{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-1103","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 1103","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To require the President to remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To require the President to remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Title(s) from PCS (Placed on Senate Calendar) bill text","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-02-17","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-09-10","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h405","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act","result":"Passed","yea":413,"nay":3,"present":0,"not_voting":14,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll405.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 527.","date":"2024-09-25"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-02-17","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the President to periodically determine whether to allow the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) to continue to operate in the United States. (The HKETOs are the official representative offices for Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city that was established as a British colony in 1841. The United Kingdom transferred sovereignty over Hong Kong to China in 1997)."},{"k":"p","t":"Under this bill, the President must periodically (at least once a year) certify to Congress a determination as to whether the HKETOs should be covered by the International Organizations Immunities Act. (The act provides immunities and privileges to certain international organizations, such as immunity from certain lawsuits and exemption from property taxes.)"},{"k":"p","t":"If the President certifies that the HKETOs no longer merit receiving such privileges and immunities, the HKETOs must terminate operations in the United States no later than 180 days after the certification is delivered to Congress."},{"k":"p","t":"If the President certifies that the HKETOs continue to merit such privileges and immunities, the HKETOs may continue operations for another year, unless Congress enacts a joint resolution disapproving of the certification."},{"k":"p","t":"The President may also revoke the application of such privileges and immunities to the HKETOs."},{"k":"p","t":"A federal government entity may enter into an agreement or partnership with an HKETO only if the HKETOs are still authorized to operate in the United States under this bill."}],"words":235},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Requires the Secretary of State to determine periodically whether the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices merit certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities, ties their continued operation in the United States to that determination, and limits federal agreements with them.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HD95515A848294B098FAE8952E2275177"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#H78EF9EF926B242A89FF8AA73FE283327"}]},"core_areas":["Certification of privileges and immunities for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices","Termination or continuation of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office operations in the United States","Congressional disapproval resolution procedures","Limits on federal agreements with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Requires the Secretary of State, within 30 days of enactment and then with each certification under section 205(a)(1)(A) of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, to determine whether the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices merit or no longer merit their current privileges, exemptions, and immunities, with a detailed report justifying the determination.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HD95515A848294B098FAE8952E2275177"}},{"text":"Requires the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to terminate operations not later than 180 days after a determination that they no longer merit the privileges, exemptions, and immunities is delivered to the appropriate congressional committees.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HD95515A848294B098FAE8952E2275177"}},{"text":"Allows the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to continue operating for one year, or until the next certification is submitted if sooner, after a determination that they merit the privileges, exemptions, and immunities, unless a disapproval resolution is enacted.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HD95515A848294B098FAE8952E2275177"}},{"text":"Sets the form of a joint disapproval resolution, who may introduce it, and expedited procedures in the House and Senate, including discharge of a committee that has not reported it within 10 legislative days.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HD95515A848294B098FAE8952E2275177"}},{"text":"Allows a federal entity to enter an agreement or partnership with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices only if the Secretary of State has submitted a determination that they merit the privileges, exemptions, and immunities, and no disapproval resolution is enacted within 90 days after submission.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#H78EF9EF926B242A89FF8AA73FE283327"}},{"text":"States the policy of the United States that federal entities do not knowingly assist in promoting Hong Kong as a free and autonomous city while the Secretary of State continues to determine that Hong Kong does not enjoy a high degree of autonomy from the People's Republic of China.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HF4D8DEE6948F4894B3DC808C4FCAABEF"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh#HF4D8DEE6948F4894B3DC808C4FCAABEF"},"heading":"Policy of United States on promotion of autonomy of Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region","effect":"States a U.S. policy that federal entities not knowingly promote Hong Kong as free and autonomous while the Secretary of State finds it lacks a high degree of autonomy, and that such promotion is propaganda, and seeks release of political prisoners.","amount":null,"quote":"to engage with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, through all relevant entities of the United States Government, seeking the release of political prisoners, the end of arbitrary detentions"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-09-10","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-09-30","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1103/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-1103.png","v":"9b345f51970a","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 1103, 118th Congress: Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act. House: 413 Yea, 3 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 10 Sep 2024."}}