S.Res. 31: A resolution calling on the Government of Panama to expel officials and interests of the People's Republic of China and terminate Chinese management of key Panamanian ports.

119th Congress · introduced 2025-01-23 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S338-339)

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

A resolution calling on the Government of Panama to expel officials and interests of the People's Republic of China and terminate Chinese management of key Panamanian ports.

Plain summary

This resolution expresses concern about the presence and influence of China in Panamanian ports and infrastructure, particularly in facilities with strategic significance such as the ports of Balboa and Cristobal. The resolution calls on the Panamanian government to reaffirm its commitment to the permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal as defined by the Neutrality Treaty (i.e., the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, signed in 1977) and terminate agreements allowing Chinese state-owned enterprises or private entities based in China to manage such strategic infrastructure. The resolution also urges the U.S. government to (1) leverage provisions of the Neutrality Treaty to address threats to the neutrality of the Panama Canal, and (2) develop a U.S.-Panama task force to oversee canal security and operations.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

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

A resolution calling on the Government of Panama to expel officials and interests of the People's Republic of China and terminate Chinese management of key Panamanian ports.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO] · 5 cosponsors

Money: No cost estimate published yet. No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

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-119sres31.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/sres>

Record fed-us-cong119-sres31 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills