Legis Daily

Vietnam Human Rights Act

USA119th CongressHR-3122| House 
| Updated: 4/30/2025
Christopher H. Smith

Christopher H. Smith

Republican Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (4)
J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)Derek Tran (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)

Foreign Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "Vietnam Human Rights Act" seeks to embed human rights concerns across all official interactions between the United States and Vietnam, asserting that concrete human rights improvements are integral to trade, security, and economic development. Despite significant economic growth and trade, the bill notes a lack of progress in political freedom and basic human rights in Vietnam, which remains an authoritarian state. The legislation mandates the assessment of Vietnam's labor rights progress and calls for its ratification of key International Labour Organization conventions. It also aims to bar imports from Vietnam made with forced labor from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and protect U.S. nationals and businesses from Vietnamese cyber-espionage and transnational repression. A key provision establishes a policy for imposing sanctions on Vietnamese officials and foreign persons responsible for arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, significant corruption, online censorship, or severe religious freedom violations. These sanctions would utilize existing frameworks like the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act. To combat online censorship and surveillance , the bill declares a policy to promote an open and free internet in Vietnam, pressuring the Vietnamese government to halt requests for social media companies to disclose user identities or block content. It authorizes the Secretary of State to prioritize the distribution of censorship circumvention tools and projects to ensure the safety and privacy of bloggers, journalists, and human rights defenders in Vietnam. Regarding international religious freedom , the bill expresses a Sense of Congress that Vietnam should be designated as a "country of particular concern" for religious freedom due to systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations. Finally, the Act amends existing law to require annual reports on U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue meetings to include specific issues such as torture, police brutality, property expropriation, and internet freedom for bloggers and journalists.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-1383
Vietnam Human Rights Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-3001
Vietnam Human Rights Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3172
Vietnam Human Rights Act
Apr 30, 2025
Introduced in House
Apr 30, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-1383
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-3001
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3172
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • April 30, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • April 30, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

International Affairs

Vietnam Human Rights Act

USA119th CongressHR-3122| House 
| Updated: 4/30/2025
The "Vietnam Human Rights Act" seeks to embed human rights concerns across all official interactions between the United States and Vietnam, asserting that concrete human rights improvements are integral to trade, security, and economic development. Despite significant economic growth and trade, the bill notes a lack of progress in political freedom and basic human rights in Vietnam, which remains an authoritarian state. The legislation mandates the assessment of Vietnam's labor rights progress and calls for its ratification of key International Labour Organization conventions. It also aims to bar imports from Vietnam made with forced labor from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and protect U.S. nationals and businesses from Vietnamese cyber-espionage and transnational repression. A key provision establishes a policy for imposing sanctions on Vietnamese officials and foreign persons responsible for arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, significant corruption, online censorship, or severe religious freedom violations. These sanctions would utilize existing frameworks like the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act. To combat online censorship and surveillance , the bill declares a policy to promote an open and free internet in Vietnam, pressuring the Vietnamese government to halt requests for social media companies to disclose user identities or block content. It authorizes the Secretary of State to prioritize the distribution of censorship circumvention tools and projects to ensure the safety and privacy of bloggers, journalists, and human rights defenders in Vietnam. Regarding international religious freedom , the bill expresses a Sense of Congress that Vietnam should be designated as a "country of particular concern" for religious freedom due to systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations. Finally, the Act amends existing law to require annual reports on U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue meetings to include specific issues such as torture, police brutality, property expropriation, and internet freedom for bloggers and journalists.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-1383
Vietnam Human Rights Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-3001
Vietnam Human Rights Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3172
Vietnam Human Rights Act
Apr 30, 2025
Introduced in House
Apr 30, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-1383
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-3001
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3172
    Vietnam Human Rights Act


  • April 30, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • April 30, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Christopher H. Smith

Christopher H. Smith

Republican Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (4)
J. Luis Correa (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)Derek Tran (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)

Foreign Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee

International Affairs

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted