Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act
Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.
Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act - Amends the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary of State to report to Congress on conditions in Hong Kong that are of U.S. interest by March 31, 2015, and annually thereafter for 10 years or until the Secretary certifies that Hong Kong has held free and fair elections for 2 consecutive Chief Executive and 2 consecutive Legislative Council periods.
States that it is U.S. policy to:
- reaffirm the principles set forth in the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992;
- support the democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong;
- urge China's government to uphold its commitments to Hong Kong;
- support the establishment by 2017 of a democratic option to nominate and elect the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and the establishment by 2020 of democratic elections for all members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council; and
- support freedom of the press.
States that Hong Kong is ineligible for treatment different from that accorded to China under U.S. laws or agreements unless the President certifies to Congress that Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to justify different treatment.
Authorizes the President to waive such ineligibility if waiver is in the U.S. national interest and Congress is given a justification of the waiver on or before the date it takes effect.
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5696: Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5696/
"H.R. 5696: Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5696/.
H.R. 5696, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5696/.
[H.R. 5696: Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-5696/)