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South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021

Introduced: May 17, 2021 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) 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 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 28, 2021
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 158.
Oct 28, 2021
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Oct 19, 2021
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 17, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
May 17, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021

This bill authorizes sanctions on Chinese individuals and entities that participate in certain activities related to China's territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

The President may impose property-blocking and visa-denial sanctions on certain Chinese individuals and entities, including those that are (1) responsible for or significantly contributing to certain large-scale projects, such as reclamation and militarization projects, in the disputed parts of the South China Sea; (2) responsible for or significantly contributing to actions that inhibit another country from protecting its sovereign rights to access resources in the South China Sea; and (3) responsible for or complicit in actions that threaten the peace, security, or stability in disputed South China Sea areas or in an East China Sea area administered by Japan or South Korea.

The President may also (1) deny visas to the corporate officers and controlling shareholders of sanctioned entities, (2) subject sanctioned individuals or entities to certain export restrictions, and (3) prohibit U.S. individuals and entities from investing in sanctioned entities or individuals.

The Department of State must periodically submit a report to Congress identifying countries that recognize China's claims to the contested territories.

What's happening now October 28, 2021

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 158.

 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1657: South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-1657/
MLA
"S. 1657: South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-1657/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1657, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-1657/.
Markdown link
[S. 1657: South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-1657/)
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