Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced H.R. 4254 , the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, which imposes sanctions on Vietnamese government officials who are complicit in human rights abuses committed against the people of Vietnam.

The introduced bill text and section-by-section summary of H.R. 4254 are available HERE.

On introduction, Chairman Royce said:  “Today’s legislation bolsters the voices of those who bravely speak out against the Communist government in Vietnam.  With human rights abuses on the rise, it is clear the regime is doubling down on repression.  Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has been silent on these gross human rights abuses.  This legislation tells the freedom-seeking people of Vietnam that Congress stands with them.”

The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 4254, targets certain government agents, police officers, and others who commit human rights abuses against peaceful dissidents with travel restrictions and financial sanctions.  To exert pressure on the Vietnamese government, the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act also instructs the President to create a list of individuals who continue to disregard the human rights of the Vietnamese people.  Those listed will be refused entry into the United States, and will be prohibited from doing business with U.S companies.

Note: Chairman Royce is also the author of H.Res. 218, legislation that calls on the State Department to re-list Vietnam as a “Country of Particular Concern” for its gross religious freedom violations.  Chairman Royce is also the lead cosponsor of the Vietnam Human Rights Act.  Additionally, he is co-chair emeritus of the Congressional Vietnam Caucus.

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