Bill introduced in US House to support Tibetan cause after the Dalai Lama

Bill introduced in US House to support Tibetan cause after the Dalai LamaSanjay.versain@timesofindia.comDharamshala: Marking a major step towards strengthening the Tibetan government-in-exile on the world stage, a new bipartisan bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives seeking to direct the US Secretary of State to advocate for the recognition of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The proposed legislation further directs the US government to advocate for observer status for the CTA within the United Nations system and other international bodies.The bill, titled the “Assuring the Future of Tibet Act of 2026”, introduced by Congressman James P. McGovern and Congressman Michael McCaul, for the first time hints at US lawmakers' inclination to strengthen the Tibetan government-in-exile for a post-Dalai Lama scenario. The proposed legislation, details for which were made available on Wednesday, states, “Sadly, the Dalai Lama won’t be with us forever. We must ensure that the US government has the authority and the tools to continue its advocacy for thefundamental human rights of the Tibetan people. Essential to this effort,we must support the Central Tibetan Administration as the legitimate, democratically elected representative of the Tibetan people.” Introducing the Bill, Congressman McGovern said, "Congress has a long-standing abiding interest in resolving the dispute between Tibet and China.”The Bill states that the CTA represents continuity of governance of the Tibetan people as established by the Dalai Lama. The bill further states that it should become official US policy to maintain engagement with Tibetans “directly and through their democratically-elected leadership and through their religious and cultural leaders”. Tencho Gyatso, president of International Campaign for Tibet, a non-profit advocacy group, said, "AFTA would be a strong pushback against the Chinese policy of state-defined cultural identity. If this law is passed, Congress will stand strongly with the CTA and reinforce Tibetans’ right to governthemselves, stopping China from simply pushing Tibetans’ rights aside."The bill follows a series of bipartisan congressional initiatives on Tibet over the years. In recent decades, the U.S. Congress has passed several Tibet-related legislations aimed at supporting Tibetan human rights, religious freedom, cultural preservation, and dialogue between Beijing and Tibetan representatives. Notable among them are the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, which formalised US policy support for Tibetans, and the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020, which strengthened US backing for theTibetan people’s right to choose the Dalai Lama’s succession without Chinese government interference. More recently, the Resolve Tibet Act reaffirmed US support for resolving the Tibet-China conflict through dialogue and countering Beijing’s narratives on Tibet.Importantly, CTA president Penpa Tsering also attended the United States’ Freedom 250 Celebration in Delhi on the invitation of the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday.CTA president Penpa Tsering sworn in for second termNewly elected president of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, was sworn in for a second term on Wednesday, in the presence of the Dalai Lama. The elections took place in February and April. Tsering, during his inauguration speech, said that he backed the Dalai Lama's long-standing "Middle Way" policy seeking autonomy and a "resolution to the Sino-Tibetconflict through non-violence, dialogue and mutual benefit".