Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) testified today before the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement about his legislation, H.R. 2121, to deny senior Chinese leadership entry into the United States, as well as entry by individuals who have committed human rights abuses.

    “We are holding China to universal standards that apply to all states and that China itself claims to uphold,” said Smith, chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the chairman of the House panel that oversees international human rights. “As a nation, we must not turn a blind eye to the Chinese government’s continuing acts of silencing dissent, committing crimes against its own people, and repressing its citizens’ fundamental human rights.” Click here to read Smith’s testimony.

    The bill, entitled “The China Democracy Promotion Act of 2011,” gives the President of the United States the authority to deny entry into the U.S. to any senior leader of the Chinese government and members of their family who derive benefit from policies or actions that target democratic activists, persecute Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, or any other ethnic minority, or who has participated in the trafficking of North Korean refugees, the forcible return of refugees to North Korea, or coercive birth limitation policies. H.R. 2121 also bars entry to members of any branch of the security police which has participated in the violent repression of any individual or leaders of religious groups, democracy advocates, human rights lawyers, workers’ rights advocates or independent media, journalists, or Internet users. Click here to read Smith’s bill. 

    Smith is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee who chairs its human rights panel, which is formally known as the Africa, Global Health and Human Rights Subcommittee. He is also a commissioner of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

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