PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4057-4059)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 18, 2017
Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act of 2017
This bill requires the President to: (1) impose financial and immigration/entry sanctions on listed nationals of Vietnam who are complicit in human rights abuses committed against nationals of Vietnam or their family members, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Vietnam; and (2) submit to Congress a publicly available list of individuals determined to be complicit in such human rights abuses.
The President may waive sanctions to comply with international agreements or if in the U.S. national interest.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Sanctions shall be terminated if the President certifies to Congress that the government of Vietnam has: (1) released all political prisoners; (2) ceased its practices of violence, detention, and abuse of citizens of Vietnam engaging in peaceful political activity; and (3) conducted a transparent investigation into the killings, arrest, and abuse of such political activists and prosecuted those responsible.
It is the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S.-Vietnam relationship cannot progress while the government of Vietnam's human rights record continues to deteriorate, and (2) the Secretary of State should designate Vietnam as a country of particular concern with respect to religious freedom.
People & committees
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4057-4059)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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