,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #befa ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #g1 #bjai,ms4 ,omar 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,levin of ,michigan1 ,mr4 ,raskin1 ,mr4 ,pocan1 ,mr4 ,espaillat1 and ,ms4 ,norton7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and in addition to the ,committee on the ,judiciary1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the imposition of sanctions on officials of ,brunei responsible for implementing the newly revised penal code1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,brunei ,human ,rights ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,on ,may #a1 #bjad1 the ,sultan of ,brunei announced that a revised penal code would take effect in three phases4 7#b7 ,the penal code mandates the death penalty for numerous offenses1 among them adultery1 consensual same-sex relations1 blasphemy1 and robbery4 7#c7 ,the penal code also mandates flogging for women who have abortions1 and amputation for theft4 7#d7 ,the penal code further criminalizes exposing ,muslim children to the beliefs and practices of any religion other than ,islam4 7#e7 ,the revised penal code represents an assault on the rights of the ,,lgbti community1 women1 children1 and religious minorities1 as well as on the people of ,brunei as a whole4 7#f7 ,according to the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,human ,rights1 the penal code introduced stoning to death as the specific method of execution for adultery1 consensual same-sex relations1 and extramarital sexual relations4 7#g7 ,on ,april #aa1 #bjad1 the spokesperson for the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,human ,rights said that ,under international law1 stoning people to death constitutes torture or other cruel1 inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and is thus clearly prohibited4 and noted that-- 7,a7 ,a number of ,,un studies have also revealed that women are more likely to be sentenced to death by stoning1 due to deeply entrenched discrimination and stereotyping against them1 including among law enforcement and judicial officers42 and 7,b7 ,the criminalization and application of the death penalty for consensual relations between adults in private also violates a whole host of rights1 including the rights to privacy1 to equality before the law1 the right to health and freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention4 ,the provisions of the revised penal code may encourage further violence and discrimination against women and also against people on the basis of sexual orientation44 7#h7 ,the first phase of the new penal code went into effect in #bjad1 but the final two phases were not enacted between #bjad and #bjai as a result of pressure from international and domestic human rights organizations4 7#i7 ,in ,december #bjah1 the ,government of ,brunei confirmed that the final rollout of the second and third phases of the penal code1 including the provisions of capital punishment by stoning1 would be fully implemented beginning ,april #c1 #bjai4 7#aj7 ,on ,april #a1 #bjai1 a statement from the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,human ,rights noted that the revised penal code would enshrine in legislation cruel and inhuman punishments that seriously breach international human rights law and stated that ,human rights and faith are not opposing forces - indeed1 it is human interpretation that creates tensions4 ,it is vital that the ,government1 religious authorities and a wide range of civil society actors work jointly to uphold human dignity and equality for all44 7#aa7 ,several other countries have provisions in their penal code similar to those described in this section with respect to ,brunei1 which also represent instances of grave abuses of human rights when enforced4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the implementation of ,brunei's draconian new penal code should be condemned in the strongest possible terms2 7#b7 the ,united ,states should reaffirm its commitment to the full enjoyment of human rights by all people2 7#c7 particular protections are needed for vulnerable populations throughout the world1 including the ,,lgbti community1 women1 children1 and religious minorities2 7#d7 the revised penal code in ,brunei represents an assault on the rights of those vulnerable populations1 as well as on the people of ,brunei as a whole2 7#e7 the ,president and ,secretary of ,state should condemn in clear terms the grave breach of human rights represented by the new penal code2 7#f7 the ,government of ,brunei should consider the potential negative impact of these new provisions on tourism from1 and business with1 countries that respect human rights2 and 7#g7 sanctions should be imposed on any official of any other country who implements or enforces provisions similar to those found in the revised penal code of ,brunei4 #d4 ,imposition of sanctions under the ,global ,magnitsky ,human ,rights ,accountability ,act ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president may impose sanctions pursuant to the authorities provided by section #abfc7;a77#a7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjaf 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bfef note7 with respect to each official of ,brunei who the ,president determines is responsible for implementing the penal code described in section #b of this ,act in a manner that constitutes extrajudicial killings1 torture1 or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights for purposes of such section #abfc7;a77#a74 #e4 ,reports required 7a7 ,annual report on enforcement of foreign criminal law provisions ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,ambassador at ,large for ,international ,religious ,freedom and the ,special ,envoy for the ,human ,rights of ,,lgbti ,persons1 shall submit to ,congress a report on the enforcement of penal or criminal provisions of law of foreign countries explicitly targeting or disproportionately enforced against the ,,lgbti community1 women1 children1 religious minorities1 or other vulnerable populations subject to the jurisdiction of each such foreign country4 7b7 ,report relating to asylum seekers in the ,united ,states ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 in consultation with the ,attorney ,general1 shall submit to ,congress a report that includes-- 7#a7 the number of nationals of ,brunei that applied for status as a refugee or asylee in the ,united ,states2 7#b7 the number of such nationals that were granted such status2 and 7#c7 the number of such nationals that were denied such status on the basis of lacking a credible fear of persecution4 7c7 ,report relating to refugees in other countries ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to ,congress a report describing the manner in which the ,department of ,state is supporting the efforts of refugees from ,brunei to obtain asylum in other countries4