Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Gregory Meeks (D-NY).
On Wednesday, Sep. 23, as Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington DC for a state visit, 37 members of U.S. Congress joined together to call on U.S. President Donald Trump to condemn China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law” (EUPL) and press Xi for its repeal.
The congressional letter — written by human rights stalwart Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and led by Raskin, Tibet champion Jim McGovern (D-MA) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY) — raises concerns about the EUPL’s implications for Tibetans, Uyghurs, other ethnic and religious communities, human rights advocates and critics of the Chinese government living outside China. It decries the EUPL as an “insidious declaration of China’s intent to further repress religious freedom and the freedom of group association.”
The lawmakers sent the letter on the day of Xi’s arrival and urged President Trump to raise the EUPL directly with the Chinese leader during their meetings in Washington. Xi’s visit concludes today, Friday, following meetings with President Trump and a state dinner at the White House on Thursday evening.
Denunciation of EUPL
Focusing on Tibet, the Representatives warn that the EUPL grants Beijing sweeping authority to prosecute Tibetans, expedite further transnational repression against Tibetan communities, escalate the systemic persecution of Tibetan Buddhists, and further entrench Chinese government forced assimilation policies aimed at suppressing Tibetan religious, cultural and linguistic identity.
“During your meeting with Xi Jinping, it is imperative that you continue to voice your administration’s disapproval of this affront to the fundamental freedoms of minority communities, human rights advocates and U.S. citizens,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter concludes with a request for Trump to personally ask Xi for the repeal of the EUPL, warning that “our national security, sovereignty and basic human rights all over the world” are at stake.
The International Campaign for Tibet welcomed the congressional intervention and thanked the lawmakers for acting as Xi arrived in Washington and ahead of his meetings with President Trump.
“We are deeply grateful to Representatives Raskin, McGovern and Meeks and all the members of Congress who joined this important call for the repeal of the so-called ‘Ethnic Unity and Progress Law’,” said Ryan Fioresi, Executive Director, International Campaign for Tibet.
“By sending this letter as Xi Jinping arrived in Washington, they ensured that the rights of Tibetans and other communities targeted by the Chinese government were part of the conversation surrounding this state visit. We thank them for standing with Tibetans, for drawing attention to the dangers posed by this law, and for urging President Trump to press Xi directly for its repeal,” he added.
Dozens of signatories
Led by Raskin, McGovern, and Meeks, the letter was also signed by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) and Representatives Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Ami Bera (CA-06), André Carson (IN-07), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Lloyd Doggett (TX-10), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Al Green (TX-09), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), George Latimer (NY-16), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Richard Neal (MA-01), Eleanor Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), James Walkinshaw (VA-11) , Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Maxine Waters (CA-43).
Notably, Tibet Lobby Day 2026 participants met with many of these offices and asked them to oppose the EUPL. The letter was endorsed by the International Campaign for Tibet, and can be read here.