Cornyn Introduces Bill to Promote Human Rights in Vietnam

I introduced the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, legislation that would impose sanctions and travel restrictions on Vietnamese nationals who are complicit in human rights abuses against other Vietnamese.

This bill is a critical step in the fight to strengthen the freedoms of the people of Vietnam. Until Vietnam releases all its political prisoners and demonstrates respect for its citizens’ basic human rights, the United States must continue to put pressure on their oppressive regime. I’ve introduced this bill with the goal of helping lift up its citizens, and the hope that one day our two nations may have the strong relationship many of us in the United States and Vietnam desire.

The Vietnam Human Rights Sanction Act 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).