Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights by implementing severe restrictions on the rights of Uyghurs to freely associate and engage in religious and political speech, subjecting detained Uyghurs to torture and forced confessions, carrying out extrajudicial killings against Uyghur dissidents, and pressuring other governments to unlawfully return Uyghurs to China, where they face mistreatment and persecution.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 7, 2012

Condemns violence against innocent individuals in China.

Recognizes that China's policies of suppression against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and other ethnic groups have created ethnic tension in those areas.

Calls on China to: (1) desist from further executions, ensure that trials are conducted in accordance with international obligations, and allow international observers and the media to attend the trials; (2) provide a list of individuals detained in the aftermath of the July 2009 events in Xinjiang to the International Committee of the Red Cross, and grant access to those individuals for family members and legal counsel; and (3) cease government-sponsored crackdowns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and refrain from pressuring other governments to return Uyghurs to China.

Calls on the President to: (1) state U.S. opposition to the flawed trials, executions, and harsh prison sentences against peaceful Uyghur protestors; and (2) restate the U.S. interest to open consulates in Lhasa, Tibet, and in Urumqi, Xinjiang.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-3] · D–MA

Committees

Foreign Affairs Committee

5 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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May 7, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
May 7, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights.
Mar 7, 2012
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mar 7, 2012
Introduced in House
Mar 7, 2012
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 7, 2012 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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Source last updated: Jan 23, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.Res.576 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Res.576, 112th Congress: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights by implementing severe restrictions on the rights of Uyghurs to freely associate and engage in religious and political speech, subjecting detained Uyghurs to torture and forced confessions, carrying out extrajudicial killings against Uyghur dissidents, and pressuring other governments to unlawfully return Uyghurs to China, where they face mistreatment and persecution.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-resolution/576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-07.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hres576/BILLS-112hres576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-23T13:32:43Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.Res.576 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.Res.576 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Res.576, 112th Congress: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights by implementing severe restrictions on the rights of Uyghurs to freely associate and engage in religious and political speech, subjecting detained Uyghurs to torture and forced confessions, carrying out extrajudicial killings against Uyghur dissidents, and pressuring other governments to unlawfully return Uyghurs to China, where they face mistreatment and persecution.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-resolution/576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-07.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hres576/BILLS-112hres576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-23T13:32:43Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Res.576 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.Res.576 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Res.576, 112th Congress: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights by implementing severe restrictions on the rights of Uyghurs to freely associate and engage in religious and political speech, subjecting detained Uyghurs to torture and forced confessions, carrying out extrajudicial killings against Uyghur dissidents, and pressuring other governments to unlawfully return Uyghurs to China, where they face mistreatment and persecution.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-resolution/576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-07.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hres576/BILLS-112hres576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-23T13:32:43Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Res.576 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.Res.576 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.Res.576, 112th Congress: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights by implementing severe restrictions on the rights of Uyghurs to freely associate and engage in religious and political speech, subjecting detained Uyghurs to torture and forced confessions, carrying out extrajudicial killings against Uyghur dissidents, and pressuring other governments to unlawfully return Uyghurs to China, where they face mistreatment and persecution.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-resolution/576

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-07.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hres576/BILLS-112hres576ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-23T13:32:43Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.Res.576 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.