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Bill116th CongressFiled Sep 29, 2020Immigration
H.R. 8428

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020

Bill journey · stage 2 of 5

Under committee review

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What it doesSummary passed house (Dec 7, 2020)

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020

This bill provides for temporary protected status (TPS) and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents and contains other immigration-related provisions.

Hong Kong shall be treated as a TPS-designated country for 18 months starting from this bill's enactment. (Qualifying nationals of a TPS-designated country may not be removed from the United States and shall have employment authorization while the designation is in effect.)

Furthermore, Hong Kong shall be treated as separate from China for the purposes of various numerical limitations on immigrant visas. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system.)

The bill also establishes Priority Hong Kong Resident status for qualified individuals. To obtain such status, an individual must meet certain requirements, such as having resided in Hong Kong for at least ten years as of the day of this bill's enactment and not having citizenship in any jurisdiction other than China, Hong Kong, or Macau.

For the purposes of seeking refugee status or asylum, a Priority Hong Kong Resident (and certain family members of such an individual) may establish that the individual has a well-founded fear of persecution if the individual asserts such fear and (1) had a significant role in an organization that supported the 2019 or 2020 protests related to China's encroachment into Hong Kong's autonomy or the Hong Kong National Security Law enacted in 2020; or (2) was arrested, charged, detained, or convicted for participating in the nonviolent exercise of certain rights.

What just happenedDec 8, 2020

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Malinowski, Tom [D-NJ-7](D-NJ)Sponsor
23 cosponsors17 D6 R
Read on Congress.gov
23cosponsors3committees13actions31subjects
  1. Dec 8, 2020IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Judiciary Committee
  2. Dec 7, 2020FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. Dec 7, 2020FloorH37300

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6872-6874)

  4. Dec 7, 2020Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6872-6874)

  5. Dec 7, 2020FloorH8D000

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8428.

  6. Dec 7, 2020FloorH30000

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6872-6877)

  7. Dec 7, 2020FloorH30300

    Mr. Engel moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  8. Oct 1, 2020Committee

    Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

    Foreign Affairs Committee
  9. Oct 1, 2020Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Foreign Affairs Committee
  10. Sep 29, 2020IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.

    Foreign Affairs Committee
  11. Sep 29, 2020IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.

    Judiciary Committee
  12. Sep 29, 2020IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  13. Sep 29, 2020IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Passed HouseDec 7, 202053

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020

This bill provides for temporary protected status (TPS) and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents and contains other immigration-related provisions.

Hong Kong shall be treated as a TPS-designated country for 18 months starting from this bill's enactment. (Qualifying nationals of a TPS-designated country may not be removed from the United States and shall have employment authorization while the designation is in effect.)

Furthermore, Hong Kong shall be treated as separate from China for the purposes of various numerical limitations on immigrant visas. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system.)

The bill also establishes Priority Hong Kong Resident status for qualified individuals. To obtain such status, an individual must meet certain requirements, such as having resided in Hong Kong for at least ten years as of the day of this bill's enactment and not having citizenship in any jurisdiction other than China, Hong Kong, or Macau.

For the purposes of seeking refugee status or asylum, a Priority Hong Kong Resident (and certain family members of such an individual) may establish that the individual has a well-founded fear of persecution if the individual asserts such fear and (1) had a significant role in an organization that supported the 2019 or 2020 protests related to China's encroachment into Hong Kong's autonomy or the Hong Kong National Security Law enacted in 2020; or (2) was arrested, charged, detained, or convicted for participating in the nonviolent exercise of certain rights.

Introduced in HouseSep 29, 2020

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020

This bill provides for temporary protected status (TPS) and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents and contains other immigration-related provisions.

Hong Kong shall be treated as a TPS-designated country for 18 months starting from this bill's enactment. (Qualifying nationals of a TPS-designated country may not be removed from the United States and shall have employment authorization while the designation is in effect.)

Furthermore, Hong Kong shall be treated as separate from China for the purposes of various numerical limitations on immigrant visas. (Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system.)

The bill also establishes Priority Hong Kong Resident status for qualified individuals. To obtain such status, an individual must meet certain requirements, such as having resided in Hong Kong for at least ten years and not having citizenship in any jurisdiction other than China, Hong Kong, or Macau.

For the purposes of seeking refugee status or asylum, a Priority Hong Kong Resident (and certain family members of such an individual) may establish that the individual has a well-founded fear of persecution if the individual asserts such fear and (1) had a significant role in an organization that supported the 2019 or 2020 protests related to China's encroachment into Hong Kong's autonomy or the Hong Kong National Security Law enacted in 2020; or (2) was arrested, charged, detained, or convicted for participating in the nonviolent exercise of certain rights.

Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act of 2020 — Informed