H.R. 1392 · 117th Congress

Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act of 2021

Introduced on Feb 26, 2021 by Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11). 11 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Latest action (Apr 22, 2021): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Feb 26, 2021
Cosponsors
11
0 from the other party
Policy area
International Affairs
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To protect Saudi dissidents in the United States, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Asia
  • Assault and harassment offenses
  • Congressional oversight
  • Crime victims
  • Detention of persons
  • Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
  • Europe
  • Foreign aid and international relief
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Human rights
  • Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
  • Licensing and registrations
  • Middle East
  • Military assistance, sales, and agreements
  • News media and reporting
  • Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
  • Protest and dissent
  • Sanctions
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
  • Turkey
  • Violent crime
  • Visas and passports

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Passed House, Apr 21, 2021). Public domain.

Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act of 2021

This bill imposes temporary limits on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and requires various reports and actions related to the death of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The President may not transfer or authorize for export certain defense articles or services to Saudi Arabia for 120 days after this bill's enactment. The prohibition shall remain in effect for up to three years unless the President periodically certifies to Congress that Saudi Arabia has not conducted (1) forced repatriation, intimidation, or killing of dissidents in other countries; (2) unjust imprisonment in Saudi Arabia of U.S. citizens or lawful aliens; or (3) torture of detainees in custody of the government of Saudi Arabia.

The President shall certify to Congress that individuals with Saudi diplomatic credentials are not using such credentials to track or harass Saudi nationals in the United States. If the President does not make such a certification, the President shall close at least one Saudi diplomatic or consular facility in the United States until the certification is made.

The bill requires reports to Congress on (1) whether any Saudi officials have engaged in a consistent pattern of harassment against any individual in the United States, and (2) whether the intelligence community fulfilled its duty to warn Khashoggi of the threats to his life.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Gerald E. ConnollyD-VA-11Sponsor

Democrats · 11

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
    Apr 21, 2021· House· Passage· Passed 350–71

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Feb 26, 2021Introduced in House
  2. Feb 26, 2021Introduced in House
  3. Feb 26, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  4. Feb 26, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  5. Mar 25, 2021 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  6. Mar 25, 2021 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  7. Apr 19, 2021 · HouseMr. Meeks moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  8. Apr 19, 2021 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1939-1942)
  9. Apr 19, 2021 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1392.
  10. Apr 19, 2021 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  11. Apr 21, 2021 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2032)
  12. Apr 21, 2021Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 350 - 71 (Roll no. 130).(text: 04/19/2021 CR H1939-1941)House · Roll call 130
  13. Apr 21, 2021 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 350 - 71 (Roll no. 130). (text: 04/19/2021 CR H1939-1941)House · Roll call 130
  14. Apr 21, 2021 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  15. Apr 22, 2021 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.