(TibetanReview.net, Aug12’26) – A bill already on the table in the US House of of Representatives designed to ensure the survival of Tibet’s political identity for the enduring future on the world stage has been strengthened with the Senate introduction of a companion legislation on Aug 11. The companion Assuring the Future of Tibet Act (AFTA) was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, and Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho.
The bill, should it become law, will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world for the Tibetan people.
The bipartisan bill would strengthen US engagement with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the democratically elected representative of the Tibetan people, and ensure that American support for Tibet endures beyond the lifetime of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, said Senator Merkley in a press statement Aug 11.
“As long as the People’s Republic of China continues to ignore the rights of Tibet under international law, America will not abandon the Tibetan people.” he said.
Merkley is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).
On his part, Risch has said in the same press statement, “The Chinese Communist Party has sought to erase Tibetan culture, religion, and language, among other grievous actions. What Beijing has done to Tibet, they want to do elsewhere to anyone who defies the CCP.” And he explained, “This bill supports the Tibetan people, key partners in pushing back against China’s authoritarianism, and counters China’s malign influence at the United Nations.”
The bill calls for the recognition of the CTA as the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people and the continuity of governance established and headed by successive Dalai Lamas since 1642. And it directs the Secretary of State to engage with the Sikyong and designated Tibetan representatives at the most senior levels.
The bill also calls for support for the Tibetan people’s human rights and right to self-determination by advocating at the UN for CTA observer status and equal access across the UN system.
It would require US Government to build international recognition of the CTA by pressing for its inclusion in relevant international bodies and organizing like-minded partners and allies behind that effort.
The bill, when it becomes law, will elevate the Sikyong’s standing by extending appropriate diplomatic courtesies, including security consistent with that afforded to a head of government, and considering privileges and immunities for CTA officials.
The proposed new law would affirm that resolving the Tibet-China dispute is a US strategic interest and urge the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to address Tibetan aspirations for their distinct identity.
The bill names the Gaden Phodrang Trust as the sole authority to recognize Dalai Lamas, ensuring US support endures beyond the 14th Dalai Lama.
To ensure the law’s full implementation when passed, the US administration would be required to present report thereon to Congress, which may be consolidated into existing State Department reporting.
The companion bill has been co-sponsored by Senators Tim Kaine, Todd Young, Jacky Rosen, and Rick Scott.
The original version of the legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on May 22, 2026 by Congressmen Jim McGovern and Michael McCaul.
“I thank Senators Merkley and Risch for introducing this vital bill and Senators Kaine, Young, Rosen, and Scott for serving as its original co-sponsors,” said President Tencho Gyatso of Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) which has persevered in lobbying for the legislation.
The bill recognises a fundamental principle: Tibet’s future cannot be decided without the Tibetan people themselves. “Human rights and basic dignity for the people of Tibet cannot be ignored,” Merkley has said.