Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY), the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Uyghur Caucus, introduced a legislation titled the Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act (UGASA).
A press release from Representative Chris Smith said “The Smith-Suozzi bill (HR 8124) strengthens provisions in the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 and expands existing sanctions and other measures to make sure Chinese officials are held accountable for their horrific human rights atrocities against Uyghurs and other ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).”
“This critical legislation will help address the horrific abuses we have seen directed at Uyghurs and other predominantly-Muslim Central Asian people by Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party—from forced labor to the forced harvesting of Uyghur organs,” said Rep. Smith, Co-Founder of the Congressional Uyghur Caucus and Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
“The Chinese Communist Party has committed horrific abuses against the Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities in China,” said Rep. Suozzi, Co-Founder of the Congressional Uyghur Caucus. “This legislation would expand our sanctions effort against Chinese officials perpetrating these crimes and provide technical assistance for documenting human rights abuses.”
The Smith-Suozzi legislation, similar to its companion bill in the Senate introduced by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) on May 31, 2023, would:
- Expand sanction authorities for Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials responsible for the ongoing genocide of the Uyghurs
- Require a US strategy to deter forced organ harvesting from Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in China
- Prohibit US government agencies from contracting with any business implicated in forced labor in the XUAR
- Authorize the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development to provide assistance to victims of genocide and counter propaganda regarding the CCP’s ongoing acts of genocide
- Promote the preservation of cultural and linguistic heritages repressed by the CCP
- Fund organizations documenting atrocities in the XUAR
Uygur organizations applauded and welcomed the introduction of the legislation.
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Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act (UGASA)
