Uyghur Policy Act of 2026

This bill aims to support the human rights of Uyghurs and other minority groups in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and safeguard their distinct identity. Sec. 2, Findings: Congress finds that the People's Republic of China (PRC) represses the Islamic, Turkic identity of Uyghurs and other minorities in the XUAR, using counterterrorism campaigns and the legal system to justify arbitrary detentions, torture, forced labor, and other abuses, and that multiple foreign governments have declared these actions genocide. Sec. 3, Sense of Congress: Congress states that the PRC should cease repression, open the XUAR to independent visits, release named political prisoners, and that the Department of State should continue disseminating information on human rights violations. Sec. 4, U.S. coordination: The Secretary of State should prioritize policies to support Uyghurs, advocate for political prisoners, engage with foreign partners to pressure the PRC, and establish a reporting mechanism for transnational repression, with a report to Congress due within 180 days and annually for three years, and the section sunsets after five years. Sec. 5, No additional funds: No new funds are authorized; requirements must be carried out using existing funds. Sec. 6, Uyghur language training: The Secretary of State may make Uyghur language training available to Foreign Service officers and aim to assign at least one Uyghur-speaking officer to a U.S. post in China and one in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, or Turkiye, with a report from the Foreign Service Institute due within one year. Sec. 7, U.N. considerations: The President shall direct the U.S. U.N. representative to oppose efforts to block consideration of human rights violations in the XUAR and support the creation of a special rapporteur for the XUAR.