A newly formed House Committee on China is still looking for members, but U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) says Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) members must be included on the new committee to ensure it does not deviate from pursuing legitimate concerns and turns away from vilifying the Chinese and Chinese American communities.
Politico is reporting that the House recently voted 365-65 to create a House Select Committee on China. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) will be chairman, but no other members have been named. The committee will focus on short-term military readiness in East Asia and long-term economic competition posed by China.
"Presently, my priority is guaranteeing that our CAPAC members are included in both the committee’s leadership and membership," Chu said. "Our members must be included so that they can push back when the committee deviates from pursuing legitimate concerns with the decisions of the government of the People’s Republic of China and instead veers into vilifying Chinese and Chinese American communities.
"Historically, we know that rhetoric targeting Asian countries can ultimately endanger the safety of Asian Americans at home, and I urge all of the committee’s membership to understand the gravity of their words," she added.
Gallagher released a statement, after being selected by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to chair the Select Committee on China.
“I’d like to thank Speaker McCarthy for appointing me Chairman of the select committee on China and for his leadership on this issue," Gallagher said. "The greatest threat to the United States is the Chinese Communist Party. The CCP continues to commit genocide, obscure the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, steal hundreds of billions of dollars worth of American intellectual property, and threaten Taiwan.
"The Select Committee on China will push back in bipartisan fashion before it’s too late," he added. "Even in divided government, we have an opportunity to build a united front against CCP aggression."
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) is comprised of members of Congress, who are of Asian and Pacific islander descent, and members who have a strong dedication to promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific islander (AAPI) community.
CAPAC is currently chaired by Chu and has been addressing the needs of the AAPI community in all areas of American life since it was founded in 1994. CAPAC is non-partisan and bicameral.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) also spoke on the House floor.
“There are a few things I think the select committee needs to keep in mind if they truly want to be effective," McGovern said. "First, former President Trump repeatedly mislabeled COVID-19 with racist language. Such rhetoric coincided with spikes in hate-based acts of violence and discrimination against people of Chinese or Asian origin across the country. This language has no place on this committee or anywhere in Congress."
Chu was first elected in 2009 to represent the 28th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House. She is a sitting member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Small Business Committee. She was elected to chair CAPAC in 2011.
