This bill condemns the detention of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong while simultaneously designating a section of D.C. street as "Jimmy Lai Way" and directing mail delivery procedures for related offices.
Christopher "Chris" Smith
Representative
NJ-4
This bill officially designates a section of 18th Street Northwest in Washington, D.C., as "Jimmy Lai Way" and changes the address of a specific building to "1 Jimmy Lai Way Northwest." Furthermore, the legislation strongly condemns the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, urging the immediate release of all political prisoners. Finally, it directs the U.S. Postal Service on how to handle mail addressed to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at the newly designated address.
DC Renames Section of 18th Street Northwest 'Jimmy Lai Way' in Symbolic Act Against Hong Kong Crackdown
This bill is essentially a two-part move: a strong foreign policy statement wrapped in a hyper-local administrative change in Washington D.C. It starts by officially condemning the detention of media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, calling his imprisonment unjust and urging the U.S. State Department to push for his immediate release and impose sanctions against the Hong Kong officials involved. While this first section sets a clear diplomatic tone, it’s the second part that actually changes things on the ground.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road (Literally)
The most concrete action in this bill is the renaming of a specific stretch of road in D.C. The area of 18th Street Northwest between Church Street Northwest and P Street Northwest will now be officially designated as "Jimmy Lai Way." This isn't just about a new sign; it means that for all federal maps, records, and documents, this section of the street has a new name. More specifically, the building located at 1520 18th Street Northwest—which houses the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office—will have its official address changed to 1 Jimmy Lai Way Northwest.
If you live or work in D.C., this is a minor administrative update. The General Services Administrator (GSA) is tasked with putting up new street signs that look similar to the D.C. Metro station signs at the intersections defining the new street section. For the average person, this is mostly a symbolic gesture, but it’s a very pointed one. It uses a physical address change to make a political statement right on the doorstep of the Hong Kong government’s representation in the U.S.
The Mail Delivery Loophole
Because the bill is changing the official address of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to "1 Jimmy Lai Way," Congress anticipates some confusion—or perhaps, intentional misdirection—in the mail. The bill includes a "Sense of Congress" (meaning, this is what Congress thinks should happen, not a hard legal mandate) directing the Postmaster General on how to handle mail sent to this new, politically charged address.
Essentially, the Post Office is told to treat mail addressed to "1 Jimmy Lai Way" as if it were meant for the Hong Kong office’s actual locations in San Francisco (130 Montgomery Street) or New York (115 East 54th Street), provided the mail includes the correct postal codes for those cities. This provision is designed to ensure that the symbolic address change doesn't completely gum up the works of international mail delivery, while still allowing the symbolic address to be used. It’s the legislative equivalent of making a very loud protest sign and then providing directions to the back door.