S. 138Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act

1 recorded action301 of these members are on the 2026 ballotWhat the measure does Read on Congress.gov

Sponsor: Jeff Merkley [D-OR]
Cosponsors: 15 · 9 Democrats · 6 Republicans
Policy area: International Affairs
Committee: Foreign Relations Committee
Latest action: Jul 12, 2024 · Became Public Law No: 118-70.

IntroducedJan 30, 2023
Passed the SenateMay 23, 2024
Passed the HouseJun 12, 2024
Sent to the PresidentJul 8, 2024
Became lawJul 12, 2024

What the measure doesCRS summary

This act addresses issues relating to Tibet, including by establishing a statutory definition of Tibet that includes areas in Chinese provinces outside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

For the purposes of a federal law concerning U.S. policies and activities relating to Tibet, this act defines Tibet to include the TAR and the Tibetan areas of the Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces. (Generally, when China's government refers to Tibet, it means only the TAR, but it recognizes the areas included in this act's definition as Tibetan. China's government formally established the TAR in 1965.)

Furthermore, the duties of the Office of the U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues shall include working with relevant bureaus in the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure that U.S. government statements and documents counter, as appropriate, disinformation about Tibet by China's government and the Chinese Communist Party, including disinformation about Tibet's history and institutions.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, describing S. 138 as public Law on Jul 12, 2024. It is not the text of the measure; a later amendment may have changed what it does.

How every member votedHouse roll call 252

House Jun 12, 2024

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act

Passed · Two-thirds required

391 Yea 26 Nay 14 not voting

Crossed both parties 26 of 417 voting members broke with their own party: 26 Republicans.

Open the official roll call

How the chamber split

One dot per member. Select a seat or a bar to filter the list.

DemocratsRepublicansFilled: YeaRing: NayGrey: not voting or present

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All members431 members

Democratic213 members

Republican218 members

marks half of the votes cast. A party’s majority is the side most of its voting members took.

Cosponsors15 · 9 Democrats · 6 Republicans

Signing on is not a vote: a member can cosponsor S. 138 and vote against it. 1 signed when it was filed.

Who lobbied on S. 1381 organization

Organizations that named S. 138 in a lobbying disclosure. Only those that cited the bill by number appear, so this is a floor, not a full list.

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET

Foreign Relations8 filings · 4th Quarter (Oct 1 - Dec 31) 2024Filing

8 disclosures name this measure. Retrieved from LDA.gov on 2026-10-04. Senate Office of Public Records cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from LDA.gov.