Today, Representatives John Curtis (R-UT), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the China Task Force, released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted unanimously in support of the Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act, a comprehensive bill that includes language from the Congressman’s Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act.

“Since the passage of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, we have seen arbitrary detentions of activists and crackdowns on their free press. This bill addresses this humanitarian crisis and shows Hong Kongers that the United States has their backs in their struggle for basic freedoms and liberty,” said Curtis. “I commend my colleague, Rep. Malinowski, for working to advance legislation to help those in need, which includes my language to give Hong Kongers expedited refugee status to come to the United States.”

Background:

This bill would facilitate the entry of Hong Kongers to the U.S. in the wake of the Chinese Communist Party takeover of Hong Kong. 

The language taken from the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act includes:

• Designation of select Hong Kongers as refugees
• The waiving of refugee caps for Hong Kongers to ensure they don’t take slots from other groups refugees
• Special emphasis on protecting frontline activists in Hong Kong including those arrested for participation in protests 
• Calling for the U.S. to work with like-minded allies to take in Hong Kongers as refugees

This legislative package included multiple Hong Kong centric bills and was introduced by Representative Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee in October. Text is available [HERE]. 

Congressman Curtis introduced the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act in June (read more here) and wrote an op-ed advocating for the bipartisan legislation in The Hill (click here to read).

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