# 119-s-5404: Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026

119-s-5404, Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK); status introduced (as of 2026-10-02).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5404
- As of: 2026-10-02
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5404
- Congress: 119
- Title: Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-16
- Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-02

## Summary

**Mandatory sanctions on officials tied to deaths or mistreatment of Hong Kong political prisoners.** This bill would require the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Treasury, to investigate deaths in custody, identify responsible PRC or Hong Kong officials, and trigger sanctions and diplomatic measures under set timelines.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Diplomatic actions and prisoner reports: mixed, low. If enacted, the Secretary of State would have 90 days to consider and, as appropriate, recommend stronger steps to address mistreatment of Hong Kong political prisoners. That could include finding officials who meet sanctions rules and recommending limits on privileges for Hong Kong Economic and Tr…
- Sanctions for officials over deaths: mixed, low. If enacted, the Secretary of State would have to act quickly when credible information shows a Hong Kong political prisoner died in custody. Within 30 days the Secretary would determine cause and name responsible officials. Within 60 days the Secretary would impose sanctions, including tools from t…
- Who counts as a political prisoner: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would define who is a "Hong Kong political prisoner." The Secretary of State would decide if someone qualifies. The bill would create a rebuttable presumption that people charged under listed laws are political prisoners unless strong, independent evidence shows otherwise. It w…

## Related bills

- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-s-199: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the…
- 119-s-4429: Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-5404 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5404)

## Related
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [119-s-199: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-199)
- [119-s-4429: Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4429)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5404 (as of 2026-10-02).