S. 5253: Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act

117th Congress · introduced 2022-12-14 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

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Where it came from: introduced 2022-12-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
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.
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

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act

Plain summary

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act This bill requires the President to periodically determine whether to allow the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) to continue to operate in the United States. (The HKETOs are the official representative offices for Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city that was established as a British colony in 1841. The United Kingdom transferred sovereignty over Hong Kong to China in 1997). Under this bill, the President must periodically (at least once a year) certify to Congress a determination as to whether the HKETOs should be covered by the International Organizations Immunities Act. (The act provides immunities and privileges to certain international organizations, such as immunity from certain lawsuits and exemption from property taxes.) If the President certifies that the HKETOs no longer merit receiving such privileges and immunities, the HKETOs must terminate operations in the United States no later than 180 days after the certification is delivered to Congress. If the President certifies that the HKETOs continue to merit such privileges and immunities, the HKETOs may continue operations for another year, unless Congress enacts a joint resolution disapproving of the certification. The President may also revoke the application of such privileges and immunities to the HKETOs. A federal government entity may enter into an agreement or partnership with an HKETO only if the HKETOs are still authorized to operate in the United States under this bill.

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

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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 (5)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Property tax: A tax on land, buildings and some business property, based on its value. In Texas it is set and collected by local governments (cities, counties, school districts and special districts), not by the state.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s5253.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s5253 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117