A bill to place restrictions on the issuance of nonimmigrant visas to Chinese journalists employed by a Chinese state-run media organization or effectively controlled by the Government of the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · October 5, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Chinese-Backed Media Accountability Act
This bill places restrictions on nonimmigrant visas for journalists from China who work for a Chinese state-run media organization.
The Department of State shall report to Congress on the number of Chinese nationals who (1) work as journalists for an organization identified as a Chinese state-run media organization (or whose work product is effectively controlled by China's government or the Chinese Communist Party); (2) were in the United States on the date this bill was enacted; and (3) were issued an H-1B, I-1, or L-1 visa in the past year. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may not approve a petition for one of these visas for such a Chinese journalist until the State Department submits this report, which shall be due within 30 days of this bill's enactment. The State Department shall update this report every two years and provide other related information.
In addition, the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs must ensure that (1) the number of such visas issued to Chinese journalists does not exceed the number of U.S. journalists in China, and (2) such a visa is valid for no longer than 90 days.
The bill identifies specific organizations, such as China Central Television and the People's Daily, as Chinese state-run media organizations, and directs the State Department to identify any other organizations that qualify as such.
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