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H.R. 649: Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019

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H.R. 649: Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-17 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-17 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. 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

Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019

Plain summary

Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 This bill directs various U.S. government bodies to prepare reports on China's treatment of the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence shall report to Congress on issues including the security threats caused by the Chinese government's reported crackdown on the Uyghur population in Xinjiang province, the frequency with which other governments are forcibly returning Turkic Muslim refugees and asylum seekers to China, and the development or transfer of technology that facilitates mass internment and surveillance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall report on topics such as its efforts to protect ethnic Uyghurs and Chinese nationals in the United States from Chinese government intimidation. The U.S. Agency for Global Media shall report on media-related matters, including the reach of U.S. media into Xinjiang, assessments of Chinese propaganda strategies, and U.S. actions to counter such efforts to downplay the crackdown. The Department of State shall report on the scope of the reported crackdown in Xinjiang, including the number of detained individuals, the use of forced labor in the region, an assessment of government surveillance in the province, and U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crackdown.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 138 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Brian J. Mast (R-FL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), André Carson (D-IN), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), James A. Himes (D-CT), John R. Curtis (R-UT) and 78 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr649 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116