International Human Rights Policy Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
International Human Rights Policy Act of 1979 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to deny development assistance to any country which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of those human rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, unless the Administrator of this Act certifies to the Congress and the Congress adopts a concurrent resolution approving such certification that such assistance will directly benefit the needy people in that country. Requires congressional approval of the President's certification that extraordinary circumstances exist warranting the provision of security assistance to a government despite such governments practice of engaging in a consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights. Directs the President, with the assistance of the Secretary of State, to respond to requests from the Congress setting forth information as to a designated country's observance of and respect for human rights and whether, notwithstanding human rights violations, the President believes extraordinary circumstances necessitate the continuation of security assistance to such country. Makes such amendments applicable to any licenses in effect with respect to the export of defense articles or defense services under the Arms Export Act. Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to prohibit agreements for financing the sale of agricultural commodities with countries violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, unless the Congress approves the President's submission of information that such agreement will directly benefit the needy people in the country involved. Amends the Export-Import Bank Act to permit the Export-Import Bank to deny applications for credit for violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to support a project, despite a country's human rights violations, if: (1) the President determines that national security interests so require; and (2) Congress approves such determination. Amends the Act which provides for increased U.S. participation in specified international financial institutions to repeal the requirements that Executive Directors of such institutions consider specific actions by the executive branch or Congress on individual bilateral assistance programs because of human rights considerations. Requires U.S. Executive Directors to oppose loans or other assistance to countries to which U.S. foreign assistance has been terminated on account of human rights violations.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on May 31, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on May 31, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
TONY HALL (D-OH) introduced it on May 31, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 31, 1979, 17316 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17316 days ago, on May 31, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers