CCP Virus Reimbursement For States Act of 2023
This bill authorizes states to sue the Chinese government for harm suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill specifies that the actionable harms for which a state may seek damages include, but are not limited to, expenditures such as overtime wages paid to frontline workers, vaccine or medical equipment purchases, and research and development costs.
Such a case must be brought in a U.S. district court. If the Chinese government fails to pay a judgment to a state within one year, the state may obtain a court order directing the federal government to pay the amount owed. If the federal government is ordered to pay the judgment, the federal government must deduct an equivalent amount from (1) any interest or debt owed by the United States to China, or (2) any amounts made available to provide U.S. assistance to China.