences.
  This is more than reasonable and long overdue. Tibet is so difficult 
to visit that a Washington Post journalist said in 2016, Tibet ``is 
harder to visit as a journalist than North Korea.''
  Mr. Speaker, I had the great honor last year of traveling with our 
minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, and Congressman McGovern to Dharamsala 
last year to visit with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. It was a deeply, 
deeply moving meeting with him, with the Tibetan Government in exile, 
and the 10,000-plus people who came to a public celebration event while 
we were there.
  The world knows that His Holiness is a man of peace and tremendous 
integrity. He has laid out a 5-year roadmap for negotiations with 
China, and he is willing to work with China to find a way forward. For 
any peace plan to get a footing, we have to work closely with our 
global partners to push this issue at this time because, if His 
Holiness should die, and he will eventually do so, a period of greater 
instability is likely to ensure making the human rights issues and the 
possible solutions still more intractable. The timing of U.S. actions 
here is extremely important.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, my colleague from 
Florida, for the time.
  Mr. Speaker, when the Dalai Lama was awarded the Congressional Gold 
Medal in the year 2007--and this was through legislation that I had the 
privilege of authoring with Tom Lantos, our esteemed late chairman of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee and the only Holocaust survivor to have 
served in this body--when we passed that in the House and we had the 
celebration of the Dalai Lama right down the hall, the plight of the 
people of Tibet was at the forefront of U.S. policy toward China.

                              {time}  2030

  But in the years since, as China has gained both in strength and in 
power, I have grown increasingly worried that Tibet has been pushed to 
the periphery, to the edges. It is an afterthought.
  I was worried that China's bullying and intimidation tactics, on 
display throughout the world, had extended so far that our United 
States Congress no longer had the will, no longer had the desire, to 
speak out in support of Tibet.
  But with this bill, Mr. Speaker, authored by my good friend and my 
colleague, Congressman Jim McGovern, we are finally reversing that 
trend. We are sending a clear message, a true signal, to the regime in 
Beijing that the United States has indeed not forgotten about the 
people of Tibet, that Congress will not accept Beijing's bullying and 
its intimidation, and that we will stand up in support of human rights 
for the people of Tibet.
  From demolishing Buddhist temples to jailing more and more prisoners 
of conscience, Beijing's policies in Tibet are not only immoral and 
unjust, but are threatening the stability of a crucial area for U.S. 
interests. We must put pressure on China to stop its repression.
  This bill demonstrates that Tibetan human rights continue to be an 
important factor in our relations with Beijing, and I encourage all of 
my colleagues to give Mr. McGovern full support for this bill.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), my 
colleague, the sponsor of this bill, and a great fighter for human 
rights.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Washington for 
yielding me the time and for her leadership on this legislation. I 
appreciate it very much. And I am grateful to my colleagues from 
Florida, as well, for their support and for their leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, today is a great day for human rights. The House is 
about to approve our bipartisan bill, the Reciprocal Access to Tibet 
Act, that will impose real consequences for China's bad behavior in 
Tibet.
  America's foreign policy ought to send a message that we value human 
rights, that we stand with those working for freedom, that those values 
compel us to speak out when we see something that is wrong, and that we 
will hold accountable those who violate the basic human rights we all 
are entitled to. That is exactly what this bill today is all about.
  The basis of diplomatic law is mutual access and reciprocity. But 
while Chinese diplomats, journalists, and tourists travel freely within 
the United States, the Government of the People's Republic of China has 
erected many barriers to travel in areas of China inhabited by ethnic 
Tibetans.
  U.S. diplomats, journalists, and tourists must obtain permission to 
enter the Tibet Autonomous Region, a requirement that does not exist 
for any other provincial-level entity of China. Visitors also face 
obstacles to their ability to travel to Tibetan areas outside the TAR.
  But under this bill, Chinese authorities who are involved in the 
design and implementation of policies that restrict travel to Tibetan 
areas become

[[Page H8852]]

ineligible to receive a visa or be admitted to the United States. This 
is a victory for human rights of Tibetans and Americans.
  Restricted access to Tibet has many negative consequences for 
Tibetans in China and for citizens of the United States. Tibetans are 
left isolated from the rest of the world. Their well-documented 
suffering under Chinese rule--arbitrary detention, torture and ill-
treatment, extensive government surveillance, restrictions on the use 
of their language and their religious and cultural practices--all these 
violations of fundamental human rights are hidden from sight. 
Preventing diplomats, journalists, and tourists from traveling to Tibet 
makes it much harder to assess the full scope of these abuses.
  I know firsthand how important access to Tibet is because I had the 
opportunity to join Leader Pelosi and several other Members of Congress 
for a visit there in November of 2015. I saw the tight control the 
government exercises over virtually all aspects of the daily lives of 
Tibetans. And I had people thank me for being there, remembering them, 
and fighting for their rights.
  On the other side, China's travel restrictions deny Americans the 
right to visit one of the most beautiful places on Earth and to 
experience Tibetan culture in all its richness. In emergencies, 
Americans may be denied help, due to China's restrictive policies.
  I am reminded that in an October 2013 bus crash in the TAR, which 
left three Americans dead and many others injured, U.S. consular 
officers faced a delay in obtaining permission to travel to the region. 
This severely hindered their ability to serve American citizens in 
distress.
  Following a 2015 earthquake that trapped dozens of U.S. citizens in 
the TAR, the U.S. consulate general faced significant challenges in 
providing emergency consular assistance. This is simply unacceptable.
  If China wants its citizens and officials to continue to travel 
freely in the U.S., Americans, including Tibetan Americans, must be 
able to travel freely in China, including Tibet, beginning now. This 
bill will move us in the right direction on this basic but very 
important issue.
  Let me also take a moment to recognize several organizations with 
which I have had the privilege to work on behalf of the human rights of 
all Tibetans. I thank Human Rights Watch, the Office of Tibet, Students 
for a Free Tibet, and most especially the International Campaign on 
Tibet. Without their commitment and persistence, this bill would not be 
on the floor today.
  With this bill, we are taking an important step forward on behalf of 
the human rights of Tibetans; we are reaffirming our support for the 
leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; and we are sending a message 
to the Government of China that human rights are not negotiable. 
Supporting human rights is the moral thing to do; it is the right thing 
to do; and it is the American thing to do for Tibetans in China and 
everywhere else in the world.

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the actions called for in this bill are measured and 
calibrated, measured in that they follow the line of traditional 
diplomacy of taking careful steps without the dangers of over-
escalation, but calibrated to achieve a real opening, to wisely use 
U.S. power to open up an opportunity for the two sides to take their 
next steps.
  There are many Tibetan Americans throughout the United States whose 
family members still reside within Tibet, and they are watching this 
Chamber closely for signs that the United States is willing to help, 
willing to allow them to return to visit their families, and hoping 
fervently for a solution to the pain and suffering in Tibet and with 
the diaspora that has been experienced by generations.
  This is the time for bold U.S. leadership, and I do believe that is 
what this bill offers tonight. Our timely consideration of this bill 
takes an important step forward in leveling the global playing field. 
This bill seeks to make simple policy changes to enforce reciprocity 
between our two countries, to make clear that China cannot bar our 
people from Tibet and continue to expect open access to our country. 
Allowing for the freedom of movement for people in both of our nations 
sets an important precedent going forward.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just say that this has been an incredibly 
important bipartisan collaboration that we have had. I am very grateful 
to my colleague from Florida for her work on this, and I am also very 
grateful to Chairman Goodlatte and to Ranking Member Nadler for their 
work on this.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Pelosi), the minority leader, who has been a tireless 
champion on this issue for decades, has led many of us to meet with His 
Holiness, has worked with His Holiness to come here, and has been a 
champion for human rights around the world.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Washington 
State who, from day one, has been a champion for human rights in our 
country and throughout the world. I was proud to travel with her to 
visit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, where this issue has been on 
the forefront for many years and currently.
  I thank Mr. Hultgren for his leadership and for being part of this 
legislation, and also Chris Smith and Frank Wolf before him. We have 
been working on this for a long time.
  On a previous trip, we visited Tibet, and we called Mr. McGovern the 
spiritual leader of our trip because everywhere he went in Tibet, and 
then also in the rest of China, he brought up this issue of 
reciprocity. It has a human rights aspect to it, but it also is a 
practical matter that if we want to improve communication and 
relationships and the rest, if the Tibetan--it is the Chinese 
Government, but in the form of the Tibetan--local government there 
wants more people to go to school and visit Tibet and all, as a 
practical matter, it would be very important for us to have a 
diplomatic presence in Lhasa.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act 
as a strong, bipartisan bill. We are very proud of that. It takes an 
important step forward to advance the future of freedom, dignity, and 
prosperity for the Tibetan people.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and acknowledge the leadership of 
Congressman Jim McGovern, as I mentioned, who is co-chair of the Tom 
Lantos Human Rights Commission. Ten years ago, he became the chair of 
that commission. He was working on this issue even before then.
  His leadership honors the legacy of Tom Lantos, our colleague, and 
the responsibility of Congress to defend human rights and dignity 
around the world. That has always been not only bipartisan, but 
bicameral on this issue.
  This bill holds China officials accountable for their repressive 
campaign to cut off Tibet from America and the world. It promotes free, 
unfettered travel for American diplomats, journalists, and tourists to 
Tibet, and fosters strong bonds between our peoples. And it sends a 
clear signal that China's meddling in Tibet's affairs is unacceptable 
and cannot continue.
  For six decades, the Tibetan people have stood defiant in the face of 
oppression and brutality from an authoritarian China. The people of 
Tibet have courageously spoken out for their freedom, and the rest of 
the world has been stirred to action by their clarion call for justice 
and dignity. All freedom-loving people must continue to speak out until 
every Tibetan can learn, worship, and live free from persecution and 
abuse.
  I might add, sadly, that we would hope that there would be respect 
for the dignity and the faith of the Uighurs in China as well.
  In November 2015, I led a congressional delegation--as I mentioned, 
the first congressional delegation in a long time to enter Tibet--with 
Congressman McGovern in Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and Sera 
Monastery, and witnessed the strength of the Tibetan people and the 
beauty of their culture.
  Last year, again, I led another bipartisan delegation to Nepal and 
India, where we were blessed to be received by His Holiness the Dalai 
Lama, and Congresswoman Jayapal was part of that. We had the 
opportunity to see the aspirations of the Tibetan people firsthand, now 
living in India, especially in the eyes of the Tibetan schoolchildren 
in Dharamshala.

[[Page H8853]]

  These people are there, separated from their parents for the most 
part, because they are not allowed to practice their faith, speak their 
language, or enjoy their culture in Tibet because that is suppressed.
  Today, those aspirations remain in peril as China continues to 
silence the voices crying out for freedom in Tibet and across the 
region. Every day, Tibetans, Uighurs--again, the Uighurs are the 
Muslims in the western areas of China--and the people of Hong Kong and 
all throughout China are subjected to the threat of oppression and 
persecution simply for wishing to practice their faith and pursue a 
more democratic future.

                              {time}  2045

  Mr. Speaker, if we don't speak out for human rights in China because 
of our commercial relationship with them, we lose all moral authority 
to speak out for human rights anyplace in the world. As Members of 
Congress, we have a responsibility to stand with the Tibetan people as 
they fight to be free to practice their faith traditions, speak their 
language, and celebrate their cultures. This bill takes a strong step 
toward that mission, and I urge my colleagues to join in a strong 
bipartisan ``yes'' on this vote.
  Again, I want to commend my colleagues on the other side of the aisle 
who have for a very long time been such leaders on the issues of human 
rights throughout the world, including in China, and for whom this 
particular bill has emerged as one manifestation of where we can make a 
reasonable, measured difference in our relationship.
  So I thank Mr. Hultgren and Mr. McGovern for their leadership in 
bringing this forth. I thank the Judiciary Committee and my colleague 
who was so important on our trip. So it is really a joy to see the 
gentleman on the floor leading this debate. I thank the gentleman for 
bringing his eloquence, his compassion, his concern, and his leadership 
to this important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I have no further 
speakers.
  Mr. Speaker, I would just say that we are incredibly proud to be, 
hopefully, passing this legislation tonight with such bipartisan 
support and reminding the world that the United States stands for human 
rights. We stand for the human rights of Tibetans, and I thank my 
colleagues on the other side for their work on this.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the minority leader for her 
comments on this issue and strong bipartisan support for human rights, 
not only in Tibet but all over the globe. Really, this is a great 
moment, I think, for this body.
  I will repeat again that it is time that Congress takes a stand with 
regard to access by foreign nationals to the Tibetan regions. Again, I 
want to thank Congressman McGovern for his work on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1872, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1872, the 
``Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017,'' which promotes access for 
United States officials, journalists, and other citizens to Tibetan 
areas of the People's Republic of China.
  As a co-sponsor of this bill, I am acutely aware of the importance of 
this legislation.
  The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2017,'' is the first step in 
opening access to Tibet because it would restrict access to China as 
long as the government of China restricts access to Tibet.
  The act requires the State Department to submit an annual, publicly 
available report to Congress that includes a list of individuals 
holding specified senior Chinese leadership positions and an assessment 
of the level of access Chinese authorities granted U.S. diplomats, 
journalists, and tourists to Tibetan areas in China.
  In turn, the listed persons shall be ineligible to enter or to be 
present in the United States if specified restrictions on foreign 
travelers entering Tibetan areas remain in effect.
  When we grant Chinese diplomats' access to parts of the United 
States, we should take into account the extent to which China grants 
U.S. diplomats access to parts of China, including the Tibetan areas.
  For far too long have we allowed Chinese officials to enjoy our 
freedoms of movement and expression while we condoned with our silence 
their draconian restrictions on those very freedoms.
  China considers any evidence of Chinese or Tibetans showing loyalty 
to or being in communication with the Tibetan government in exile to be 
illegal and subject to harsh punishment.
  Chinese authorities tightly restrict travel and news media in Tibet.
  Individuals who use the internet, social media, or other means to 
disseminate dissenting views or share politically sensitive content 
face arrest and harsh penalties.
  Tibetan cultural expression, which the authorities associate with 
separatism, is subject to especially harsh restrictions; those 
incarcerated in recent years have included scores of Tibetan writers, 
intellectuals, and musicians.
  As a nation that stands for basic freedoms of faith and expression, 
it is imperative that we do not remain bystanders in the perpetual 
struggle for justice and human rights.
  This bill is created for the benefit of not only U.S. officials and 
workers in human rights who have no access into Tibet, but also 
Tibetans living in oppression and in exile who desperately hope every 
day for a breath of freedom in the Chinese security apparatus.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to stand with me in the 
support of H.R. 1872.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1872, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to promote 
access for United States diplomats and other officials, journalists, 
and other citizens to Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of China, 
and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________