There is progress in the United States on the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Bill. On November 28 it was unanimously approved by the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders and Cory Gardner. The Senate is now expected to take up the bill.
The bill was passed by the US House Judiciary Committee in July and the full House of Representatives in September.
The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act is based on the widely accepted diplomatic principle of reciprocity, which calls on countries to give equal rights to one another’s citizens. Although Chinese citizens travel freely throughout the US, American journalists, diplomats and tourists are banned from Tibet. If this bill is passed, the Chinese officials who keep Americans out of Tibet will be denied entry to the US.
One of the goals of the legislation is to pressure China into letting international observers into Tibet so they can help expose China’s human rights violations against the Tibetan people.
“The unanimous support expressed today by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee once again reflects the widespread concern of the American people for the situation inside Tibet and for the lack of access for US citizens,” said Matteo Mecacci, president of the International Campaign for Tibet. “Momentum is building, and the responsibility lies with the Senate to pass the bill this year” he continued.
Thousands of supporters have advocated for the bill by sending petitions and letters to their Senators and using #AccessToTibet on social media. And the International Campaign for Tibet and Tibetan associations across the US organised a special lobby day calling on Senators to cosponsor the legislation.
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