Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007
Latest action · Sep 19, 2007 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 19, 2007
- Passed HouseSep 18, 2007
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007 - Title I: Prohibition on Nonhumanitarian Assistance to the Government of Vietnam - (Sec. 101) Prohibits U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to the government of Vietnam for FY2008 in excess of FY2007 levels unless the President certifies to Congress that the government of Vietnam has made substantial progress respecting: (1) the release of political and religious prisoners; (2) the right of religious freedom, including the return of church properties; (3) the rights of ethnic minorities; and (4) access to U.S. refugee programs by Vietnamese nationals.
Prohibits U.S. nonhumanitarian assistance to the government of Vietnam for subsequent fiscal years in excess of FY2007 levels unless the President certifies to Congress that in addition to such requirements: (1) no government of Vietnam official, agency, or entity wholly or partly owned by the government of Vietnam was complicit in a severe form of trafficking in persons; or (2) the government of Vietnam took all appropriate steps to end any such complicity and hold any official, agency, or entity accountable for such conduct.
Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition for reasons of national interest.
Title II: Assistance to Support Democracy in Vietnam - (Sec. 201) Authorizes the President to provide assistance through nongovernmental organizations and the Human Rights Defenders Fund for the support of individuals and organizations to promote human rights in Vietnam.
Authorizes FY2008-FY2009 appropriations.
Title III: United States Public Diplomacy - (Sec. 301) States that it is U.S. policy to take necessary measures to overcome government of Vietnam jamming of Radio Free Asia.
Authorizes FY2008-FY2009 appropriations for such activities.
(Sec. 302) States that it is U.S. policy that educational and cultural exchange programs with Vietnam should promote progress toward freedom and democracy in Vietnam.
Title IV: United States Refugee Policy - (Sec. 401) States that it is U.S. policy to offer refugee resettlement to Vietnam nationals (including members of the Montagnard ethnic minority groups) who are eligible for the Humanitarian Resettlement program, the Orderly Departure program, the Resettlement Opportunities for Vietnamese Returnees program, the Amerasian Homecoming Act of 1988, or any other U.S. refugee program, but who were deemed ineligible for reasons of administrative error or certain circumstances beyond their control.
Authorizes funds to be made available from FY2008-FY2010 Department of State refugee assistance for the protection and resettlement of Vietnamese refugees and asylum seekers, including Montagnards in Cambodia.
Title V: Annual Report on Progress Toward Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam - (Sec. 501) Directs the Secretary of State to report annually to Congress respecting activities under this Act toward freedom and democracy in Vietnam.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 877 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed414–3 | Sep 18, 2007 |
Cosponsors 12
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jul 19, 2007 to Jul 31, 2007; 9 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-TX | Al Green | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-ID | Bill Sali | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-CA | Dana Rohrabacher | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-CA | Edward R. Royce | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-VA | Frank R. Wolf | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-FL | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| D-CA | Loretta Sanchez | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| R-VA | Tom Davis | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| D-CA | Zoe Lofgren | Original | Jul 19, 2007 |
| D-NJ | Donald M. Payne | Jul 23, 2007 | |
| R-AZ | Trent Franks | Jul 23, 2007 | |
| D-GU | Madeleine Z. Bordallo | Jul 31, 2007 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Foreign Affairs Committee | Referred Jul 19, 2007Markup Jul 31, 2007 |
| Senate | Foreign Relations Committee | Referred Sep 19, 2007 |
Actions 12
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 19, 2007Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Sep 18, 2007Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10481)
- Sep 18, 2007Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 - 3 (Roll no. 877). (text: CR 9/17/2007 H10385-10387)
- Sep 18, 2007Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Sep 17, 2007Mr. Faleomavaega moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 17, 2007Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10385-10391)
- Sep 17, 2007DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3096.
- Sep 17, 2007At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Jul 31, 2007Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jul 31, 2007Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
- Jul 19, 2007Introduced in House
- Jul 19, 2007Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In the Congressional Record 3
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E867 | Loretta Sanchez D-CA | May 8, 2008 |
| House · Extensions | Debate and remarks E1909, E1918Recorded votes H10481enact | Christopher H. Smith R-NJ, Madeleine Z. Bordallo D-GU, Tom Davis R-VA | Sep 18, 2007 |
| House | Debate and remarks H10385–H10391Text printed H10385–H10387 | Christopher H. Smith R-NJ, Edward R. Royce R-CA, Eni F. H. Faleomavaega D-AS, Frank R. Wolf R-VA, Loretta Sanchez D-CA, Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX | Sep 17, 2007 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2
- Sep 7, 2007H.R. 3096, Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on July 31, 2007</p>
- Sep 7, 2007H.R. 3096, Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on July 31, 2007
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Hrg. 110-641 | THE UNITED STATES AND VIETNAM: EXAMINING THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP68 pages | Foreign Relations Committee | Mar 12, 2008 |
CRS reports 3
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 3
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R40208 | U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2014: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy Archived | Report | Jun 24, 2014 |
| RL33316 | U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2008: Background and Issues for Congress Archived | Report | Jan 2, 2009 |
| RL31362 | U.S. Foreign Aid to East and South Asia: Selected Recipients Archived | Report | Oct 8, 2008 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 3678 | Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2008 | Related bill | Oct 1, 2008 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2007
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Administration of justice
- American investments
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Arms control
- Arms sales
- Arrest
- Arts, Culture, Religion
- Cambodia
- Charities
- Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
- Congress
- Congress and foreign policy
- Congressional oversight
- Congressional reporting requirements
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Cultural relations
- Democracy
- Deportation
- Detention of persons
- Development credit institutions
- Dissenters
- Due process of law
- East Asia
- Economic assistance
- Education
- Educational exchanges
- Elementary and secondary education
- Employee rights
- Equality before the law
- Ethnic relations
- Export finance
- Expropriation
- Forced labor
- Foreign loans
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Freedom of association
- Freedom of speech
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government paperwork
- Government publicity
- Higher education
- Human rights
- Immigration
- International Affairs
- International broadcasting
- Investment guaranty insurance
- Labor and Employment
- Law
- Legal aid
- Legal services
- Military assistance
- Minorities
- Misconduct in office
- Nongovernmental organizations
- Political persecution
- Political prisoners
- President and foreign policy
- Prosecution
- Prostitution
- Punishment
- Radio broadcasting
- Refugees
- Religion
- Religious liberty
- Right of assembly
- Right of asylum
- Right of property
- Right to counsel
- Right to travel
- Rule of law
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Slavery
- Social Welfare
- Suspects' rights
- Torture
- Transportation and Public Works
- Vietnam
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 19, 2007Referred in Senate
- Sep 18, 2007Engrossed in House
- Jul 19, 2007Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
