{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/27/senator-budd-demands-full-force-american-sanctions-in-response-to-ccp-crackdown-on-religious-freedom-in-china/", "Senator Budd Demands Full Force American Sanctions in response to CCP Crackdown on Religious Freedom in China", "2025-10-27", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Ted Budd", "B001305", "www.budd.senate.gov", "budd", "https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act to strengthen America\u2019s response to combat the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s (CCP) ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. The legislation, filed on the 27th anniversary of International Religious Freedom Day, would implement strict sanctions on any CCP official who is responsible for or directly carries out violations of religious freedom. Senator Budd was joined by Congressman Mark Alford (R-Mo.-04) who introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cChina\u2019s disdain for religious freedom is not new. It is an ongoing and brutal pattern of abuse that must be met with steadfast American strength. As the leader of the free world, the United States must promote religious freedom around the world and hold China\u2019s authoritarian regime responsible for decades of persecution targeting Christians and other religious minorities. The CCP\u2019s restrictions on freedom of religion and cruelty toward religious minorities in China must come to an end,\u201d said Senator Budd.\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party has perpetrated heinous abuses against religious groups for decades. It\u2019s time the United States to stand up for religious freedom in China as we have in other parts of the world. I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act with Senator Budd and our colleagues to take a stand, stop these abuses, and promote global religious freedom,\u201d said Congressman Alford.\n\n\u201cThe Chinese government has an abysmal human rights record and has persecuted its citizens for practicing their faith for far too long. As co-chair of the Senate Human Rights Caucus and a participant in the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission\u2019s Defending Freedom Project, I remain deeply committed to highlighting China\u2019s ongoing persecution of religious leaders like Pastor Wang Yi, who has been unjustly detained for the past seven years. The United States must continue to hold China accountable and ensure that its blatant disregard for religious freedom is considered in all future diplomatic and trade negotiations,\u201d said Senator Tillis.\n\n\u201cChina\u2019s systematic persecution of religious leaders who peacefully practice their faith is horrific and shameful. We must continue to strongly condemn this action by the Chinese Communist Party and hold accountable those who perpetuate this reprehensible behavior,\u201d said Senator Young.\n\n\u201cCommunist China\u2019s persecution of Christians and religious minorities is a gross violation of human rights. The Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act would hold Chinese Communist Party officials accountable by imposing sanctions on those responsible for these abuses of religious freedom,\u201d said Senator Blackburn.\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party\u2019s brutal persecution of people of faith cannot be ignored. I\u2019m proud to cosponsor this bill to send a clear message that the United States will continue to promote religious freedom around the globe and fight to hold the CCP accountable for its human rights abuses,\u201d said Senator Moody.\n\nSenators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) co-sponsored the legislation.\n\nRepresentatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.-17), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas-02), and Michael McCaul (R-Texas-10) co-sponsored the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\n\nRead the full bill text HERE.\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nRead Senator Budd\u2019s Op-Ed in The Hill: China\u2019s Crackdown on Religious Freedom Demands American Sanctions\n\nThe Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act would:\n\nImpose sanctions on CCP officials who are responsible for or directly carrying out religious freedom abuse such as arbitrary imprisonment, forced labor, and broader restrictions on freedom of religion or belief.\n\nStrengthens efforts to combat the ongoing persecution of Protestant Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and other religious minorities in the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) within the Department of State\u2019s programs, including its Bureau of East and Pacific Affairs.\n\nExpresses the sense of Congress that China should continue to be designated as a Country of Particular Concern.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/27/senator-budd-demands-full-force-american-sanctions-in-response-to-ccp-crackdown-on-religious-freedom-in-china/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1151788532733917, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}