H.R. 6519 · 116th Congress

Holding the Chinese Communist Party Accountable for Infecting Americans Act of 2020

Stage
In committee
Introduced
2020-04-17
Latest action
2020-04-17 · Introduced in House

Summary

Holding the Chinese Communist Party Accountable for Infecting Americans Act of 2020

This bill allows foreign states to be sued in a U.S. court for physical or economic harms occurring in the United States as a result of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus 2019). (Typically, a foreign state is immune from lawsuits filed against it in a U.S. court.)

Specifically, a foreign state shall not have immunity from a lawsuit seeking damages for (1) the foreign state's spread of COVID-19, or (2) tortious acts intended to deliberately conceal or distort the existence or nature of COVID-19.

If the United States is in discussions with a foreign state that is seeking to resolve claims related to COVID-19 against the foreign state, the Department of Justice may intervene and seek a stay in a case filed under this bill involving the foreign state.