On September 24, 2026, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping was in Washington for a two-day White House summit, the U.S. Senate blocked Senator Jeff Merkley’s attempt to pass a resolution condemning Beijing’s repression, coercion and intimidation of critics beyond China’s borders—including in the United States.
The Senate Daily Press records the floor action at 1:10 p.m.: Merkley spoke about Chinese authoritarianism and freedom of speech, asked unanimous consent to proceed to and pass S. 226, and Senator Rand Paul objected. Because unanimous consent requires no objection, the request failed.
Merkley, a former chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said afterward that journalists, activists and others who criticize Beijing face intimidation far beyond China’s borders. He called the objection “the wrong message” during Xi’s visit and said he would continue pressing colleagues to oppose transnational repression regardless of the perpetrator.
What the resolution addressed
According to reporting by IANS, the resolution condemned the People’s Republic of China for repression, coercion and intimidation outside its borders, including conduct targeting people in the United States. The report said the measure had advanced from committee. Merkley has also backed separate legislation aimed at strengthening the U.S. response when foreign governments stalk, threaten or assault critics and diaspora communities across borders.
The summit-week context
The objection came during the same week that a bipartisan group of senators urged President Trump to raise the detention of pastors and members of religious minorities with Xi. That separate appeal, led by Senators Chuck Grassley, Ted Budd and Tim Kaine, addressed the treatment of Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners.
As FreeChina.live reported, the summit ended without any public mention of human rights, detained Americans or Jimmy Lai, and no prisoner releases were announced. No public account has established whether individual cases were discussed behind closed doors.
The available public record identifies Paul as the senator who objected. It does not establish whether other senators supported the objection, whether Senate leadership will schedule a recorded vote, or the complete preambular findings of S. 226.
Free China Movement position
“The summit ended with a tariff truce, pandas and a student program—and a Senate unable to pass even a resolution condemning Beijing’s intimidation of critics on American soil,” the Free China Movement said. “Senate leadership should put S. 226 to a recorded vote, so every senator is on the record.”
Related reading
- Trump–Xi Summit Closes With No Public Word on Prisoners
- Bipartisan Senators Urge Trump to Press Xi on Jailed Pastors and Religious Persecution
- White House Summit Readout Omits Political Prisoners
- CECC “Faces of Repression” Hearing: Ezra Jin Mingri Testifies
Sources
- Senate Daily Press, September 24, 2026
- Congressional Bulletin for September 24, 2026
- IANS via The Freedom Press
- Nation Press
- Forbes Breaking News: Senate floor video
What you can do
Ask your senators to support a recorded vote on S. 226, and share this public record with journalists and human-rights organizations tracking transnational repression.