[Pages S5005-S5006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 354--REQUESTING INFORMATION ON THE REPUBLIC OF 
  PANAMA'S HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES PURSUANT TO SECTION 502B(C) OF THE 
                     FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961

  Mr. KAINE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 354

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON PANAMA'S HUMAN RIGHTS 
                   PRACTICES.

       (a) Statement Requested.--The Senate 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 Panama'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 Panama, including--
       (A) arbitrary and unlawful arrest, detention, imprisonment, 
     torture and cruel or inhumane treatment, including of people 
     who are not citizens of Panama but have been removed to 
     Panama by the United States Government;
       (B) violations of due process rights, including a 
     description of any opportunity provided to people who are not 
     citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by the 
     United States Government to demonstrate that they have been 
     wrongfully arrested, detained, or imprisoned;
       (C) enforced disappearances and arbitrary or unlawful 
     killings, including extrajudicial killings, including of 
     people who are not citizens of Panama but have been removed 
     to Panama by the United States Government;
       (D) trafficking in persons, including forced or slave 
     labor, including of people who are not citizens of Panama but 
     have been removed to Panama by the United States Government; 
     and
       (E) treatment of and legal rights and status provided by 
     the Government of Panama to people in Panama who are not 
     citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by the 
     United States Government;
       (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 Panama's activities;
       (B) to discourage any practices that are inimical to 
     internationally recognized human rights;
       (C) to publicly or privately call attention to, and 
     disassociate the United States and any security assistance 
     provided for the Government of Panama from, any practices 
     described in subparagraph (B); and
       (D) to assess, prior to removal, how the Government of 
     Panama would treat people who are not citizens of Panama but 
     have been removed to Panama by the United States Government, 
     including--
       (i) conducting individualized assessments of such 
     individuals to determine whether the Government of Panama may 
     send that person to their country of origin or last 
     residence, and if so, whether the Government of Panama would 
     provide them with meaningful opportunity before their removal 
     to show that they may be persecuted, tortured, or otherwise 
     harmed; and
       (ii) ensuring that the Government of Panama would provide 
     such individuals with legal immigration status, should they 
     wish to remain in Panama, and would be treated humanely; 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 Panama could be used in support 
     of activities by government officials related to the 
     rendition, trafficking, detention, or imprisonment of people 
     who are not citizens of Panama but have been removed to 
     Panama by the United States Government;
       (B) any analysis conducted by the United States Government 
     of the conditions to be faced in Panama by people who are not 
     citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by the 
     United States Government, prior to the rendition, removal, 
     trafficking, detention, or imprisonment of such individuals 
     to Panama;
       (C) an assessment from the Secretary of State of the 
     conditions in any detention centers or prisons in Panama that 
     may hold people who are not citizens of Panama but have been 
     removed to Panama by the United States Government, including 
     an assessment of allegations of torture and other gross 
     violations of human rights;
       (D) a description of any actions that the United States 
     Government is taking to ensure that the Government of Panama 
     returns people who are not citizens of Panama but have been 
     removed to Panama by the United States Government, in 
     compliance with United States court orders regarding their 
     return to the United States;
       (E) a description of any actions that the United States 
     Government is taking to address the risk of detention, 
     torture, or forced disappearances of people who are not 
     citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by the 
     United States Government, or efforts to facilitate the 
     detention, torture, or forced disappearances of such people;
       (F) a description of any actions the United States 
     Government is taking to protect people who are not citizens 
     of Panama but are within the United States' jurisdiction or 
     effective control from unlawful rendering, trafficking, or 
     other means of removal to Panama;
       (G) all information regarding any agreement or financial 
     transaction between the United States Government and the 
     Government of Panama related to the rendition, removal, 
     trafficking, detention, or imprisonment of individuals who 
     are not citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by 
     the United States Government;
       (H) all information regarding any individuals sent to 
     Panama by the United States Government in 2025;
       (I) a description of any actions that the United States 
     Government is taking to facilitate the release or return of 
     people who are not citizens of Panama but have been 
     wrongfully removed to Panama by the United States Government;
       (J) all information regarding any assurances the United 
     States Government sought or received regarding the treatment 
     of people who are not citizens of Panama but have been 
     removed to Panama by the United States Government, prior to 
     the rendition, removal, or trafficking of such individuals to 
     Panama;

[[Page S5006]]

       (K) all information regarding assurances the United States 
     Government sought or received regarding the further 
     rendition, trafficking, removal, or transfer of people who 
     are not citizens of Panama but have been removed to Panama by 
     the United States Government to countries that are not 
     Panama, including the human rights conditions for such 
     individuals in those countries; and
       (L) a summary of all meetings in 2025 between Government of 
     Panama officials and Washington-based officials of the United 
     States Government.

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