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Congress·Passed Senate·S.Res. 728

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Ekpar Asat detained by the People's Republic of China during future engagements with Chinese President Xi Jingping.

China Detentions: Senate Call for Release

The Senate has officially passed this resolution. Because it has already been agreed to by the Senate, there are no further actions scheduled for this bill. It is no longer moving through the legislative process.

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law
Very likely to pass

This resolution has already been considered and agreed to by the Senate with support from both political parties.

Key Points

  • The Senate is asking the White House to push for the release of several people held in China for their religious or political beliefs. These individuals include church leaders, a newspaper owner, and a doctor who have been arrested on what the Senate calls questionable charges.
  • Many of the detainees are suffering from serious health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. The resolution asks the U.S. government to demand proof that these people are still alive and to ensure they get proper medical care, lawyers, and contact with their families.
  • This move comes right before a planned meeting between U.S. leaders and Xi Jinping in May 2026. The Senate wants these specific cases to be a top priority during those diplomatic talks to show that the U.S. values human rights and religious freedom.
  • Trump previously asked Xi Jinping to release Jimmy Lai, and this resolution builds on that effort by adding more names to the list of people the U.S. wants freed.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

Milestones

2 actions
May 13, 2026Senate

Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2283; text: CR S2282)

May 13, 2026

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

The Senate voted to approve this bill. If the House already passed it, it goes to the President.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the President should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Ekpar Asat detained by the People's Republic of China during future engagements with Chinese President Xi Jingping.

Bill NumberSRES 728
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionSubmitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2283; text: CR S2282)

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(14)
D: 7R: 7

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.