California Rep. Michelle Steel, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, criticized the Biden Administration's stance on the Green New Deal. Steel accused the administration of endorsing the Green New Deal and asserted that this policy indirectly supports the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Steel stated, "The Biden Administration is enabling the CCP's Uyghur genocide in the name of the Green New Deal." She and a group of 10 lawmakers, including West Virginia Rep. Carol Miller and New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell, wrote a letter expressing concerns about potential inadvertent involvement of the United States in Uyghur forced labor due to the Green New Deal. They advocated for the enactment of the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
The concerns raised by the lawmakers primarily revolve around solar panels and companies based in the People's Republic of China (PRC), including JA Solar, which has supply chain ties to Xinjiang. The letter emphasizes that the United States cannot allow companies like JA Solar to import goods tainted with forced labor into the country. West Virginia Rep. Carol Miller stated, "By allowing solar panels manufactured with Chinese polysilicon to avoid detection, they are encouraging Uyghur forced labor, distorting the market, and killing American jobs."
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was implemented by the US on June 21, 2022. This law empowers officials to prevent the importation of products associated with forced labor in China. For a considerable time, China has subjected individuals, including the Uyghur population, to forced labor.
The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has previously affirmed its dedication to standing with the Uyghur people against the CCP's genocidal actions. The Uyghur community, predominantly Muslim and residing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, has been subjected to forced labor, genocide, and other brutalities by the CCP. Several nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands, have accused the CCP of engaging in widespread genocide.
The Green New Deal is a plan aimed at addressing the climate crisis by transitioning the United States to 100% clean energy by 2030. It involves investments in renewable energy, expanding public transportation, promoting job growth in green industries, and more. The goal is to achieve sustainability and reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels.
The lawmakers emphasized the importance of not empowering the CCP's genocide by allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the US marketplace. They mentioned that Congress has appropriated over $100 million dollars for UFLPA implementation, indicating that it is a high bipartisan priority. Since June 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reviewed more than 4,600 shipments valued at more than $1.64 billion under the UFLPA.
