Cornyn Introduces Bill to Combat Human Rights Violations in Vietnam

I released the following statement after reintroducing S. 929, the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, which would impose sanctions and travel restrictions on Vietnamese nationals who are complicit in human rights abuses against other Vietnamese.

The relationship between the United States and Vietnam cannot progress if the government of Vietnam continues to completely disregard the human rights of its own citizens. There is a serious and immediate need for more targeted U.S. action on behalf of the Vietnamese people, and I will continue to fight for those citizens who have lost their basic civil, religious, and political liberties at the hands of their own government.

More information about the Vietnam Human Rights Sanction Act:

This bill would: Direct the President to compile a list of Vietnamese nationals deemed to be complicit in human rights abuses in Vietnam, prohibit those individuals from entering the United States, and impose financial sanctions on them. Express the sense of Congress that, due to Vietnam’s atrocious record on religious freedom, the Secretary of State should re-designate Vietnam a “country of particular concern” (CPC) with respect to religious freedom under the International Religious freedom Act. This bill is cosponsored by Sens. John Boozman (R-AR), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).