PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 2784: Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2004

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 2784: Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2004

108th Congress · introduced 2004-09-09 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2004-09-09 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2004

Plain summary

Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2004 - Prohibits FY 2005 U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to the Government of Vietnam in excess of FY 2004 levels unless the President certifies to Congress that the Government of Vietnam has made substantial progress toward: (1) releasing all political and religious prisoners; (2) respecting freedom of religion; (3) allowing Vietnamese nationals access to U.S. refugee programs; and (4) respecting the human rights of members of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands and elsewhere in Vietnam. Prohibits U.S. post-FY 2005 nonhumanitarian assistance to the Government of Vietnam in excess of FY 2004 levels unless the President certifies to Congress that the Government of Vietnam has met the above requirements and, in addition, neither any official of the Government of Vietnam nor any of its agencies was complicit in a severe form of trafficking in persons, unless the Government of Vietnam took all appropriate steps to end any such complicity and hold any such official, agency, or entity accountable for such conduct. Authorizes the President to waive such requirements if increased U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance would promote the purposes of this Act or is otherwise in the U.S. national interest. Authorizes the President to provide U.S. assistance through appropriate nongovernmental organizations for the support of individuals and organizations to promote human rights and nonviolent democratic change in Vietnam. Declares it is U.S. policy: (1) to take necessary measures to overcome the jamming of Radio Free Asia by the Government of Vietnam; (2) that educational and cultural exchange programs with Vietnam should promote progress toward freedom and democracy; and (3) to offer refugee resettlement to nationals of Vietnam, including the Montagnard ethnic groups, who were unable to apply or who were incorrectly deemed ineligible for certain refugee programs.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2004

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Brownback, Sam [R-KS] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Cornyn (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Fiscal year
The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-s2784 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108