The Senate passed legislation on Thursday to slap sanctions on Chinese officials who restrict Hong Kong’s autonomy.
The legislation, spearheaded by Sens. Chris Van HollenChristopher (Chris) Van HollenSenate passes sanctions bill targeting China over Hong Kong law Trump’s 4th of July celebration double the cost from previous years: study Trump to host 4th of July event despite pleas from lawmakers to cancel MORE (D-Md.) and Pat ToomeyPatrick (Pat) Joseph ToomeyGOP senators push for quick, partial reopening of economy NSA improperly collected US phone records in October, new documents show Overnight Defense: Pick for South Korean envoy splits with Trump on nuclear threat | McCain blasts move to suspend Korean military exercises | White House defends Trump salute of North Korean general MORE (R-Pa.), targets individuals and entities, as well as the banks they do business with, with sanctions if they encroach on Hong Kong’s semi-independence.
“What the government of China is doing in Hong Kong is unacceptable. They are taking away the rights of the people in Hong Kong. They are snuffing out the freedoms that exist there right now,” Van Hollen said from the Senate floor. “They are moving forward in their process to take away the liberties of the people of Hong Kong. So time is of the essence.”
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The bill comes as a national security law being proposed in China has sparked concerns, both on Capitol Hill and internationally, that Beijing will expand its control over the city and that it will lead to restrictions on civil and political freedoms.
The senators tried to pass the bill earlier this month but Sen. Kevin CramerKevin John CramerSenate passes sanctions bill targeting China over Hong Kong law Cruz urges Trump to support Israeli annexation GOP warns against ramping down coronavirus testing MORE (R-N.D.) objected. Under the Senate’s rules, any one senator can try to pass a bill by unanimous consent but any one senator can also block it.
Cramer told Politico that he did it at the request of the White House, even though he was a co-sponsor of the bill, because it had requested “technical” changes.
Toomey noted on Thursday that they had been working with the Treasury Department and had gotten “to the point where we are in agreement with this legislation.”
The bill would still need to be passed by the House before it could go to President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump administration calls for Supreme Court to strike down ObamaCare Trump says there will be ‘retribution’ for those who deface monuments White House task force tracking coronavirus spikes even as Trump says virus is ‘going away’: report MORE, who has had a fraught relationship with China. Former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonBolton says Boris Johnson is ‘playing Trump like a fiddle’ Hillicon Valley: Democrats introduce bill banning federal government use of facial recognition tech | House lawmakers roll out legislation to establish national cyber director | Top federal IT official to step down Senate passes sanctions bill targeting China over Hong Kong law MORE claimed in his forthcoming book that Trump demurred from getting too involved on the Hong Kong protests, saying “we have human-rights problems too.”
In addition to the sanctions legislation, the Senate also passed a resolution by Sen. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleySenate passes sanctions bill targeting China over Hong Kong law Bipartisan senators introduce legislation to update tech liability protections Overnight Defense: Senate turns focus to defense bill | GOP senator pushes to remove Confederate provision | Trump signals US troops moving from Germany to Poland MORE (R-Mo.) condemning the proposed national security law.
“This is, I think, a moment when we have been able to come together to speak with one voice and to send a clear message to Beijing that its attempts to steamroll and destroy the liberties of the people of Hong Kong will not go unnoticed and will not go unaddressed,” he said.
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