Jewish World Watch (JWW) commends the House of Representatives for passing the Uyghur Policy Act (H.R. 4685), a bill that would increase U.S. response, awareness and advocacy for Uyghur human rights.
“We applaud our leaders in the House who continue to make progress toward Uyghur human rights through this bill,” Jewish World Watch Executive Director Serena Oberstein said. “This crisis has been exacerbated by recent Zero COVID shutdowns, punctuated by the tragic Urumqi fire on November 24.”
JWW is thankful to Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), who authored the bill and has been an ardent champion of Uyghur rights. Kim’s leadership continues to build much-needed momentum on this crucial issue.
“The United States needs to demonstrate our support for the Uyghur people of China,” Rep. Kim said following the bill’s passage, “words are not enough to push back against the CCP. We need more action.”
The Uyghur Policy Act (H.R.4785) authorizes a new position within the U.S. government, a Special Coordinator for Uyghur Issues, to coordinate policies, programs, and projects related to Uyghurs, and to support enhanced diplomatic efforts on the Uyghur issue. The bill also supports the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur or Working Group to monitor and report on the situation in East Turkistan.
“With this legislation, we send a powerful signal to the Uyghur people: America sees you, we stand with you, and we’re fighting with you,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remarked a night before the vote. “And we send a resounding message to Beijing: this genocide must end now.”
The Senate version of the bill currently has no co-sponsors. We must continue to shine a line on this crisis by urging our elected officials to support S. 4073.