The Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA) is now halfway through the United States Congress. The bill, which will upgrade US political and humanitarian support for Tibetans,was approved by a unanimous vote in the House of Representatives on January 28 and the focus will now be on the Senate for the next stage.
Tibetan Americans and Tibet supporters, including members of the International Campaign for Tibet, sent more than 12,000 messages to their members of Congress asking them to support the bill.
The TPSA builds on the landmark Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, and will make it official US policy that China should not interfere in the selection of Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including a future Dalai Lama; forbid China from opening a new consulate in the US until a US consulate is allowed in Lhasa; address water security and environmental issues in Tibet; formalise funding for humanitarian projects for Tibetans until at least 2025 and commend the Dalai Lama and Tibetans in exile for adopting a democratic system of government.
The bill needs to be passed by the entire Senate before being sent to President Trump to be signed and become law.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We are supporting the Tibetan people’s right to religious freedom and genuine autonomy […] we are sending Beijing a clear signal they will be held accountable for interfering in Tibet’s religious and cultural affairs[…] This legislation also deploys American diplomatic weight to encourage a genuine dialogue between Tibetan leaders and Beijing. It’s unacceptable that the Chinese government still refuses to enter into a dialogue with Tibetan leaders. The Congress will and must continue to take action to hold china accountable.”
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