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Title II — Supporting human rights in Saudi Arabia

S. 2066 · 116th Congress · Jul 9, 2019 · Lineage

II Supporting human rights in Saudi Arabia

Sec. 201 Findings

Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
Since May 2018, the Government of Saudi Arabia has arrested prominent women’s rights advocates and imposed travel bans on numerous others—many of them longtime supporters of ending the ban on women driving and abolishing the male guardianship system.
(2)
Many of the jailed activists have not been charged with or convicted of any crimes, and many reportedly have been held in solitary confinement for prolonged periods.
(3)
At least 10 women’s rights activists have been subjected to psychological and physical abuse, including sexual violence, beatings, electric shocks, and sleep deprivation, according to press reports.
(4)
According to the 2018 Department of State Human Rights Report, Saudi Arabia human rights violations and issues included arbitrary arrest and detention, the detention of political prisoners, torture of prisoners, criminalization of libel, censorship, and restrictions on peaceful assembly.

Sec. 202 Denial of visas to certain officials of the Government of Saudi Arabia

(a)
In general— The President shall deny any visa to, and revoke any visa of, any individual who is—
(1)
a citizen of Saudi Arabia—
(A)
descended from King Abd al Aziz bin Abd al Rahman Al Saud (aka Abdulaziz ibn Saud); and
(B)
serving in a position in the Government of Saudi Arabia that the President determines is equivalent to—
(i)
a position in the Executive Schedule specified in subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code; or
(ii)
a Senior Executive Service position (as defined in section 3132 of title 5, United States Code) in the United States; or
(2)
a spouse or child of an individual described in paragraph (1).
(b)
Exception for compliance with international obligations— Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the admission of an individual to the United States if such admission is necessary to comply with United States obligations under the Agreement between the United Nations and the United States of America regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, under the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 1967, or under other international obligations.
(c)
Waivers—
(1)
Participants in International Military Education and Training program— The President may waive the application of subsection (a) with respect to an individual who is a participant in the International Military Education and Training program.
(2)
National interest waiver— The President may waive the application of subsection (a) with respect to an individual if the President determines that the waiver is important to the national interests of the United States.
(3)
Report on waivers—
(A)
In general— Not later than 30 days after issuing a waiver under paragraph (1) or (2), the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the waiver and the reasons for issuing the waiver.
(B)
Form of report— A report required by subparagraph (A) may be submitted in classified form if necessary.
(d)
Termination— This section shall terminate on the date on which the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Saudi Arabia has made demonstrable progress in addressing arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and torture of prisoners.
(e)
Appropriate congressional committees defined— In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
(1)
the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(2)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.