Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic of China has violated internationally recognized human rights and legal due process standards by carrying out executions after trials marred by procedural abuses and by carrying out arbitrary detentions targeting Uyghurs and other individuals in Xinjiang in the aftermath of a suppressed demonstration and ensuing mob violence on July 5 to 7, 2009.

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Dec 8, 2009

Condemns any violence against innocent individuals regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or religious beliefs.

Calls on the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to: (1) desist from further executions based on trials that violate human rights and due process standards; (2) allow international observers and the media to attend such trials; (3) 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 the public; and (4) cease all crackdowns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Calls on the President of the United States to: (1) state the strong U.S. opposition to these legally flawed trials and executions; (2) raise human rights concerns publicly and in all meetings with Chinese officials; (3) restate U.S. interest to open consulates in Lhasa, Tibet, and in Urumqi, Xinjiang; and (4) direct the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to automatically request permission from Chinese authorities for Embassy staff to observe trials if credible reasons exist that such trials may not meet human rights and legal standards.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

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

Committees

Foreign Affairs Committee

12 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Dec 8, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Dec 8, 2009
Introduced in House
Dec 8, 2009
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 · Dec 8, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.Res.953 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.

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Discuss H.Res.953, 111th 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 and legal due process standards by carrying out executions after trials marred by procedural abuses and by carrying out arbitrary detentions targeting Uyghurs and other individuals in Xinjiang in the aftermath of a suppressed demonstration and ensuing mob violence on July 5 to 7, 2009.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-resolution/953

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-12-08.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hres953/BILLS-111hres953ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:20:09Z. 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.953 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.953 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.

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Discuss H.Res.953, 111th 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 and legal due process standards by carrying out executions after trials marred by procedural abuses and by carrying out arbitrary detentions targeting Uyghurs and other individuals in Xinjiang in the aftermath of a suppressed demonstration and ensuing mob violence on July 5 to 7, 2009.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-resolution/953

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-12-08.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hres953/BILLS-111hres953ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:20:09Z. 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.953 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.953 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.953, 111th 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 and legal due process standards by carrying out executions after trials marred by procedural abuses and by carrying out arbitrary detentions targeting Uyghurs and other individuals in Xinjiang in the aftermath of a suppressed demonstration and ensuing mob violence on July 5 to 7, 2009.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-resolution/953

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-12-08.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hres953/BILLS-111hres953ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:20:09Z. 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.953 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.953 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.953, 111th 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 and legal due process standards by carrying out executions after trials marred by procedural abuses and by carrying out arbitrary detentions targeting Uyghurs and other individuals in Xinjiang in the aftermath of a suppressed demonstration and ensuing mob violence on July 5 to 7, 2009.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-resolution/953

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-12-08.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hres953/BILLS-111hres953ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:20:09Z. 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.953 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.