(TibetanReview.net, Apr30’26) – A bill has been introduced in the US Senate on Apr 29, which if passed will requires the Secretary of State to make a formal determination on whether China is committing genocide or crimes against humanity on the Tibetan people.
Introducing the bipartisan bill for the Tibet Atrocities Determination Act, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Jeff Merkley have noted that Apr 29th is observed by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) as Martyr’s Day to commemorate and honor Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Tibet.
TYC is a grass-root exile Tibetan organization that campaigns for the restoration of Tibet’s independence from Chinese occupation rule.
Senator Rick Scott has said, “Communist China is committing genocide in Tibet. There is no way around it. The regime in Beijing has engaged in systematic killings, torture, forced sterilization, forced displacement, government sanctioned kidnapping, and a myriad of other crimes against humanity in its oppression of the Tibetan people.”
He has continued that these actions of the Chinese government are at par with the fact that the “evil regime… is simultaneously waging a genocide against the Uyghurs, suppressing Christianity, and locking up political prisoners like my friend Jimmy Lai.” He has said the bloodshed needs to end, and China needs to be held accountable for all of it.
Likewise, Senator Jeff Merkley has said, “In the face of China’s continued assault on Tibetans—escalating cultural erasure, child separation, surveillance, imprisonment, and torture—America can’t stand silent as the Chinese government continues to ignore the rights of the Tibetan people under international law, we must be clear that these crimes will not be ignored.”
The bill directs the US Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress within one year, making a formal determination on whether Chinese authorities are engaging in genocide or crimes against humanity in Tibet.
The investigation will focus on examining reports of systematic killings, torture, forced sterilization, forced displacement, and the “colonial boarding school system” used to separate Tibetan children from their families.
It will specifically investigates policies aimed at “sinicising Tibetan Buddhism” and repressing the Tibetan language and cultural identity.
And the legislation calls for recommendations on US policy responses, including potential sanctions, visa restrictions, and diplomatic actions against responsible Chinese officials.
The bill follows years of reports from human rights organizations regarding restrictions on religion, language, and culture in Tibet, along with reports of detention and disappearances.
Recent reports, including documentation from UN experts in Jan 2026, have alleged that millions of Tibetans are being displaced and subjected to forced assimilation.
The proposed Act is seen as part of continuation of a trend of strengthening US policy toward Tibet, following the 2024 passing of the Resolve Tibet Act, which sought to challenge Chinese disinformation about Tibet’s history.