STOP CCP Act
What changed between versions
Sanctions on Central Committee members are no longer automatic. The President must now determine that each individual 'engages in the conduct described in subsection (b)' before imposing sanctions, shifting from a blanket designation to a case-by-case determination.
A new paragraph (4) adds Chinese state-owned enterprises as a category of sanctioned persons if they are illegally manufacturing or distributing fentanyl, or knowingly/intentionally manufacturing or distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals for illegal production.
A new exception (subsection j) states that sanctions authorities shall not include the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods, creating a carve-out for trade in physical goods.
The Sense of Congress was revised from stating the CCP 'has committed' violations to stating 'members of the Chinese Communist Party... are responsible for' violations, and added 'violations of Hong Kong's autonomy' and 'increased aggression against the people of Taiwan' as separate categories.
A new subsection (b) defines 'sanctionable conduct' as playing a significant role in developing or implementing government policies designed to: violate Hong Kong's autonomy; harass or intimidate Taiwan; contribute to political oppression or human rights violations within China; or willfully engage in malicious activities including online disinformation and propaganda to interfere with US elections.
The waiver provision was substantially changed. Previously, the President could waive sanctions for renewable 30-day periods only if China met four specific conditions (ceased genocide, ceased aggression toward Taiwan, ceased undermining Hong Kong, ceased IP theft). Now the President may waive for periods of up to 60 days each based on a certification that the waiver is 'vital to the national security interests of the United States' - a much broader and less specific standard.
A new termination provision (subsection h) allows the President to terminate sanctions after certifying that either China has ceased genocide, oppression of Tibetans (new), aggression toward Taiwan, undermining Hong Kong autonomy, and IP theft; OR the sanctioned individual has affirmatively renounced CCP membership and taken steps to denounce or remediate the conduct.
The termination provision adds a new condition regarding cessation of 'all forms of oppression of the Tibetan people,' referencing the 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which was not present in the original waiver conditions.
