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US HB5303

Bill

Status

Introduced

9/11/2025

Primary Sponsor

Christopher Smith

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Origin

House of Representatives

119th Congress

AI Summary

  • Directs the State Department to develop a diplomatic strategy within 120 days to embed political prisoner advocacy into the mission plans of all U.S. diplomatic posts and regional bureaus worldwide

  • Establishes U.S. policy to seek the release of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who disappeared into Chinese state custody in August 2017, and to hold accountable officials responsible for his torture and arbitrary detention

  • Authorizes sanctions against individuals responsible for arbitrary detention or torture of political prisoners under the Global Magnitsky Act, Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, and other authorities

  • Expands the existing China-focused Prisoner Information Registry into a Global Political Prisoner Registry covering detainees held by foreign governments worldwide, with information made available for diplomatic advocacy

  • Requires the Congressional-Executive Commission on China to prepare issue briefs on political prisoner cases for Members of Congress, with authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 2026-2029

Legislative Description

FREEDOM for Gao Zhisheng and All Political Prisoners Act Framework for Responding to Enforced Exile and Detentions through Oversight and Mobilizing Diplomatic Support Act

International affairs

Last Action

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, and Ways and Means, 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.

9/11/2025

Committee Referrals

Foreign Affairs9/11/2025

Full Bill Text

No bill text available