article: TITLE I--PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF CERTAIN CHINESE OFFICIALS IN CONFERENCES, EXCHANGES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES SEC. 101. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS. (a) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for fiscal years after fiscal year 1997, no funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the Department of State, the United States Information Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development may be used for the purpose of providing travel expenses and per diem for the participation of nationals of the People's Republic of China described in paragraphs (1) and (2) in conferences, exchanges, programs, and activities: (1) The head or political secretary of any of the following Chinese Government-created or approved organizations: (A) The Chinese Buddhist Association. (B) The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. (C) The National Congress of Catholic Representatives. (D) The Chinese Catholic Bishops' Conference. (E) The Chinese Protestant ``Three Self'' Patriotic Movement. (F) The China Christian Council. (G) The Chinese Taoist Association. (H) The Chinese Islamic Association. (2) Any military or civilian official or employee of the Government of the People's Republic of China who is directly involved in any of the following policies or practices or who was responsible for the supervision of persons directly involved in such policies or practices: (A) Formulating, drafting, or implementing repressive religious policies. (B) Imprisoning, detaining, or harassing individuals on religious grounds. (C) Promoting or participating in policies or practices which hinder religious activities or the free expression of religious beliefs. (b) Certification.-- (1) Each Federal agency subject to the prohibition of subsection (a) shall certify in writing to the appropriate congressional committees no later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter, that it did not pay, either directly or through a contractor or grantee, for travel expenses or per diem of any national of the People's Republic of China described in subsection (a). (2) Each certification under paragraph (1) shall be supported by the following information: (A) The name of each employee of any agency of the Government of the People's Republic of China whose travel expenses or per diem were paid by funds of the reporting agency of the United States Government. (B) The procedures employed by the reporting agency of the United States Government to ascertain whether each individual under subparagraph (A) did or did not participate in activities described in subsection (a)(2). (C) The reporting agency's basis for concluding that each individual under subparagraph (A) did not participate in such activities. (c) Definition of Appropriate Congressional Committees.--For purposes of this section the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives. SEC. 102. SUNSET PROVISION. Section 101 shall cease to have effect 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. TITLE II--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR RADIO FREE ASIA AND VOICE OF AMERICA SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR INCREASED FUNDING. (a) Authorization of Appropriations for International Broadcasting to China.--In addition to such sums as are otherwise authorized to be appropriated for ``International Broadcasting Activities'' for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, there are authorized to be appropriated for ``International Broadcasting Activities'' $46,900,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $31,200,000 for fiscal year 1999, which shall be available only for broadcasting to China. (b) Limitations.-- (1) Radio free asia.-- (A) Of the funds authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) $26,900,000 is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998 and $21,200,000 is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1999 for Radio Free Asia. (B) Of the funds under subparagraph (A), $1,200,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each such fiscal year for additional personnel to staff Cantonese language broadcasting. (C) Of the funds under subparagraph (A) authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, $900,000 is authorized to be appropriated for additional advanced editing equipment. (2) 1998.-- (A) Of the funds under subsection (a) authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, $11,800,000 is authorized to be appropriated for capital expenditures for the purchase and construction of transmission facilities. (B) Of the funds under subsection (a) authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, $3,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to facilitate the timely augmentation of transmitters at Tinian, Commonwealth of Northern Marianas. (c) Allocation.--Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a), the Director of the United States Information Agency and the Board of Broadcasting Governors shall seek to ensure that the amounts made available for broadcasting to nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression do not decline in proportion to the amounts made available for broadcasting to other nations. SEC. 202. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in consultation with the Board of Broadcasting Governors, the President shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report on a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to the People's Republic of China in multiple major dialects and languages. SEC. 203. REDUCTION IN AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MIGRATION AND REFUGEE ASSISTANCE. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such amounts as are authorized to be appropriated for ``Migration and Refugee Assistance'' for fiscal year 1998 shall be reduced by $21,900,000 and for fiscal year 1999 shall be reduced by $6,200,000. TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS SEC. 301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AT DIPLOMATIC POSTS TO MONITOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. There are authorized to be appropriated to support personnel to monitor political repression in the People's Republic of China in the United States Embassy in Beijing, as well as the American consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, Chengdu, and Hong Kong, $2,200,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $2,200,000 for fiscal year 1999. SEC. 302. CONGRESSIONAL STATEMENT OF POLICY. It is the sense of the Congress that the President should make freedom of religion one of the major objectives of United States foreign policy with respect to China. As part of this policy, the Department of State should raise in every relevant bilateral and multilateral forum the issue of individuals imprisoned, detained, confined, or otherwise harassed by the Chinese Government on religious grounds. In its communications with the Chinese Government, the Department of State should provide specific names of individuals of concern and request a complete and timely response from the Chinese Government regarding the individuals' whereabouts and condition, the charges against them, and sentence imposed. The goal of these official communications should be the expeditious release of all religious prisoners in China and the end of the Chinese Government's policy and practice of harassing and repressing religious believers.
summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Prohibition on Use of Funds for the Participation of Certain Chinese Officials in Conferences, Exchanges, Programs, and Activities Title II: Authorization of Appropriations for Increased Funding for Radio Free Asia and Voice of America Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions Title I: Prohibition on Use of Funds for the Participation of Certain Chinese Officials in Conferences, Exchanges, Programs, and Activities - Prohibits certain U.S. agencies from funding the travel and per diem expenses of certain nationals of the People's Republic of China for participation in conferences, exchanges, programs, and activities. Title II: Authorization of Appropriations for Increased Funding for Radio Free Asia and Voice of America - Authorizes appropriations for International Broadcasting Activities for FY 1998 and 1999 in addition to sums previously authorized. Details allocation of such additional appropriations for Radio Free Asia. Instructs the Director of the United States Information Agency and the Board of Broadcasting Governors to seek to ensure that funds made available for broadcasting to nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression do not decline in proportion to amounts made available for broadcasting to other nations. (Sec. 202) Directs the President to report to the Congress on a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America in multiple major dialects and languages to the People's Republic of China. (Sec. 203) Reduces authorization of appropriations for FY 1998 and 1999 for Migration and Refugee Assistance. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1998 and 1999 to support personnel in the United States Embassy in Beijing as well as in selected American consulates to monitor political repression in the People's Republic of China. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the President should make freedom of religion one of the major objectives of U.S. foreign policy with respect to China; (2) the Department of State should raise the issue of individuals imprisoned or otherwise harassed by the Chinese Government on religious grounds and request a complete and timely response from the Chinese Government regarding the individuals' whereabouts and condition, the charges against them, and the sentence imposed; and (3) the goal of official communications should be the expeditious release of all religious prisoners in China and the end of religious harassment and repression.