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United States · Bill · S

S. 3798 (116th)

Hong Kong Autonomy Act

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

21 May 2020

Last action

29 June 2020 · Floor

Status

Held at the desk.

Sponsors

Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA], Chris Van Hollen, Thomas Tillis, Richard Blumenthal, Kevin Cramer, Sen. Jones, Doug [D-AL], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Jeff Merkley, Martha McSally, Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Sen. Sasse, Ben [R-NE]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 January 2026

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Hong Kong Autonomy Act This bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that materially contribute to China's failure to preserve Hong Kong's autonomy. Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system with protections for civil rights such as freedom of speech. This arrangement is enshrined in (1) the Joint Declaration, a 1984 treaty pertaining to the United Kingdom's transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China; and (2) the Basic Law, Hong Kong's constitutional document. The Department of State shall report annually to Congress information about (1) foreign individuals and entities that materially contributed to China's failure to comply with the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law; and (2) foreign financial institutions that knowingly conducted a significant transaction with such identified individuals and entities. An individual, entity, or financial institution may be excluded from this report for various reasons, such as to protect an intelligence source. The President may impose property-blocking sanctions on an individual or entity named in a report, and visa-blocking sanctions on a named individual. Such sanctions are mandatory if an individual or entity is named in two reports. The President shall impose various sanctions on a financial institution named in a report, such as prohibiting the institution from receiving loans from a U.S. financial institution. The President may waive or terminate the imposition of sanctions under this bill. Congress may override such a waiver or termination by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

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

Timeline

  1. 21 May 2020

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 21 May 2020

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 4 June 2020

    Committee

    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 116-320.

    Source: Committee

  4. 25 June 2020

    Floor

    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S3285-3289)

    Source: Floor

  5. 25 June 2020

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S3285-3289)

    Source: Floor

  6. 25 June 2020

    Discharge

    Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Discharge

  7. 25 June 2020

    Committee

    Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Committee

  8. 29 June 2020

    Floor

    Held at the desk.

    Source: Floor

  9. 29 June 2020

    Floor

    Received in the House.

    Source: Floor

  10. 29 June 2020

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

6 official files

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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