US Congress House Bill 6986 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-3)
Status: Introduced on May 22 2020 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2020-10-01 - Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organization Discharged.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Establishes strategies and reporting requirements related to internationally recognized human rights and COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, the bill requires the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to submit (1) a strategy for carrying out programs to support democratic institutions, freedom of the press, civil society, and human rights defenders in countries where government measures in response to COVID-19 violated or undermined internationally recognized human rights; and (2) a five-year strategic plan outlining the steps to address persistent human rights issues in the aftermath of COVID-19. The bill also conditions the provision of security assistance to a foreign government on consideration of whether the foreign government used emergency laws, policies, or administrative procedures in violation of internationally recognized human rights. Further, the bill requires the State Department to author initial, monthly, and final reports describing, among other things (1) specified countries' adherence to certain human rights principles in responding to COVID-19, (2) the actions of the U.S. government to address foreign governments' violations of human rights in responding to COVID-19, (3) the impact of such violations on things such as access to health care and the efforts and ability to control the pandemic, and (4) the U.S government's global efforts to counter disinformation and disseminate accurate information about the pandemic. The bill also requires the inclusion of certain information, such as the misuse and abuse of emergency powers, in the annual country reports on human rights practices.

Protecting Human Rights During Pandemic Act

Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]	Rep. Ann Wagner [R-MO]	Rep. Tom Malinowski [D-NJ]	Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick [R-PA]
Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-FL]	Rep. Jamie Raskin [D-MD]	Rep. Matthew Cartwright [D-PA]	Rep. David Trone [D-MD]
Rep. Ilhan Omar [D-MN]	Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]	Rep. Abigail Spanberger [D-VA]	Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA]
Rep. William Keating [D-MA]	Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]	Rep. David Cicilline [D-RI]	Rep. Albio Sires [D-NJ]
Rep. Theodore Deutch [D-FL]	Rep. Dina Titus [D-NV]	Rep. Dean Phillips [D-MN]

Date	Chamber	Action
2020-10-01	House	Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organization Discharged.
2020-10-01	House	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
2020-10-01	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2020-06-26	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
2020-05-22	House	Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2020-05-22	House	Introduced in House

SB3819 (Related) 2020-05-21 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6986/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr6986/BILLS-116hr6986ih.pdf