Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act

Key Points

• This bill aims to protect the rights of about 6 million Southern Mongolians living in China. It addresses concerns that the Chinese government is trying to erase their unique culture by banning their language in schools, closing their social media sites, and removing Mongolian signs from public places.
• The plan would require the U.S. to identify and punish Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses, such as torture or illegal detentions. These officials could face sanctions, which include being blocked from traveling to the U.S. or using the American banking system.
• To help get information to the region, the bill provides $2 million a year to start a new Mongolian-language news service through the Voice of America. This service would broadcast news to people in Mongolia, China, and parts of Russia.
• The bill also focuses on the environment and traditional ways of life. It calls for reports on how massive rare-earth mines are polluting the land and how the government is forcing hundreds of thousands of nomadic herders to move into cities against their will.
• U.S. companies doing business in the region would be encouraged to follow strict guidelines. These rules are meant to ensure that American businesses do not accidentally help with human rights violations or contribute to the destruction of the local environment.

Impact Analysis

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