In the last several years, China has become a threat to American democracy and our way of life through a number of means, Rep. Mikie Sherrill said.
Sherrill believes that through bipartisanship, the House Select Committee on China can enact responsible legislation that will differentiate between the threat of Communist China and the Chinese people and accomplish real results to counter Chinese aggression.
“The CCP is a threat to our democracy and way of life,” Sherrill said. “They are currently reshaping the international order through economic, diplomatic, military and cyber tactics, and we must respond with smart, thoughtful policies. To tackle these challenges, America will need to modernize our military, strengthen our national supply chains, advocate for human rights across the globe and support sovereign democracies. Under the leadership of Chairman Gallagher and Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi, I am confident that this committee will work on a bipartisan basis to enact substantive, policy-based policies that differentiate between the Chinese people and the regime that is oppressing them. In a divided Congress, this committee will be the best opportunity to accomplish real results for Americans and respond to China’s aggression. It is a true honor to serve on this committee and to continue to work across the aisle to combat one of the greatest threats to the United States.”
According to a press release, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) was quoted in a recent subcommittee hearing saying, “They want to replace the U.S. as the economic and technological power so they can spread their values and vision of the future. We need to make sure these technologies are developed in an ecosystem that promotes America’s values, not China’s. As this technology evolves, we must reevaluate and adapt the regulatory environment to make sure America is winning the future, beating China and continue to push the limits of innovation to solidify American dominance."
Even though China moved to regulate fentanyl and two of its precursors in 2019, the nation is still the top supplier of the fentanyl in the U.S., although most of it is supplied indirectly, according to the Brookings Institute. The report describes China’s cooperation in counternarcotics efforts as “highly selective, self-serving, limited and subordinated to its geopolitical interests.” China has refused to accept co-responsibility with Mexico for the fentanyl epidemic and instead maintains that Mexican law enforcement should step up, even as more and more Chinese criminal actors, such as money launderers, expand their operations within Mexico. Approximately 1 million Americans have died from drug overdoses since 1999.
Congressman Chris Smith also highlights how "we have stood by as the Chinese embassy and the Ministry of State Security officials have harassed people of Chinese heritage and nationality living lawfully in the United States."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made remarks on the floor in why he chose to create the House Select Committee on China:
“We spent decades passing policies that welcomed China into the global system. In return, China has exported oppression, aggression and anti-Americanism, but here’s the good news – there is bipartisan consensus that the era of trusting Communist China is over. It dawned on me in that moment of time. Instead of American government not speaking with one voice, with all these different messages we’ve been providing — could we have a bipartisan committee? I’ve heard my colleagues on both sides say that the threat posed by Communist China is serious. I fully agree. This is an issue that transcends political parties. And creating the Select Committee on China is our best avenue for addressing it. The Select Committee on China will create the plan that will take us where we really need to go. It will get us all on the same page and move us in the right direction. Members of the Select Committee will work closely with their colleagues on every committee to get the job done. Is it partisan? Absolutely not. We want the very best ideas, and it doesn’t matter where they come from. At the end of the day, we won’t need a minority and majority report. We’ll just need one philosophy, with one principle, and America will be stronger for the future to come.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) released a statement, after being selected by McCarthy to chair the Select Committee on China.
“I’d like to thank Speaker-elect 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. Even in divided government, we have an opportunity to build a united front against CCP aggression."
Rep. Judy Chu made a comment to State Newswire.
"Presently, my priority is guaranteeing that our CAPAC members are included in both the committee’s leadership and membership," she 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."
