[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 209 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S6062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               COMBATING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ACT OF 2023

  Mr. MERKLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 263, S. 484.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 484) to require the Secretary of Commerce to 
     provide training and guidance relating to human rights 
     abuses, including such abuses perpetrated against the Uyghur 
     population by the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. MERKLEY. I ask unanimous consent that the Peters substitute 
amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as 
amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the 
motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1379) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to, 
as follows:

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

        Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Human Rights 
     Abuses Act of 2023''.

     SEC. 2. TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
                   RELATING TO AWARENESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall provide 
     training described in subsection (b) to such employees of the 
     Department of Commerce who provide counseling services to 
     businesses engaged in interstate commerce or foreign direct 
     investment as the Secretary considers appropriate.
       (b) Contents of Training.--The training required under 
     subsection (a) shall be--
       (1) designed to raise awareness about emerging trends and 
     issues with respect to human rights abuses perpetrated by the 
     Government of the People's Republic of China, including the 
     use of forced labor, against Uyghurs and other ethnic 
     minority populations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous 
     Region; and
       (2) incorporated to the greatest extent possible into 
     existing training provided by the Department of Commerce.
       (c) Timing.--The training required under subsection (a) 
     shall be offered and updated at such times as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.

     SEC. 3. GUIDANCE FOR UNITED STATES BUSINESSES RELATING TO 
                   AWARENESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall--
       (1) offer guidance for United States businesses engaged in 
     interstate commerce or foreign direct investment, including 
     such businesses that are, or are considering, conducting 
     transactions with entities subject to the control or 
     influence of jurisdictions where significant human rights 
     abuses have occurred, such as the People's Republic of China; 
     and
       (2) incorporate the guidance required under paragraph (1) 
     into any counseling services that the Department of Commerce 
     provides to such businesses as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate.
       (b) Contents of Guidance.--The guidance required under 
     subsection (a) shall--
       (1) provide information about emerging trends and issues 
     involving human rights abuses perpetrated by the Government 
     of the People's Republic of China, consisting of the use of 
     forced labor against Uyghurs and other ethnic minority 
     populations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, 
     including information about--
       (A) risk factors that may be used to identify entities 
     subject to the influence or control of jurisdictions such as 
     the People's Republic of China that may be implicated in 
     human rights abuses;
       (B) ways to avoid doing business with entities described in 
     subparagraph (A); and
       (C) potential reputational, economic, legal, and other 
     risks of conducting transactions with an entity described in 
     subparagraph (A); and
       (2) make clear that the guidance is for advisory purposes 
     only.

  The bill (S. 484), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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