[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5946-S5947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6433. Mr. SASSE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) 
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1254. SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE XINJIANG UYGHUR 
                   AUTONOMOUS REGION.

       (a) Declarations of Policy.--Congress--
       (1) calls upon the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China (referred to in this section as the ``PRC'')--
       (A) to permit regular, unsupervised visits by United States 
     Members of Congress, congressional staff delegations, the 
     United States Special Coordinator for Uyghur Issues 
     designated pursuant to subsection (c), members and staff of 
     the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's 
     Republic of China, journalists, and diplomats to the Xinjiang 
     Uyghur Autonomous Region (referred to in this section as the 
     ``XUAR'');
       (B) to guarantee the rights of Uyghurs and members of other 
     Muslim minority groups in the XUAR, as stipulated in the PRC 
     Constitution and international human rights agreements;
       (C) to recognize, and seek to ensure, the distinct ethnic, 
     cultural, religious, and linguistic identity of Uyghurs and 
     members of other Muslim minority groups in the XUAR;
       (D) to cease all government-sponsored crackdowns, 
     imprisonments, and detentions of people throughout the XUAR 
     aimed at those involved in the peaceful expression of their 
     ethnic, cultural, political, or religious identity; and
       (E) to release all people who have been unjustly detained 
     without due process;
       (2) commends countries that have provided shelter and 
     hospitality to Uyghurs in exile, including Turkey, Albania, 
     and Germany; and
       (3) urges countries with sizeable Muslim populations, given 
     their common religious and cultural identity, to demonstrate 
     particular concern over the plight of Uyghurs.
       (b) Xinjiang Genocide Task Force.--
       (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the President shall establish 
     the Xinjiang Genocide Task Force (referred to in this 
     subsection as the ``Task Force'')--
       (A) to assess the ongoing genocide and crimes against 
     humanity in the XUAR;
       (B) to recommend United States policy responses to such 
     crimes; and
       (C) to coordinate advocacy efforts with other nations and 
     within international organizations.
       (2) Membership.--
       (A) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of--
       (i) the United States Special Coordinator for Uyghur 
     Issues;
       (ii) the Secretary of State, or his or her designee;
       (iii) the Secretary of the Treasury, or his or her 
     designee;
       (iv) the Secretary of Homeland Security, or his or her 
     designee;
       (v) the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 
     or his or her designee;
       (vi) the Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee;
       (vii) the Director of National Intelligence, or his or her 
     designee;
       (viii) the Secretary of Defense, or his or her designee; 
     and
       (ix) the United States Permanent Representative to the 
     United Nations, or his or her designee.
       (B) Chair.--The United States Special Coordinator for 
     Uyghur Issues shall serve as the Chair of the Task Force.
       (3) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
       (A) assess the situation facing Uyghurs and members of 
     other Muslim minority groups in the XUAR;
       (B) identify policy and legal gaps and make policy 
     recommendations to the President to ensure that the United 
     States Government takes a leading role in addressing the 
     genocide and crimes against humanity currently taking place 
     in the XUAR; and
       (C) coordinate United States policy responses and advocacy 
     with other nations and within international organizations.
       (4) Powers.--
       (A) Hearings.--The Task Force may, for the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, hold hearings, sit and act at 
     times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
     Task Force considers appropriate.
       (B) Powers of members and agents.--The Task Force may 
     authorize any member of the Task Force to take any action 
     that the Task Force is authorized to take under this 
     subsection.
       (5) Staff.--
       (A) Personnel.--The United States Special Coordinator for 
     Uyghur Issues may appoint staff to inform, support, and 
     enable Task Force members in the fulfillment of their duties.
       (B) Detailees.--The head of any Federal department or 
     agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the 
     personnel of that department or agency to the Task Force to 
     assist the Task Force in carrying out its duties.
       (C) Expert consultants.--The Task Force may commission 
     intermittent research or other information from experts and 
     provide stipends for engagement consistent with relevant 
     statutes and regulations.
       (6) Interim report to congress.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force 
     shall prepare and submit an interim report to Congress 
     containing--
       (A) an assessment of the situation in the XUAR;
       (B) the United States policy responses to such situation; 
     and
       (C) coordination and advocacy efforts with other nations 
     and within international organizations.
       (7) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate when the 
     Secretary of State determines that genocide and crimes 
     against humanity against Uyghurs and members of other Muslim 
     minority groups is no longer occurring in the XUAR.
       (c) United States Special Coordinator for Uyghur Issues.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State, after consultation 
     with the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate and the Chair and Ranking Member of 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives shall appoint, within the Department of 
     State, a United States Special Coordinator for Uyghur Issues 
     (referred to in this subsection as the ``Special 
     Coordinator'').
       (2) Central objective.--The Special Coordinator should seek 
     to promote the protection and preservation of the distinct 
     ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic identities of the 
     Uyghurs.
       (3) Responsibilities.--The Special Coordinator should--
       (A) coordinate United States Government policies, programs, 
     and projects concerning the Uyghurs;
       (B) vigorously promote the policy of seeking to protect the 
     distinct ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity 
     of the Uyghurs and seek improved respect for human rights in 
     the XUAR;
       (C) maintain close contact with religious, cultural, and 
     political leaders of the Uyghurs, including seeking regular 
     travel to the XUAR and to Uyghur settlements in Central Asia, 
     Turkey, Albania, Germany, and other parts of Europe;
       (D) lead coordination efforts for the release of political 
     prisoners in the XUAR who are being detained for exercising 
     their human rights;
       (E) consult with Congress on policies relevant to the XUAR 
     and the Uyghurs;
       (F) coordinate with relevant Federal agencies to administer 
     aid to Uyghur rights advocates;
       (G) make efforts to establish contacts with foreign 
     ministries of other countries to pursue a policy of promoting 
     greater respect for human rights and religious freedom for 
     Uyghurs and other groups; and
       (H) coordinate United States outreach and advocacy within 
     international organizations on behalf of the Uyghurs and 
     members of other Muslim minority groups in the XUAR.
       (4) Support.--The Secretary of State shall ensure the 
     Special Coordinator has adequate resources, staff, and 
     administrative support to carry out the objective and 
     responsibilities described in paragraphs (2) and (3).

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