# 118-s-138: Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act

118-s-138, Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, is a 118th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR); status became_law (as of 2026-01-05).

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## Facts
- Bill: 118-s-138
- Congress: 118
- Title: Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2023-01-30
- Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 15
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-01-05

## Summary

**Countering PRC disinformation** is the central aim of this Act, paired with a U.S. push for a negotiated Tibet–China settlement grounded in international law. It also directs U.S. public diplomacy to support meaningful talks with the Dalai Lama, his representatives, or democratically elected Tibetan leaders. - Tibetans and Tibetan areas: Affirms that Tibetans have a distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and historical identity and criticizes PRC policies that suppress Tibetan religion, culture, language, history, way of life, and environment. It expands the geographic scope of U.S. policy to include the Tibet Autonomous Region and Tibetan autonomous areas in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan. - U.S. agencies and funding: Elevates disinformation countermeasures in the Tibetan Policy Act, requires coordination between State and the U.S. Agency for International Development on messaging, and authorizes use of amounts under section 346 of the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 to support those efforts. - International diplomacy and pressure on China: Directs the U.S. to press the People’s Republic of China to ratify and uphold the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and promotes a multilateral, peaceful negotiation to resolve Tibet–China disputes.

## Cosponsors (15)

- Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN] (R-IN), 2023-01-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] (D-MD), 2023-04-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2023-04-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN] (R-IN), 2023-04-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE), 2023-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Romney, Mitt [R-UT] (R-UT), 2023-11-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2024-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA), 2024-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID), 2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID), 2024-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2024-04-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Butler, Laphonza R. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2024-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2024-04-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL] (R-FL), 2024-05-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] (D-PA), 2024-05-20T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2024-06-12T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed | 391 | 26 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Government counters false claims about Tibet: benefit, low. The law makes countering false claims about Tibet a clear U.S. goal. The government can use existing funds under the 2020 Tibetan Policy and Support Act for this work. The Special Coordinator works with State and USAID so U.S. statements push back on disinformation about Tibet’s history, people, an…
- Law expands what counts as Tibet: benefit, low. The law expands the legal definition of Tibet. It now includes the Tibet Autonomous Region plus Tibetan autonomous areas in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, as of 2018. This changes which places are covered by U.S. Tibet policy and related programs. It takes effect upon enactment.
- U.S. backs peaceful talks on Tibet: benefit, low. The law recognizes Tibetans’ distinct religious, cultural, language, and historical identity. It sets U.S. policy to seek a Tibet–China settlement through peaceful talks without preconditions and under international law. It urges China to stop spreading false claims and to ratify and uphold key hum…

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## Sources
- [118-s-138 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/138)

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- [118-sres-673: A resolution honoring the life of David Hampton Pryor, former United States Sen…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/118-sres-673)
- [118-sres-668: A resolution honoring the life of Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham, former Senator fo…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/118-sres-668)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/118-s-138 (as of 2026-01-05).