Skip to main content
S 4245 116th Congress Senate International Affairs Asia China Congressional oversight Hong Kong Human rights International organizations and cooperation Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media News media and reporting Protest and dissent Public-private cooperation

Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act of 2020

Introduced: July 21, 2020 Introduced by: Lankford, James Republican · Oklahoma See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 21, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jul 21, 2020
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

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.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act of 2020

This bill authorizes and establishes programs to promote internet freedom in Hong Kong and contains other related provisions.

The Department of State may establish an interagency working group to develop a strategy to bolster internet resiliency and access in Hong Kong. The State Department shall also establish within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor a Hong Kong internet freedom program. (The bureau has existing programs to promote internet freedom globally through technology development, digital safety, policy advocacy, and research.)

The Open Technology Fund may establish a Hong Kong internet freedom program. (The fund, an independent nonprofit organization that receives U.S. government funding, was originally a part of Radio Free Asia.)

The bureau and the fund may award grants to qualifying private organizations to promote technology and tools in Hong Kong that promote online information access, enhance digital security, and circumvent internet blocking and other online censorship.

The State Department shall report to Congress a classified strategy to (1) increase the availability of firewall circumvention technology in Hong Kong; and (2) support the preservation of an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet in Hong Kong.

What's happening now July 21, 2020

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 2
D
Hassan, Margaret Wood
New Hampshire · Sep 14, 2020
 D
Kaine, Tim
Virginia · Jul 21, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 4245: Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act of 2020. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4245/
MLA
"S. 4245: Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act of 2020." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4245/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 4245, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4245/.
Markdown link
[S. 4245: Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act of 2020](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4245/)
Report a problem