PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 7, 2020
Holding the Chinese Communist Party Accountable for Infecting Americans Act of 2020
This bill allows foreign states to be sued in a U.S. court for physical or economic harms occurring in the United States as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus 2019). (Typically, a foreign state is immune from lawsuits filed against it in a U.S. court.)
Specifically, a foreign state shall not have immunity from a lawsuit seeking damages for (1) the foreign state's spread of COVID-19, or (2) tortious acts intended to deliberately conceal or distort the existence or nature of COVID-19.
If the United States is in discussions with a foreign state that is seeking to resolve claims related to COVID-19 against the foreign state, the Department of Justice may intervene and seek a stay in a case filed under this bill involving the foreign state.
People & committees
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] · R–AR
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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