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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 8428 (116th)

Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act of 2020

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

29 September 2020

Last action

8 December 2020 · Introduced

Status

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Rep. Malinowski, Tom [D-NJ-7], Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16], Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3], Van Taylor, Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20], Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3], Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32], Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13], Rep. Sires, Albio [D-NJ-13], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-22], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12]

Subjects

Asylum, Immigration

Source updated

10 August 2026

Asylum · Immigration

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020 This bill provides for temporary protected status (TPS) and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents and contains other immigration-related provisions. Hong Kong shall be treated as a TPS-designated country for 18 months starting from this bill's enactment. (Qualifying nationals of a TPS-designated country may not be removed from the United States and shall have employment authorization while the designation is in effect.) Furthermore, Hong Kong shall be treated as separate from China for the purposes of various numerical limitations on immigrant visas. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system.) The bill also establishes Priority Hong Kong Resident status for qualified individuals. To obtain such status, an individual must meet certain requirements, such as having resided in Hong Kong for at least ten years and not having citizenship in any jurisdiction other than China, Hong Kong, or Macau. For the purposes of seeking refugee status or asylum, a Priority Hong Kong Resident (and certain family members of such an individual) may establish that the individual has a well-founded fear of persecution if the individual asserts such fear and (1) had a significant role in an organization that supported the 2019 or 2020 protests related to China's encroachment into Hong Kong's autonomy or the Hong Kong National Security Law enacted in 2020; or (2) was arrested, charged, detained, or convicted for participating in the nonviolent exercise of certain rights.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 29 September 2020

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 29 September 2020

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 29 September 2020

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 1 October 2020

    Reported

    Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

    Source: Committee

  5. 1 October 2020

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  6. 7 December 2020

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6872-6874)

    Source: Floor

  7. 7 December 2020

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8428.

    Source: Floor

  8. 7 December 2020

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6872-6877)

    Source: Floor

  9. 7 December 2020

    Floor

    Mr. Engel moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  10. 7 December 2020

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  11. 7 December 2020

    Passed

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6872-6874)

    Source: Floor

  12. 8 December 2020

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

8 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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Leesvertaling

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  • Referred in Senate (text)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 8 December 2020

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  • Referred in Senate (PDF)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 8 December 2020

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  • Engrossed in House (text)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 7 December 2020

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  • Engrossed in House (PDF)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 7 December 2020

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  • Passed House

    summary · EN · 7 December 2020

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 29 September 2020

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 29 September 2020

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 29 September 2020

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

Related records

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Sources

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