# 119-s-288: Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act

119-s-288, Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-288
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-288
- Congress: 119
- Title: Southern Mongolian Human Rights Policy Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-29
- Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Supports Southern Mongolians' rights and autonomy** by using U.S. diplomacy, cultural programs, media, and targeted financial tools to monitor abuses, preserve language and culture, and push for autonomy-respecting development. This bill would set reporting rules, create embassy staffing, fund Mongolian-language media, and enable targeted sanctions tied to human rights abuses. - Southern Mongolians and communities: Would create an Inner Mongolian team at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing with Mongolian-language staff and require a staffing report within 180 days to monitor developments and religious freedom. - Media and cultural institutions: Would authorize a Voice of America Mongolian-language service with a defined funding line for 2025 and 2026 and would direct Smithsonian and Institute of Museum and Library Services support for cultural preservation and diaspora grants. - Accountability and diplomacy: Would identify foreign persons and entities responsible for abuses and authorize sanctions using Global Magnitsky and other statutory tools with a 5-year sunset. - International finance and development: Would condition U.S. engagement with international financial institutions on projects that protect Mongolian culture and avoid incentives for non-Mongolian settlement or land transfers.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK), 2025-01-29T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Assess effects on Tibetan Buddhism: benefit, low. If enacted, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom would help assess how PRC restrictions affect Tibetan Buddhism practitioners. The State Department would include those findings in its annual International Religious Freedom report. The focus includes people inside and outside…
- Inner Mongolia embassy monitoring team: benefit, low. If enacted, the State Department would consider creating an Inner Mongolian team at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The team would monitor political, economic, and social developments and report on human-rights and access in Mongolian autonomous areas. The Department must ensure Mongolian-language pro…
- Limit international finance in Mongolian areas: benefit, low. If enacted, the Treasury Secretary would instruct U.S. officials at international finance institutions to support projects in PRC Mongolian areas only if they meet strict tests. Projects must not incentivize migration or settlement of non-Mongolians. Projects must not transfer Southern Mongolian la…
- New Mongolian Voice of America service: benefit, low. If enacted, the U.S. Agency for Global Media would set up Mongolian-language Voice of America programming within 180 days. The CEO would report to Congress on implementation and hours within 270 days. The bill authorizes $2,000,000 for Voice of America for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for thi…
- Report and sanctions for abuses: benefit, low. If enacted, the President would have to send an unclassified report within 180 days and every year after. The report would name foreign persons responsible for torture, cruel treatment, prolonged or arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, or other gross human-rights abuses against Southern Mo…

## Related bills

- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-5238: For Our Republic Act
- 119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
- 119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act

## Sources
- [119-s-288 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/288)

## Related
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-s-5238: For Our Republic Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5238)
- [119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-688)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5022)
- [119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2838)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-288 (as of 2026-04-21).