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H.R. 7440 116th Congress House

Hong Kong Autonomy Act

Official title: To impose sanctions with respect to foreign persons involved in the erosion of certain obligations of China with respect to Hong Kong, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 1, 2020 Introduced by: Brad Sherman Democratic · California See on congress.gov
International Affairs AsiaBanking and financial institutions regulationChinaCongressional oversight
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Corporate finance and managementForeign and international bankingForeign loans and debtForeign propertyHong KongHuman rightsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationInternational monetary system and foreign exchangeLegislative rules and procedureNews media and reportingPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsProtest and dissentRule of law and government transparencySanctionsSovereignty, recognition, national governance and statusTrade restrictionsU.S. and foreign investmentsVisas and passportsWar and emergency powers
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 Everywhere this bill has been 20 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 14, 2020
Became Public Law No: 116-149.
Jul 14, 2020
Signed by President.
Jul 14, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
Jul 2, 2020
Presented to President.
Jul 2, 2020
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Jul 2, 2020
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4180)
Jul 2, 2020
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S4180)
Jul 1, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Ways and Means, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 1, 2020
Committee on Rules discharged.
Jul 1, 2020
Committee on Ways and Means discharged.
Jul 1, 2020
Received in the Senate, read twice.
Jul 1, 2020
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jul 1, 2020
On passage Passed without objection.
Jul 1, 2020
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.
Jul 1, 2020
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H3039-3044; text: CR H3039-3044)
Jul 1, 2020
Mr. Sherman asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
Jul 1, 2020
Committee on Financial Services discharged.
Jul 1, 2020
Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
Jul 1, 2020
Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.
Jul 1, 2020
Introduced in House
 Amendments to this bill 1

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
HAMDT 831 Sherman, Brad An amendment to on page 35, line 16, strike "calendar" and insert "legislative". Agreed to Jul 1, 2020
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 Latest action July 14, 2020

Became Public Law No: 116-149.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Hong Kong Autonomy Act

This bill imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that materially contribute to China's failure to preserve Hong Kong's autonomy.

Hong Kong is part of China but has a largely separate legal and economic system with protections for civil rights such as freedom of speech. This arrangement is enshrined in (1) the Joint Declaration, a 1984 treaty pertaining to the United Kingdom's transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China; and (2) the Basic Law, Hong Kong's constitutional document.

The Department of State shall report annually to Congress information about (1) foreign individuals and entities that materially contributed to China's failure to comply with the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law; and (2) foreign financial institutions that knowingly conducted a significant transaction with such identified individuals and entities. An individual, entity, or financial institution may be excluded from this report for various reasons, such as to protect an intelligence source.

The President shall impose property-blocking sanctions on an individual or entity named in a report, and visa-blocking sanctions on a named individual. The President shall impose various sanctions on a financial institution named in a report, such as prohibiting the institution from receiving loans from a U.S. financial institution.

The President may waive or terminate the imposition of sanctions under this bill. Congress may override such a waiver or termination by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • HR 7083 Hong Kong Autonomy Act
  • S 4049 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021
  • S 3798 Hong Kong Autonomy Act
 Bill text 7 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
 Cosponsors 11
All 11 Democratic 1 Republican 6
R
Barr, Andy
Kentucky · Jul 1, 2020
 D
Connolly, Gerald E.
Virginia · Jul 1, 2020
 R
Curtis, John R.
Utah · Jul 1, 2020
 R
Fitzpatrick, Brian K.
Pennsylvania · Jul 1, 2020
 R
Guest, Michael
Mississippi · Jul 1, 2020
MALONEY, CAROLYN
· Jul 1, 2020
 R
Perry, Scott
Pennsylvania · Jul 1, 2020
 R
Reschenthaler, Guy
Pennsylvania · Jul 1, 2020
Spanberger, Abigail
· Jul 1, 2020
 D
Suozzi, Thomas R.
New York · Jul 1, 2020
Yoho, Ted
· Jul 1, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 7440: Hong Kong Autonomy Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-7440/
MLA
"H.R. 7440: Hong Kong Autonomy Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-7440/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 7440, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-7440/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 7440: Hong Kong Autonomy Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-7440/)
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