May 1, 2025
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself, Mr. McGovern, and Mrs. Torres of California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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
Requesting information on El Salvador’s human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
Section 1. Request for information on El Salvador’s human rights practices
(a) Statement requested
The House of Representatives requests that the Secretary of State, not later than 30 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(c)), a statement regarding El Salvador’s human rights practices that has been prepared in collaboration with the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and the Office of the Legal Adviser at the Department of State.
(b) Elements
The statement submitted pursuant to subsection (a) should include—
(1)
all available credible information concerning alleged violations of internationally recognized human rights by the Government of the Republic of El Salvador, including—
(A)
torture and inhumane treatment of detainees, including detainees who are not citizens of El Salvador;
(B)
forced disappearances;
(C)
transnational repression;
(D)
the denial of due process for residents of El Salvador, including an evaluation of judicial independence in El Salvador; and
(E)
the treatment of citizens or residents of other countries who are being detained or imprisoned in El Salvador, including any opportunity provided to such citizens or residents to demonstrate they are being wrongfully detained or imprisoned;
(2)
a description of the steps the United States Government has taken—
(A)
to promote respect for and observance of human rights as part of the Government of El Salvador’s activities, including in the context of El Salvador’s ongoing State of Exception;
(B)
to discourage any practices that are inimical to internationally recognized human rights; and
(C)
to publicly or privately call attention to, and disassociate the United States and any security assistance provided for the Republic of El Salvador from, any practices described in subparagraph (B); and
(3)
other information, including—
(A)
an assessment from the Secretary of State of the likelihood that United States security assistance (as defined in section 502B(d) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d))) provided to the Republic of El Salvador could be used in support of activities by government officials related to the rendition, trafficking, detention, or imprisonment of individuals who are not nationals of El Salvador;
(B)
an assessment from the Secretary of State of the conditions in El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), including an assessment of allegations of torture and other gross violations of human rights;
(C)
a description of any actions that the United States Government is taking to ensure that the Government of the Republic of El Salvador releases United States citizens or residents being detained or imprisoned in El Salvador in compliance with United States court orders regarding their return to the United States;
(D)
a description of any actions that the United States Government is taking to address allegations of detention, torture, or forced disappearances of United States citizens or residents by the Republic of El Salvador or efforts to facilitate the detention, torture or forced disappearances of United States citizens or legal residents;
(E)
a description of actions the United States Government is taking to provide due process in compliance with the laws of the United States law for relevant persons detained or imprisoned in El Salvador through an agreement with the United States Government; and
(F)
a description of any actions the United States Government is taking to protect United States citizens and residents from unlawful rendering, trafficking, or other means of removal from the United States to the Republic of El Salvador.