WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the Safeguarding the Integrity of Human Rights Reports Act, which would ensure that the Department of State’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights remain robust and free from political influence. This legislation would require the Department to continue to report on critical human rights issues, including the rights of women, government corruption, restrictions on participation in the political process, censorship online and violence or discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities and indigenous people, among others.
“The horrors of the world will not simply disappear because the Trump administration refuses to report them,” said Senator Coons. “I’m proud to sponsor this resolution because in order to combat terrorism and bad actors, to predict where attacks may come from or wars may break out, we have to understand the conditions in other nations – and that includes how they’re treating their people.”
“Maintaining the veracity and integrity of the Human Rights Reports is critical to preserving its international credibility and holding human rights violators accountable,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Omitting key information for political interests undermines the integrity of the entire report. We must continue to shine a light on human rights abuses wherever they persist. That’s why we introduced the Safeguarding the Integrity of Human Rights Reports Act to ensure future Country Human Right Reports remain credible and independent."
“For decades, the State Department’s Human Rights Reports have provided critical insight into human rights conditions in countries around the world and have helped inform American foreign policy. The Trump Administration’s actions to water down and politicize these reports undermine their very purpose and damage the credibility of the Department itself. This legislation would require the Administration to reverse course and ensure the legitimacy and independence of these reports," said Senator Van Hollen.
“U.S. policy and leadership on human rights is rooted in American values and helps create a more just world, which in turn provides dividends to our national security interests and the safety and prosperity of Americans,” said Senator Booker. “The State Department’s annual country reports on Human Rights Practices are vital to these efforts, and any decision to erase, ignore, or politicize state-sponsored human rights abuses or the experiences of marginalized communities undermines American values, credibility, and leadership. This legislation will ensure these human rights reports remain factual, comprehensive, and free from political interference.”
“Standing up for human rights has to remain a core part of U.S. foreign policy, no matter who’s in the White House,” said Senator Merkley. “As the Trump Administration tries to erase key issues from the State Department’s human rights reports, this bill pushes back and promotes accountability and transparency in advancing this critical work.”
"The State Department’s annual human rights reports provide critical information about human rights and the security, political, and economic stability of countries around the world, many of which receive U.S. security assistance,” said Senator Kaine. “The Trump Administration’s attempts to politicize these reports by leaving out topics, such as women’s rights or corruption, betrays our values and makes us less safe. This legislation is important to maintaining the credibility of these reports and the United States’ decades-long efforts to promote human rights abroad."
“These reports encourage countries to improve their human rights records, and there’s no reason to give up that leverage,” said Senator Schatz, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Our bill requires the State Department to produce thorough reports, including on key issues of censorship and corruption, which undermine U.S. interests and make us less secure.”
“The Human Rights Report is an essential tool to document human rights abuses and bring those responsible to justice. Erasing information on critical human rights issues from this report–including the rights of women and government corruption–won’t erase the abuses. It will just serve to further endanger the health and welfare of some of the world’s most vulnerable people, and further a culture of lawlessness in countries where impunity is the norm. It’s another example of the Trump Administration’s efforts to weaken transparency and accountability on every front,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to join Senator Shaheen on this bill to maintain the integrity of the Human Rights Report and ensure human rights violators are held accountable for their crimes.”
The Safeguarding the Integrity of Human Rights Reports Act would mandate reporting on:
Full text of the Safeguarding the Integrity of Human Rights Reports Act can be found here.