Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—teamed up with current CECC Chair Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), CECC Co-Chair Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), and CECC Commissioner Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) to introduce the Transnational Repression Policy Act.
This landmark, bipartisan legislation takes aim at the growing threat of transnational repression to hold foreign authoritarian governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault dissidents and diaspora communities across their borders, including in the United States. The bill would also elevate countering transnational repression as a key U.S. foreign policy priority and promote diplomacy that addresses it as part of a broader strategy to advance democratic principles and human rights at home and abroad.
“The United States must oppose all acts of transnational repression—no matter the perpetrator,” said Merkley. “This bipartisan bill lays out a clear, whole-of-government strategy to elevate this issue in our diplomacy, mobilize federal agencies to protect at-risk communities, and push back against this growing threat to human rights and free expression.”
“Authoritarian regimes like the Chinese Communist Party are exporting repression and fear to our shores—intimidating American citizens right here at home. It is outrageous and unacceptable,” said Sullivan. “This bill makes clear: the United States will not tolerate foreign governments harassing, threatening, or silencing people on our soil.”
“The Chinese Communist Party is waging campaigns of fear beyond its borders—they are reaching into our cities, universities, and homes to intimidate those who dare speak out against tyranny,” said Smith. “This bill ensures that the United States will no longer tolerate foreign repression on our soil.If you target dissidents, activists, or diaspora communities in America on behalf of a brutal regime, you will be exposed and prosecuted.”
“Transnational repression is a human rights violation that crosses borders—and it’s happening more and more often,” said McGovern. “We need to stay focused on supporting the victims of these egregious abuses by strengthening the tools our government uses to protect them and prevent future acts of repression. I’m proud to join Senators Merkley and Sullivan and Representative Smith in reintroducing the Transnational Repression Policy Act to define this abusive practice in law and improve coordination across all of government to stop human rights violators from targeting dissidents beyond their borders.”
Transnational repression occurs when a government reaches across national borders to intimidate, harass, or harm members of diaspora and exile communities to prevent their exercise of internationally recognized human rights. It can take both direct and indirect forms, including physical assaults, unlawful renditions and detention, targeted online surveillance, and threats against family members back home.
To keep authoritarian governments in check and prevent their “long arm” from impeding on human rights abroad, the Transnational Repression Policy Act would:
- Establish clear U.S. policy to protect people from foreign government harassment and to hold perpetrators accountable.
- Define transnational repression as when a foreign government tries to silence, intimidate, or harm people across borders, including activists, journalists, students, and diaspora communities.
- Require the State Department to lead a comprehensive government strategy to counter transnational repression by partnering with allies, engaging multilateral institutions, and supporting civil society organizations that help victims.
- Direct key agencies to train U.S. officials including diplomats, federal law enforcement, and local officials on how to identify and respond to tactics like digital surveillance, threats, or coercion of family members.
- Improve the federal response within the United States by requiring outreach and support to at-risk communities.
Merkley has led efforts to strengthen U.S. policy to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States and across other borders. He has long spotlighted the most frequent perpetrator of transnational repression: the People’s Republic of China, which targets Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Tibetans, dissidents, and others.
Full text of the Transnational Repression Policy Act can be found by clicking here.
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