S. 2560 — Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025

This section designates the Act as the "Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025" and includes a table of contents.

This section revises reporting and sanctions requirements under sec. 6 of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-145; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note)—which requires the President to report on persons responsible for human rights violations against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and members of other ethnic minority groups in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and impose sanctions on them using authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)—as follows: (1) in subsection (a)(1), expands the scope of covered persons from those "in" the XUAR to "persons residing in" the XUAR or members of those groups outside China, and adds four new types of reportable acts (systematic rape, coercive abortion, forced sterilization, or involuntary contraceptive policies; human trafficking for organ removal; forced separation of children from parents for placement in boarding schools; and forced deportation or refoulement to China); (2) inserts new subsection (a)(2) requiring the report to identify foreign persons that knowingly provide significant goods, services, or technology to or for persons on the list or knowingly engage in significant transactions related to the specified acts; (3) in subsection (b), updates the cross-reference from "subsection (a)(1)" to "subsection (a)"; and (4) replaces subsection (d) to explicitly authorize IEEPA implementation (50 U.S.C. 1702) and issuance of necessary regulations, licenses, and orders. The amendments take effect on the date of enactment and apply to the first report submitted thereafter.

This section mandates denial of visas and admission for foreign nationals found, based on credible information, to have been directly involved in forced abortions or sterilizations (previously discretionary "may not" denial by the Secretary of State and Attorney General). It revises the waiver authority to require the Secretary of State to determine that (1) the individual is not directly complicit in atrocities involving oversight of genocidal population control policies, (2) admission is necessary to comply with U.S. international obligations (e.g., UN Headquarters Agreement) or assist U.S. law enforcement, and (3) it is important to U.S. national security (previously, only a national interest determination and congressional notification). The section further requires (1) public announcement whenever such prohibitions are imposed and (2) information on their use—including imposition counts by country and year, and related sanctions—upon request by a Member of Congress.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State to provide medical care, physical therapy, and psychological support to individuals from Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, or other oppressed ethnic groups in China who experienced torture, forced sterilization, rape, forced abortion, forced labor, or other atrocities and are residing outside China, using funds appropriated to the Department of State under the "Development Assistance" heading and subject to specified Foreign Assistance Act requirements. The section further authorizes capacity-building through (1) grants to foreign treatment centers in accordance with section 130(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2152(b)) and (2) research and training for health care providers in accordance with section 130(c)(2) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2152(c)(2)). (As background, 22 U.S.C. 2152 authorizes assistance for rehabilitation of torture victims through grants to foreign treatment centers for direct services, research, and training.) The section requires a briefing to the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees within one year of enactment describing direct care provided and projects supported in foreign countries, and limits the U.S. government share of costs to no more than 50 percent.

This section declares a congressional finding that officials of the People's Republic of China (PRC) have perpetrated genocide and crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to erase the cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage of oppressed ethnic and religious groups. It expresses the sense of Congress that the United States use diplomatic, development, and cultural activities to promote preservation of such heritages threatened by PRC officials. The section further requires the Secretary of State to submit to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, not later than one year after enactment, a report assessing the feasibility of a grant program for affected communities and providing congressional recommendations on needed authorities or funding. Finally, the section authorizes $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029 for a Repressed Cultures Preservation Initiative within the Smithsonian Institution to support institution-wide research, exhibitions, and education on cultural, religious, and linguistic heritages threatened by repressive regimes, including PRC officials.

This section directs the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, to determine within 60 days of enactment whether any of seven specified Chinese entities—(1) Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.; (2) Shenzhen Huada Gene Technology Co., Ltd. (BGI Group); (3) Tiandy Technologies Co., Ltd.; (4) Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd.; (5) China Electronics Technology Group Co.; (6) Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co., Ltd.; and (7) ByteDance Ltd.—is responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses against Uyghurs or other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang or meets sanctions criteria under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, specified provisions of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 and Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, or Executive Orders 13818 or 13553 (as amended). If an entity meets such criteria, the Secretary must add it to the Office of Foreign Assets Control's list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons and submit a report to Congress with the reasons for the determination (in unclassified form, with a possible classified annex).

This section directs the Secretary of State, within 30 days of enactment, to submit to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and House Committee on Foreign Affairs a strategy for countering propaganda from news and information sources associated with the People's Republic of China (PRC) government, Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or PRC-influenced entities. Such propaganda (1) denies genocide, crimes against humanity, and other human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang; (2) criticizes U.S. government economic and reputational actions against the PRC or CCP for the genocide; (3) targets Uyghurs and others opposing PRC genocidal policies and forced labor, including through family intimidation; or (4) pressures UN member countries to deny or defend PRC human rights violations in international forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. The strategy must describe (1) existing messaging and broadcasting efforts countering propaganda under (1) and (2) above and their audience reach; (2) metrics for success or failure of such efforts across media platforms and an impact analysis; (3) any new or pilot efforts planned for the next 12 months and their rationale; (4) measurable goals and tangible outcomes for expanding counter-propaganda efforts in the next 12 months; and (5) estimates of additional funding needed to counter such propaganda. This section authorizes the use of amounts in the Countering PRC Influence Fund (under sec. 7043(c)(2) of div. K of P.L. 117-103) to develop and implement the strategy.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State to provide financial and technical assistance, as necessary and appropriate, to entities—including nongovernmental organizations with expertise in international criminal investigations and law—to address genocide, crimes against humanity, and related crimes by the Government of the People's Republic of China in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Assistance supports (1) collecting, documenting, archiving, and preserving evidence, including victim testimonies and social media visuals; (2) identifying suspected perpetrators; (3) conducting criminal investigations, including by developing indigenous investigative and judicial skills through partnerships, mentoring, and equipment for prosecutions in domestic, hybrid, and internationalized domestic courts; (4) supporting investigations by foreign countries, civil society groups, and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations; and (5) supporting and protecting witnesses.

This section prohibits the head of an executive agency from entering into procurement contracts for goods or services with (1) any person identified in the report required by section 6(a) of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-145); (2) any person that mined, produced, or manufactured goods detained and denied entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA; P.L. 117-78, which presumes goods from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are made with forced labor and bars their importation absent clear evidence otherwise); (3) any person that the agency head determines—with Secretary of State concurrence—facilitates genocide or human rights abuses in the XUAR; or (4) any person, program, project, or activity that contributes to forced labor in the XUAR or by ethnic Uyghurs or other persecuted groups in China, or violates internationally recognized worker rights in China. Requires executive agencies to consult with the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (established under the USMCA Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. 4681) on implementing the UFLPA-related prohibition. Directs the President to submit a report on this section's implementation within 180 days of enactment to the Senate Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the House Committees on Ways and Means, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Accountability. Defines "executive agency" (per 41 U.S.C. 133) and "internationally recognized worker rights" (per 19 U.S.C. 2467(4), i.e., rights to association, collective bargaining, freedom from forced labor and worst forms of child labor, and acceptable conditions of work).

This section directs the Secretary of State, not later than 90 days after enactment, to submit to Congress (1) a determination as to whether forced organ harvesting has occurred in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from 2017 to the date of enactment and to what extent, and (2) subject to that determination, a strategy to address forced organ harvesting in the People's Republic of China and hold accountable individuals and entities engaged in related human trafficking. The strategy must include (1) specific steps to address the practice and an analysis of past effective deterrents; (2) details on bilateral and multilateral diplomatic outreach, including the number and level of discussions with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states on forced organ harvesting and organ tourism by their citizens to China; and (3) details on using Department of State rewards programs to obtain information on the practice and any need for additional congressional authorities or funding. The Secretary may consult the Director of National Intelligence and other relevant agency heads.

This section directs the Secretary of State to compile, as soon as practicable after enactment, information on family members of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents detained or missing in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, particularly those detained to silence or intimidate U.S.-based human rights advocates, journalists, or State Department program participants (including Gulshan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, and Radio Free Asia employees). The section further specifies that the information be used by U.S. officials and Members of Congress in interactions with People's Republic of China officials; directs consideration of aggregating the information by state and congressional district for Members of Congress; and requires consultations with the Uyghur-American community.

This section directs the Inspector General of the Department of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a report assessing whether the Department has policies and procedures to verify that procured food does not include seafood originating in the People's Republic of China prohibited under section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307)—which bars imports made with forced, convict, or indentured labor—pursuant to presumptions in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act or section 302A of the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Defense from procuring seafood or seafood products originating or processed in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for military dining facilities—including galleys on U.S. naval vessels—subject to exceptions for undue burden at overseas facilities or U.S. vessels in foreign ports and to a waiver authority. It amends 10 U.S.C. §2484 to prohibit commissary store sales of raw or processed PRC-origin seafood or seafood products (with waiver authority), effective 30 days after enactment with authority for the Defense Commissary Agency to dispose of existing stock; and amends 10 U.S.C. §2481(c)(4) to require a congressional briefing assessing compliance with the commissary sales prohibition. The prohibitions and amendments take effect 90 days after enactment.