    [House Hearing, 118 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                           MARKUP OF VARIOUS MEASURES

    =======================================================================

                                     MARKUP

                                   BEFORE THE

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                        ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION
                                   __________

                               November 29, 2023
                                   __________

                               Serial No. 118-64
                                   __________

            Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

                      [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

           Available:  http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://
                                docs.house.gov,
                           or http://www.govinfo.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

    54-518PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2024

                          COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                       MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Chairman

    CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     	GREGORY MEEKS, New York, Ranking
    JOE WILSON, South Carolina                 Member
    SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania		BRAD SHERMAN, California
    DARRELL ISSA, California		GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
    ANN WAGNER, Missouri			WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
    BRIAN MAST, Florida			DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
    KEN BUCK, Colorado			AMI BERA, California
    TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee			JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
    MARK E. GREEN, Tennessee		DINA TITUS, Nevada
    ANDY BARR, Kentucky			TED LIEU, California
    RONNY JACKSON, Texas			SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania
    YOUNG KIM, California			DEAN PHILLIPS, Minnesota
    MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, Florida		COLIN ALLRED, Texas
    BILL HUIZENGA, Michigan			ANDY KIM, New Jersey
    AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN,		SARA JACOBS, California
        American Samoa			KATHY MANNING, North Carolina
    FRENCH HILL, Arkansas			SHEILA CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Florida
    WARREN DAVIDSON, Ohio			GREG STANTON, Arizona
    JIM BAIRD, Indiana			MADELEINE DEAN, Pennsylvania
    MICHAEL WALTZ, Florida			JARED MOSKOWITZ, Florida
    THOMAS KEAN, JR., New Jersey		JONATHAN JACKSON, Illinois
    MICHAEL LAWLER, New York		SYDNEY KAMLAGER-DOVE, California
    CORY MILLS, Florida			JIM COSTA, California
    RICH McCORMICK, Georgia			JASON CROW, Colorado
    NATHANIEL MORAN, Texas			BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois
    JOHN JAMES, Michigan
    KEITH SELF, Texas

                        Brendan Shields, Staff Director

                        Sophia Lafargue, Staff Director

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                          BILLS AND AMENDMENTS EN BLOC

    H.R. 6349, Preventing Adversaries From Developing Critical
      Capabilities Act...............................................     2
    H.R. 533, Promoting a Resolution to Tibet-China Conflict Act.....    33
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H. R. 533 offered by
      Mr. Meeks......................................................    44
    H.R. 2766, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023.........................    60
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 2766 offered by
      Mrs. Kim.......................................................    74
    Amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R.
      2766 offered by Mr. Waltz......................................    91
    Materials submitted for the record from Representatives Connolly
      and Kaine......................................................    95
    H.R. 5375, Strengthening the Quad Act............................    98
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 5375 offered by
      Mr. Meeks......................................................   110
    H.R. 1103, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act.   122
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 1103 offered by
      Mr. Smith......................................................   141
    Information submitted for the record from Representative McCaul..   156
    H.R. 5532, Russian-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act.........   160
    Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 5532 offered by
      Mr. Connolly...................................................   172

                                    APPENDIX

    Hearing Notice...................................................   189
    Hearing Minutes..................................................   191
    Hearing Attendance...............................................   192

                                     VOTES

    Vote Report H.R. 2766 as amended.................................   193
    Vote Report H.R. 5375 as amended.................................   194
    Vote Report H.R. 1103 as amended.................................   195
    Vote Report H.R. 5532 as amended.................................   196

                                 MARKUP SUMMARY

    Markup Summary...................................................   197

                           MARKUP OF VARIOUS MEASURES

                          Wednesday, November 29, 2023

                              House of Representatives,
                          Committee on Foreign Affairs,
                                                        Washington, DC.

        The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:16 a.m., in
    room 210, House Visitor Center, Hon. Michael McCaul (chairman
    of the committee) presiding.
        Chairman McCaul. A quorum being present the Committee on
    Foreign Affairs will come to order. The committee is meeting
    today for consideration of H.R. 6349, Preventing Adversaries
    From Developing Critical Capabilities Act; H.R. 533, Promoting
    a Resolution to Tibet-China Conflict Act; H.R. 2766, the Uyghur
    Policy Act of 2023; H.R. 5375, Strengthening the Quad Act; H.R.
    1103, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act;
    and H.R. 5532, Russian-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act.
        The chair announces that any request for recorded votes may
    be rolled. He may recess the committee at any point. Without
    objection, so ordered.
        Pursuant to House rules, I request that members have the
    opportunity to submit views for any committee report that may
    be produced on any of today's measures and without objection,
    so ordered.
        Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 6349, Preventing
    Adversaries from Developing Critical Capabilities Act.
        [The Bill H.R. 6349 follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairman McCaul. The bill was circulated in advance and the
    Clerk shall designate the bill.
        The Clerk. H.R. 6349, to prohibit or require notification
    with respect to certain activities of the United States persons
    involving countries of concern and for other purposes. Be it
    enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispensed with. The bill is considered read and open to
    amendment at any point. I now recognize myself for a statement
    in support of the bill.
        We are facing a generational threat from the Chinese
    Communist Party. Make no mistake, the Chinese Communist Party
    is preparing to fight a war over Taiwan. Its navy is illegally
    claiming the South China Sea and ramming the shipping vessels
    of our allies. Its security services are using facial
    recognition, AI, and biometric data to suppress religious and
    ethnic minorities. I find it troubling that the United States
    does not currently restrict American investment dollars into
    sectors that support these activities. But we can. We can
    restrict China's access to technology through export controls.
    But we cannot stop an investor from using their know-how,
    network, and money to build a CCP giant. And this needs to
    stop.
        Today, we will pass the strongest bill to counter the CCP
    that I have seen in my tenure on this committee and in
    Congress. And I would like to especially thank the ranking
    member, Mr. Meeks, for working with me and leading with me on
    this bill. We built quite a coalition together as one nation
    with one voice.
        In addition to our support, the leads on the Select
    Committee on China also back this bill. The Administration
    obviously supports outbound investment restrictions, as
    reflected in the recent Executive Order that I was pleased to
    see after working with Director Estevez of BIS and Secretary
    Raimondo, and so do many conservative groups including
    Heritage, Hudson, and American Compass. But I know one group
    that really hates this bill and that is the Chinese Communist
    Party. And that is because this effort targets specific
    technology sectors like AI and quantum computing that are
    empowering China's military development and surveillance state.
        The sector based forward looking approach is the path
    forward. We have seen time and again the shortcomings of
    targeting companies one by one. They simply change the names of
    their companies. That backward-looking process has failed and
    only strengthened the CCP. Our approach, on the other hand, is
    comprehensive and preventative. We know that in these high-
    tech, dual-use sectors more U.S. investment only harms national
    security, whether it is one dollar or one billion dollars. U.S.
    investors should not be involved in these high-tech areas that
    will shape and define the future.
        What we have here is truly a bipartisan piece of
    legislation that should be expedited immediately to the House
    floor. Indeed, this type of forward looking outbound framework
    is supported by nearly every Senator. My dear friend, Senator
    Cornyn, has a similar bill which got over 90 votes in the
    Senate and it may not be allowed to pass on the National
    Defense Authorization Bill, but we will pass it out of this
    committee and we will pass it out on the House floor and we
    will send it to the Senate and they will pass it and it will be
    signed into law by the President of the United States.
        It seems like nearly the entirety of Congress, Republican
    and Democrats, agree that U.S. dollars and investment should
    not be supporting the CCP's development of critical
    technologies. The time now calls for bold, new ideas instead of
    old, failed approaches. Today, I urge my colleagues to vote in
    favor of this measure to take the steps necessary to maintain
    the global balance of power. With that, the chair now
    recognizes the ranking member, Mr. Meeks.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I strongly support
    this measure and I am proud to co-leading it with Chairman
    McCaul. Our staff has worked tirelessly together for several
    weeks to carefully draft and negotiate this bill. And I am so
    pleased that we were able to reach an agreement on such
    significant legislation. This has been a completely bipartisan
    effort. And I again thank Chairman McCaul for his partnership
    to address a critical challenge.
        American dollars should not fund the development of
    critical technologies that could threaten our national security
    if acquired by our competitors. To deal with this threat, this
    past August President Biden for the first time initiated a
    program to prohibit or require notifications for certain
    outbound financial investments by the United States persons
    into the semiconductor, quantum, and artificial intelligence
    sectors in China. And since President Biden issued his
    Executive Order, the Administration indicated it could most
    effectively start and implement such a program if it was
    codified in law.
        Now there have been several bipartisan, bicameral efforts
    in recent years, for example, by Senators Casey and Cornyn and
    by Representatives DeLauro and Pascrell, among others, to
    establish an outbound investment program. But our bill, H.R.
    6349, builds on these efforts by codifying the Biden Executive
    Order and enhancing the program and regulations already being
    developed by the Administration. What we did, we incorporated
    Administration feedback to make the bill stronger. Importantly,
    we have authorized resources and provided hiring authority to
    ensure that the Administration has the resources and staff
    needed to get this program running quickly and effectively.
        We have also ensured that violations of outbound
    restrictions can be enforced through currencies and we close
    loopholes that would prevent U.S. companies from evading
    restrictions through their subsidiaries abroad.
        Finally, we have built upon the Executive Order in two
    other critical ways. First, we have expanded the outbound
    restrictions beyond the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong,
    and Macau to cover Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Second, we
    have added hypersonics and high-performance computing to the
    covered sectors to ensure that we are maximizing the protection
    of our national security which is front and center for us.
        And as a member of the Financial Services Committee also, I
    have long supported U.S. leadership in open, global, financial
    markets. We need to ensure that Americans are engaging in these
    markets, but this engagement should be done in such a way that
    does not harm our national security. H.R. 6349 will safeguard
    our security and sustain U.S. global leadership through limited
    guardrails and transparency regarding major investment abroad
    by Americans.
        And so I close by saying thank you to the chairman, again,
    thank you to the majority staff for working in a way that we
    can speak again with one voice on this serious matter of
    defense for our country and security for our country. It is a
    way things ought to be. I strongly support this bill and I urge
    all of my colleagues to do the same and I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields. Let me echo that
    sentiment that--and I want to thank the staff as well for
    working so well together. I think this could be the strongest
    countering China bill ever passed by the Congress.
        And with that, is there any further discussion on the bill?
    Mr. Barr is recognized.
        Mr. Barr. I thank the chairman for recognition. I thank him
    for his patriotic dedication to ensuring that Americans are not
    unwittingly investing in the Chinese entities that harm our own
    national security. I want to thank the ranking member also for
    joining in this very important effort.
        As a member of both this committee and the House Financial
    Services Committee, we have also passed legislation in the
    financial Services Committee to address this issue. My bill
    H.R. 760, the Chinese Military Surveillance Companies Sanctions
    Act is all inclusive. My legislation would impose full blocking
    sanctions on any defense-sector entity in China including
    Chinese military and industrial complex companies such as
    Huawei, Hikvision, SMIC, and Sense Time. It also includes a
    comprehensive sanctions assessment for Chinese entities listed
    pursuant to Section 1260H of the Fiscal Year NDAA, a report
    administered by the Secretary of Defense, as well as companies
    on the entity list and military and user entity list at the
    Department of Commerce.
        I stand behind my legislation's approach which uses
    existing authorities and agencies via sanctions and OFAC
    instead of giving the Administration broad authority to create
    new government bureaucracy. The bill before us today is well
    intentioned. The bill before us has a good objective, the same
    objective that mine has. But it does give the President the
    ability to delegate the new prohibition authority to the head
    of any Federal agency the President determines. And we have
    seen first-hand the Biden Administration overextend their reach
    into business and the lives of Americans and, respectfully,
    this authority is not tailored enough to address the issues of
    U.S. investments in China.
        It is a misconception that U.S. investors solely are
    fueling China's economic growth. There is a problem here and
    the chairman's bill and the ranking member's bill seeks to get
    at it and I appreciate that. But under Xi's dictatorship, China
    has attacked Western investment as a threat to the CCP's hold.
    As a result, foreign direct investment in China is negative for
    the first time on record and U.S. venture capital in the
    country has reached a 10-year low.
        Far from craving foreign financing, China is the world's
    largest exporter of capital which has powered the Belt and Road
    Initiative and made Beijing the largest official creditor in
    the world. Its foreign exchange reserves may now reach $6
    trillion, double what analysts previously thought.
        Untailored, broad prohibitions would have the unintended
    consequence of limiting Americans' control influence and
    intelligence gathering in Chinese technology companies. That is
    not what we want. Think of it this way. The U.S. screens
    Chinese investments in Silicon Valley startups through the
    Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. No one in
    the CCP is proposing an outbound investment regime that would
    block Chinese nationals from taking over America's technology
    innovators.
        The CCP is brutal, but it is not moronic. It is therefore
    unclear why the U.S. would want to prevent Americans from going
    abroad to pry open the world's most opaque major economy. We
    want Americans on the boards of Chinese companies spreading
    Western standards and complying with U.S. laws. And so we have
    got to be careful here.
        Since China is in no way dependent on U.S. capital alone
    from U.S. investors, the only way to undermine its military
    companies is by cutting off revenues and technology which is
    the advantage of sanctions. Moreover, unlike unilateral
    investment measures, sanctions compliance in coordination with
    friends in the G7 and beyond amplify their impact. Sanctions
    had a multi-lateral effect.
        Alternatively, if the goal of this legislation is simply to
    target know-how, then U.S. export controls already prohibit
    knowledge transfer abroad, often in cooperation with our
    allies. Anyone who claims there is a gap in government
    authorities does not know the authorities exist or they find
    sanctions in export controls too hawkish on China. There is no
    better example of the effectiveness of sanctions than the
    Treasury Department's response to H.R. 760. The Treasury
    Department is concerned that the potential consequences for
    China from this bill could be quote unquote catastrophic.
    Instead, it is opting for an investment notification approach
    through EO 14105, not unlike requirements of an outbound
    regime.
        So the sanctions approach is actually the tough approach.
    OFAC is the toughest approach and I stand ready to support
    strong and effective action that strengthens U.S. competitive
    edge against China. I think the chairman's effort is a noble
    and good one and this is a very important piece of legislation.
    I am glad that the chairman and the ranking member are engaging
    in this. They have been all along and this is a patriotic
    dedication to getting at a problem that we need to get at. And
    so I appreciate the chairman's work on this and I encourage all
    members in all of the committees of jurisdiction, especially
    Financial Services Committee, and this committee, and the China
    Select Committee on which I serve as well, to collaborate going
    forward and to get a solution and get everybody on the same
    page because we all want the same objective here. With that, I
    yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields. Let me express the
    same sentiment. As we have, I anticipate this will pass out of
    committee and I would like to continue working with you, sir,
    to see if there are ways to reconcile the two bills coming out
    of both this committee and Financial Services. But I do want to
    State what this bill does not do. It does not create a
    bureaucracy.
        It does not create a CFIUS structure. It simply bars
    sectors from investing, that being AI, quantum, hypersonics,
    and semiconductors. All four of those sectors go straight into
    the Chinese military apparatus. Sanctions, the company can
    merely change their name and then it is no longer effective.
    But if we bar wholesale sectors, we are blocking all national
    security-related investments in China. That is why Heritage
    Action said House Republicans should be supporting, not
    blocking, investment curbs on China which your bill does as
    well. And I look forward to working with you.
        This bill has tremendous support on both sides of the
    aisle, but also from the most conservative groups. And the
    people I respect most, people like Secretary Pompeo and
    National Security Advisor O'Brien, who I worked with in the
    prior Administration, and his Deputy Pottinger, Secretary
    Wilbur Ross. This is one of the top recommendations in the
    China Task Force that I chaired.
        And I am proud that we finally have brought it to be
    fruition to be marked up by this committee and we cannot take
    no action on this. And while this may be pulled down on the
    NDAA, I do not know. We have a responsibility not only as
    members of this committee, but as Americans to protect the
    American people from investments that go straight into the
    Chinese military apparatus.
        I thank you for your statement. You started out very
    perfectly that we both have the same goal. We have the same
    desire and intent. We may have a different means to get there,
    and I look forward to working with you as we look toward a bill
    that can go to the floor where we have consensus. I will yield.
        Mr. Barr. Would the gentleman yield? Just a real additional
    question because I know the chairman shares this sentiment that
    this effort is very important because we do need to take
    defensive actions, whether it is this bill or an OFAC sanctions
    approach which could have agility to change and adapt to name
    changes. But I know the chairman agrees with me that it is not
    just about defensive measures. It is also about being the best
    version of ourselves. This is an economic competition with the
    PRC and the CPP which means we have an advantage. The advantage
    that we have is that we are a free market capitalist economy
    and they are a closed central planning oriented communist
    country. That is their Achilles' heel. So let's be the best
    version of ourselves and let's take advantage of the fact that
    they are the communists and that is their weakness and our
    offensive move is to make sure that we remain a country
    committed to free-market principles. And with that, I yield.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields and I would be remiss
    if I did not say congratulations on the new baby. We are very
    happy for you.
        Is there any further discussion on the bill? There being no
    further discussion on the bill, the committee will move to
    consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an
    amendment?
        There being no amendments, I move that the committee report
    H.R. 6349 to the House with a favorable recommendation.
        All those in favor signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    motion is agreed to. And without objection, the motion to
    reconsider is laid on the table. Staff is authorized to make
    any technical and conforming changes.
        Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 533, Promoting a
    Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act.
        [The Bill H.R. 533 follows:]

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

      AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE TO H.R. 533 OFFERED BY MR.
                                     MEEKS

    [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

        Chairman McCaul. The bill was circulated in advance and the
    Clerk shall designate the bill.
        The Clerk. H.R. 533, to Amend the Tibetan Policy Act of
    2002 to modify certain provisions of that act. Be it enacted by
    the Sen ate and the House of Representatives of the United
    States of America in Congress, assembled Section 1 short title.
    This act may be cited as the promoting of resolution to the
    Tibetan-China Conflict Act, Section 2 findings. Congress----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispensed with, the bill is considered read and open to
    amendment at any point. Without objection, the Meeks Amendment
    No. 15 in the nature of a substitute was circulated to members
    in advance shall be considered as read and will be treated as
    original text for purposes of the amendment.
        I now recognize myself in support of this bill. First of
    all, I want to thank those who have attended--that represent
    the great Tibet people, Tibetan people, the Nation that has
    been oppressed for so many years by the Chinese Communist
    Party. We welcome you and we are so glad that we have come to
    this great day where this committee will pass and move out of
    this committee this Tibetan resolution that will get to the
    House floor, pass, and I predict will pass the Senate and be
    signed into law. Thank you so much for being here.
        The world is no stranger to the CCP's aggression and
    excessive claims and nobody knows that more than the Tibetan
    people. From ramming Philippines' boats to killing Australian
    servicemen, to claiming ownership over Taiwan, the CCP seeks to
    dominate the entire Indo-Pacific. The CCP has a long and
    violent record of oppression against the people of Tibet.
        In October 1950, Chinese communist troops annexed Tibet,
    killing tens of thousands of Tibetans and monks. The CCP's on-
    going oppression of the people of Tibet ultimately forced the
    Dalai Lama to flee to India. This persecution has continued to
    this day. Just last week, the CCP released a White Paper on its
    policies in Tibet. In this document, the party doubles down on
    its oppression and crackdown on the religious and economic
    freedom of Tibetan people. Some of the actions taken by the CCP
    include setting up boarding schools to quote re-educate Tibetan
    children, clamping down on the use of Tibetan language,
    restricting movement of Tibetans, and even attempting to insert
    themselves into the succession of the Dalai Lama. Well, thank
    God, the Dalai Lama said that the new Dalai Lama, it will be
    reborn, will not be born in China. This White Paper
    demonstrates the need for this bill and I am proud to have co-
    introduced it with Representative McGovern.
        The promoting a resolution to the Tibetan-China Dispute Act
    helps Tibetans in two major ways. First, it pushes back against
    CCP propaganda about the history of Tibet. The United States
    has never accepted that ``Tibet was part of China since ancient
    times'' as the CCP falsely claims. This legislation clarifies
    U.S. policy, highlights the unique language, religion, and
    culture of the Tibetan people and directs U.S. diplomacy to
    push back against CCP propaganda.
        Additionally, it ensures Tibetans have a say in their own
    future, not the CCP. This bill stresses the need for a dialog
    between the CCP and the democratically elected leaders of
    Tibet. Any resolution must include the wishes and the voice of
    the Tibetan people.
        Tibetans are a democracy-loving people who wish to practice
    their own religion, freely, and have their own wishes and
    desires acknowledged as we do in the United States of America.
    The freedoms that we enjoy we want to be enjoyed by the people
    of Tibet.
        So I am proud to have played a very small role and part in
    supporting this dream for the Tibetan people. I want to thank
    you for being here today. I hope you can be here when it passes
    on the House floor. I encourage you to relay my best wishes to
    the Dalai Lama and I encourage all my colleagues to push back
    against the crackdown of religious and ethnic minorities like
    the Tibetan people and vote in favor of this bill.
        I also want to thank my good friend again, Mr. Meeks, for
    working with me to get to this point where we are today. And
    with that, I recognize the ranking member, Mr. Meeks.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And before I get
    started on my remarks, I just want to welcome a new member to
    our committee. Gabe Amo from Rhode Island, won a special
    election and has been here. This is his first full committee
    meeting. He is an individual that is going to add a lot to our
    committee in the same spirit of what we work in a bipartisan
    way. He comes well equipped. He will sit on all the
    subcommittees of which David Cicilline, his predecessor, sat on
    previously. And I think that you will find that he will be a
    huge addition to our committee and working together. And so,
    Dave, welcome to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
        I want to also, as Chairman McCaul, welcome the Tibetan
    people for being here for this long-awaited bill to pass. And
    like the chairman has said, who has been working on this for a
    long time, along with Mr. McGovern, that we want to make sure
    that the message is clear when we talk about freeing people
    from oppression. And so welcome to the House Foreign Affairs
    Committee and welcome to the U.S. House of Representatives.
    And, please, send our greetings back to the Dalai Lama.
        Now I support this bill that Representative Jim McGovern
    and Chairman McCaul have put forward because for far too long
    Beijing repressed the Tibetan people and choked its commitments
    to work with the Dalai Lama and his representatives to resolve
    the Tibet question through dialog.
        I am deeply concerned by the on-going effort by Beijing to
    dilute the distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and
    historical identity of the Tibetan people. For example, Beijing
    is shutting down local schools in Tibetan areas and replacing
    them with centralized Chinese boarding schools that separate
    children from their families and communities. Multiple U.N.
    Special Rapporteurs have raised concerns about this forced
    assimilation, warning that the residential school system
    appears to, and I quote ``appears to act as a mandatory, large-
    scale program intended to assimilate Tibetans and the majority
    Han culture contrary to international human rights standards.''
        And while Beijing is engaged in these tactics to suppress
    Tibetan culture, it has propagated a disinformation campaign
    about Tibet and its history. And contrary to its commitments,
    the People's Republic of China has not engaged in a formal
    dialog on the Tibet question with the Dalai Lama since 2010.
        H.R. 533 calls Beijing out on its campaign of repression
    and its neglect of the aspirations of the Tibetan people. It
    aims to raise awareness about the suppression of Tibetan
    identity, language and culture and counter the PRC's
    disinformation efforts aimed at undermining the Tibetan
    people's aspirations It reinforces U.S. support for the Tibetan
    people and calls for a meaningful dialog between the PRC and
    Tibetan representatives to reach a negotiated solution on the
    question of Tibet.
        Importantly, the bill also amends the Tibetan Policy Act of
    2002 by strengthening U.S. public diplomacy efforts, countering
    PRC's disinformation about Tibet. This is an important and very
    timely measure and I want to thank Representative McGovern and
    Chairman McCaul for introducing it and for being a long-term
    champion of the Tibetan people.
        I also want to thank Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for her
    support of this bill and for her long principled conviction to
    hold the PRC accountable for its human rights violations.
        So, with that, Mr. Chairman, I urge all of my colleagues to
    join me in supporting this measure and I yield back the balance
    of my time.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Is there any further discussion?
        Mr. Perry? Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Smith is recognized.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do rise in strong
    support of H.R. 588--533, I should say. And I want to thank Jim
    McGovern, who is a good friend, for sponsoring it, and Mr.
    Meeks for the amendment in the nature of a substitute. And I'm
    very proud to be one of the cosponsors of the bill.
        Tibet and Tibetan people today face new and worsening
    challenges from the Chinese Communist Party and their
    repressive rule. Threats to Tibet's linguistic, religious, and
    cultural heritage have expanded exponentially in recent years.
    And now, an estimated 80 percent of all children in the Tibet
    Autonomous Region are separated from their families and
    educated in a massive system of colonial boarding schools--a
    deeply troubling fact about the Chinese Communist Party's
    efforts to forcibly assimilate non-Han ethnic and religious
    groups. They are trying to change radically how those young
    children think about their lives and about their culture and
    about their faith.
        In recent years, Chinese police in Tibet have conducted
    mass DNA collection and iris-scanning programs in wide swathes
    of Tibetan society, including in monasteries and primary
    schools--a sinister endeavor to harvest biometric data, and one
    which implicates an American company, Thermo Fisher Scientific.
        Amid these threats to Tibetans in Tibet, the Chinese
    Communist Party also seeks to extend its repressive reach
    abroad, targeting for surveillance and harassment Tibetan
    diaspora communities in the United States, India, and in Nepal.
        The Chinese Communist Party has long engaged in crimes
    against humanity in Tibet and against Tibetans. I have chaired
    multiple hearings with my good friend McGovern and on my
    subcommittee, and also, on the China Commission. We held one
    last March and the focus, the title was: ``Preserving Tibet:
    Combating Cultural Erasure, Forced Assimilation, and
    Transnational Repression,'' which featured the Sikyong, the
    head of the Tibetan government in exile, as well as Richard
    Gere. And just let me tell you, there is no one more passionate
    and articulate anywhere in the world than Richard Gere for
    many, many, many years.
        Countering disinformation and addressing intimidation of
    Tibetans and transnational repression, thankfully, is a
    priority of this committee. And thank you for that, Mr.
    Chairman.
        This bill authorizes the State Department to take actions
    to counter Chinese Communist propaganda directed against Tibet,
    including about Tibet's history and institutions. And for that
    reason alone, it should be supported.
        During a month when the atheist communist party claims that
    the Dalai Lama cannot recognize a successor without their
    approval, this bill is timely and sends the right message that
    this Congress stands with the Tibetan people in their struggle
    for freedom and fundamental human rights.
        And again, I want to thank those who are here today on
    behalf of the community for their leadership as well.
        I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. Is there any further discussion on the
    bill?
        Mr. Connolly is recognized.
        Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I just want to join in thanking the authors of this bill
    for bringing it forward.
        I led the first congressional STAFFDEL to Tibet in 1986,
    and we could witness--and did--the systematic destruction of
    Tibetan culture, even though we were under the watchful eyes of
    handlers from Beijing. Monks at monasteries would come up to
    us, once they knew we weren't Russian, and would tell us about
    the suppression, about the torture, about imprisonment, about
    the destruction of cultural treasures in Tibet--all designed to
    impose the Han culture on Tibet.
        There was also, and has been, a systematic attempt by the
    Chinese to repopulate Tibet, so that it loses its Tibetan
    heritage, culture, and distinct identity.
        A few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting with the
    Dalai Lama in Dharamshala and to see the conditions the Tibetan
    leadership is sort of forced to live with in exile because the
    Han forcibly moved them out.
        And Tibet is a distinct culture. It has a distinct
    identity. And I hope someday they will be able to achieve that
    distinction with their own independence and autonomy.
        But I think this bill is an important statement by the
    Congress, and I'm so pleased to want to vote for it. So, thank
    you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to my colleagues for bringing
    it forward.
        I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        I thank you as well.
        Is there any further discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Perry is recognized.
        Mr. Perry. I thank the chairman and thank--will miracles
    never cease--me and Chairman McGovern on the same side of an
    issue, it's awesome when that bipartisanship can happen, as the
    former chairman of this committee also knows.
        I would say this: I am supportive of this bill and I
    appreciate the constant pressure against the Communist Party of
    China, but I would also say that I would like to see it be much
    stronger. I think that we ought to open an embassy in Lhasa. I
    think we ought to recognize the government, the legitimate
    Tibetan government in exile, and let the Chinese Communist
    Party know where America truly stands and that we do not accept
    what they're doing in Tibet and to the Tibetan people; and not
    only do we not accept it, we're willing to do something about
    it.
        The tough rhetoric is nice and it is helpful, but it is not
    enough. And so, I hope this is just the beginning and not
    nearly the end of what we do in regard to supporting the people
    of Tibet and being opposed to the oppression and the
    dictatorial measures of the Communist Party of China.
        And with that, I yield the balance, Mr. Chairman.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Yes, the gentleman is recognized from South Carolina.
        Mr. Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And Chairman Mike
    McCaul and Ranking Member Greg Meeks, thank you for bringing
    these important bipartisan measures that are coming up today
    before the Foreign Affairs Committee.
        And I want to especially welcome Congressman Gabe Amo of
    Rhode Island with his Liberian heritage, and I am grateful with
    Ranking Member Greg Meeks. We all share a South Carolina
    heritage.
        All of the legislation before the committee today covers
    important policy that has a direct impact on American citizens.
    And I'm grateful to be a cosponsor with Chairman Jim McGovern
    and Chairman Mike McCaul for promoting a resolution on the
    Tibet-China Conflict Act. This bill pushes for a conversation
    and resolution to the decades-long illegal occupation of Tibet
    by the Chinese Communist Party.
        The Chinese Communist Party dictatorship oppresses the
    people of China. I personally appreciate the people of China,
    as my father, First Lieutenant Hugh Wilson, served in the 14th
    Air Force Flying Tigers, U.S. Army Air Corps, in World War II
    to liberate the people of China, as he served in Xi'an,
    Chengdu, and Kunming.
        The Dalai Lama has pushed for peace since the 1950 illegal
    invasion of the sovereign nation of Tibet by Dictator Mao
    Zedong. China proved their intent for not only territorial
    annexation, but for the greater genocide of Tibetans with the
    kidnapping of the Panchen Lama at 6 years old, just 3 days
    after being named to the role in 1995. China has continued
    their cultural genocide, announcing Tibet does not exist and
    pushing for the false name of Xizang.
        I agree very much with my colleague Congressman Scott Perry
    that this should be the beginning of passage of legislation to
    stand up for the people of Tibet and stand against the Chinese
    Communist Party genocide in Tibet. This is, again, just as
    false as what the Chinese Communist Party is doing today, that
    Tibet does not exist, as we hear that the 24 million people of
    Taiwan do not exist, either. We should be working together as
    we face the threats of the dictatorial Chinese Communist Party.
        I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        There being no further discussion, the committee will move
    to consideration of amendments.
        Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
        There being no amendments, I move the committee report H.R.
    533, as amended, to the House with a favorable recommendation.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    motion is agreed to.
        Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the
    table.
        The staff is authorized to make any technical and
    conforming changes.
        Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 2766, the Uyghur
    Policy Act of 2023.
        The bill was circulated in advance.
        The clerk shall designate the bill.
        The Clerk. ``H.R. 2766, To support the human rights of
    Uyghurs and members of the minority groups residing primarily
    in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous''----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispensed with.
        The bill is considered read and open to amendment at any
    point.
        [The bill H.R. 2766 follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the Kim Amendment No.
    47 in the nature of a substitute, circulated to members in
    advance, shall be considered as read. It will be treated as
    original text for purposes of amendments.
        [The Amendment No. 47 in the nature of a substitute offered
    by Mrs. Kim of California follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. Is there any discussion on the bill?
        I'll recognize the author, Mrs. Kim. I'm sorry. I recognize
    the ranking member, Mr. Meeks.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
        I strongly support this bill and I'm a proud cosponsor with
    Mrs. Kim, and thank her for her work on this.
        Congress cannot be silent and we must act when faced with
    terrible human rights atrocities around the world. We must come
    together in a bipartisan fashion to support the Uyghurs and
    other religious and ethnic minority communities suffering in
    Xinjiang.
        As chairman of this committee in the 117th Congress, I was
    proud to hold a hearing featuring an Uyghur survivor, and I can
    say her heartbreaking testimony stays with me until this very
    day.
        And I was proud to work with Chairman McCaul to introduce
    and pass on the House floor a resolution condemning the PRC's
    genocide in Xinjiang, and I was also proud to pass the Uyghur
    Forced Labor Prevention Act, which President Biden signed into
    law.
        We must build on that work in this Congress. So, I again
    want to thank Representative Young Kim and Ami Bera for their
    leadership on this bill.
        Beijing's atrocities must be taken seriously and we should
    do everything we can to address its horrible policies. Given
    the genocide taking place, H.R. 2766 calls for the creation of
    a Special Coordinator for Uyghur issues to promote, protect,
    and preserve the distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, and
    linguistic identities of the Uyghurs and other minority groups
    in Xinjiang.
        It also aims to ensure that the State Department and our
    diplomats have the tools they need to enhance our diplomatic
    efforts and programs in support of those suffering under
    Beijing's repression in Xinjiang.
        So, as I conclude, Mr. Chairman, I support this measure and
    urge all of my colleagues to do the same. And I yield back the
    balance of my time.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Mrs. Kim is recognized.
        Mrs. Kim of California. Thank you, Chairman McCaul and
    Ranking Member Meeks, for holding today's markup and for
    bringing up my legislation, H.R. 2766, the Uyghur Policy Act,
    for consideration today.
        I also want to thank the ranking member of the Indo-Pacific
    Subcommittee, Ami Bera, for partnering with me on this
    bipartisan legislation once again. This bill passed with
    overwhelming bipartisan support last Congress.
        The People's Republic of China continues to deny carrying
    on genocide against the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in
    the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, despite widely verified
    reports of forced sterilization, forced labor, brainwashing,
    and gang rape in detection camps.
        Unfortunately, this is not an issue that we can solve in
    the short time. Xi Jinping has shown no interest in working
    with the United States on human rights issues. Instead, the CCP
    cracks down on dissidents who draw attention to this genocide,
    even dissidents and Uyghurs living in the United States.
        The Uyghur Policy Act addresses several shortcomings in our
    existing policy regarding this genocide happening in Xinjiang.
    It authorizes the State Department to appoint a Special
    Coordinator on Uyghur Policy Issues, which will consolidate the
    State Department's diplomatic strategy, so department-wide
    resources are better coordinated to respond to the Uyghur
    genocide.
        H.R. 2766 also directs the State Department to provide
    Uyghur language instruction at the Foreign Service Institute
    and station an Uyghur-fluent officer at Mission China
    locations. This will enable our missions to show up and respond
    more effectively.
        This bill also authorizes support for Uyghur human rights
    activists and directs the U.S. Agency for Global Media to
    disseminate news and information regarding Uyghur genocide. We
    must leverage soft power to combat the CCP's massive
    misinformation campaign about the crimes against humanity it is
    carrying out in Xinjiang and garner international support for
    Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
        Time is not on our side. Every day the CCP gets closer to
    achieving its goal of wiping out Uyghur people and its culture.
    The time to act is now.
        So, I want to thank the more than 100 cosponsors of this
    bill on both sides of the aisle and the many advocacy
    organizations that helped to raise awareness about this
    legislation.
        I also want to thank Ranking Member Meeks for working with
    me to ensure that we bring up an agreeable text.
        Thank you, and I urge my colleagues to support the ANS, and
    I yield the balance of my time.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentlelady yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Ms. Wild is recognized.
        Ms. Wild. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I rise in strong support of H.R. 2766 and I'm proud to be a
    cosponsor.
        Ensuring that our country stands for fundamental rights and
    dignity around the world really should not be a partisan issue,
    and I am proud that Republicans and Democrats have been so
    united in standing up for the Uyghur people in the face of the
    horrific persecution that they continue to face.
        Under Democratic and Republican chairs alike, this
    committee has worked with both the previous Administration and
    the current Administration to articulate the need for a clear
    and consistent position on this issue.
        As the Representative of a district which counts
    constituents whose families have been directly affected by the
    barbaric tactics employed by the Chinese State to oppress
    communities in Xinjiang based on their faith and ethnic origin,
    I understand that this is not an issue that is just some
    bargaining chip in the global competition between the United
    States and China. It is deeply personal, and the lives of 1
    million innocent people are hanging in the balance.
        Despite our best efforts in this chamber, much of the
    international community remains unwilling to stand up to the
    PRC and to speak out forcefully with actions, not just words,
    in opposition to these crimes against humanity. And while the
    previous and current Administrations have both taken strong
    actions in defense of the Uyghur people, a great deal of work
    remains to be done.
        This past August, on the 1-year anniversary of the report
    by the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
    that documented many of the violations committed against the
    Uyghur people, and which the PRC attempted to censor, Amnesty
    International's Deputy Regional Director for China spoke out
    against much of the international community's inaction. She
    said, ``Rather than urgently acting on the report's findings of
    serious violations of international law in China, the
    international community, including important components of the
    U.N. itself, has shied away from the kind of resolute steps
    needed to advance justice, truth, and reparation for victims.''
    I echo that statement.
        The world cannot remain silent when faced with the
    suffering of so many. I urge my colleagues to join me in
    supporting this legislation, so that we can pass it on the
    floor of the House of Representatives and send an unequivocal
    message to the world that we will stand, and will continue to
    stand, in solidarity with the Uyghur people and all of those
    who are being persecuted by the PRC.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentlelady yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Smith is recognized.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        First, let me thank Chairwoman Young Kim for authoring this
    very, very important bill, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023. Thank
    you for your leadership on this. It's very, very much needed.
        The bill supplements, as I think many of us know, both the
    Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, passed in the last Congress,
    and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, for which I was the
    lead Republican cosponsor.
        I would say, parenthetically, on April 18th, I chaired an
    oversight hearing of the China Commission looking at the Uyghur
    Forced Labor Act. And the Administration I think is trying to
    do its level best, but there are many, many challenges because,
    even with the rebuttable presumption provision of that law, the
    Chinese Communist Party is finding ways to circumvent it using
    the de minimis language in the law and other ways to get goods
    here that are being made in the concentration camps by Uyghurs
    and others in Xinjiang.
        It is important that we call on the government of the
    People's Republic of China and to call this for what it is--it
    is a genocide--and Mrs. Kim's bill does just that.
        It also would create a Special Coordinator for Uyghurs
    Issues at the State Department, something that I have long
    advocated for and even tried to pass when I sponsored an
    amendment to Chairman Meeks' bill, the EAGLE Act. I had an
    amendment that would have established a Special Envoy. Sadly,
    that bill did not become law, but I appreciate his efforts on
    that bill in the previous Congresses. So, thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Xi Jinping, as we all know, the other night in San
    Francisco met with business leaders who paid $2,000 a plate for
    the opportunity to eat with someone responsible for a past,
    ongoing--and it looks like it's not going to in any time soon
    end--genocide.
        We know there is a recording of him saying--and I've used
    it on the floor--when he said, ``Show no mercy to the Uyghurs.
    Kill them, coopt them, force them into labor camps, but show no
    mercy.''
        Forced abortion, forced sterilization, and a whole host of
    other human rights abuses are being committed right up until
    this very moment. And yet, these business leaders are paying
    mega-dollars to--they gave him two standing ovations. He ought
    to be at The Hague for crimes against humanity and for genocide
    being prosecuted, not being feted the way he was. We cannot
    allow U.S. businesses to continue doing that.
        But this bill, again, will accelerate our efforts as a
    Congress, as a government, to try to mitigate the harm that's
    being suffered each and every day by these wonderful people in
    Xinjiang.
        I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        There being no further discussion of the bill, the
    committee will move to consideration of amendments.
        Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
        Mr. Waltz is recognized.
        Mr. Waltz. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
        Chairman McCaul. The clerk shall distribute the amendment.
        The clerk shall report the amendment.
        The clerk shall report the amendment.
        The Clerk. ``Amendment to the amendment in the nature of a
    substitute to H.R. 2766 offered by Mr. Waltz of Florida.
        Page 6, line 13, strike `including' and insert `including--
    '.
        Page 6, line 13, strike `Ekpar Asat' and all that follows
    through the end of the paragraph and insert the following:
        Ekpar Asat, who participated in the Department of State's
    International Visitors Leadership Program in 2016, was
    incarcerated after returning to the XUAR, and is now serving a
    15 year prison sentence on charges of `inciting ethnic hatred
    and ethnic discrimination';''----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, further reading of the
    amendment is dispensed with.
        [The amendment offered by Mr. Waltz follows:]

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        The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes on his amendment.
        Mr. Waltz. Thank you, Chairman McCaul, for the opportunity
    to speak on my amendment.
        I strongly support the underlying bill introduced by
    Representative Kim and I thank her for her leadership, both of
    you for your leadership on this important issue.
        And I certainly second Representative Smith's comments on
    the shameful and, frankly, discussing behavior by our business
    leaders, literally bowing at the feet of a genocidal dictator
    and paying to do it.
        As a country that values human rights, it is our collective
    responsibility to ensure the Chinese Communist Party is held
    accountable for the human rights atrocities it is, as we speak
    today, committing against the Uyghur population. The world must
    understand that millions of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities
    in Xinjiang are being wrongfully detained, sent to
    concentration camps, forced into labor, gang raped, tortured,
    sterilized, and brainwashed as part of the Chinese Communist
    Party's attempts to ethnically cleanse their country.
        As we craft our foreign policy to hold the Chinese
    Communist Party accountable for these inhumane actions and seek
    to end this genocide, it is imperative that we, as U.S.
    leaders, continue to speak the names of those wrongfully
    detained. We must highlight their cases. We must put a
    spotlight on them and call for their expedited release. And my
    amendment does just that.
        This amendment is a simple, yet important, one, in that, in
    addition to specifically calling for the release of Ekpar Asat,
    as written in the underlying bill, this amendment would include
    the names of two additional Uyghurs wrongfully detained in
    Xinjiang: Dr. Gulshan Abbas and Kamile Wayit.
        Dr. Abbas is a retired medical doctor and an Uyghur who was
    wrongfully detained in Xinjiang on September 11th, 2018, and
    unjustly sentenced to 20 years in prison for no other reason
    than in retaliation for her sister's advocacy for Uyghur human
    rights. Dr. Abbas has more than two dozen U.S. citizens as
    relatives currently living in the United States, including her
    daughters, Ziba Murat and Zamira Murat, who my office has
    personally worked with to advocate for their mother's release.
        Kamile Wayit is a university student and Uyghur who was
    wrongfully detained on December 12th, 2022, after returning to
    Xinjiang while on break from studying in other parts of China.
    Kamile's brother, Kewser Wayit, is an Uyghur American currently
    living in the United States, and he, too, is a staunch Uyghur
    human rights advocate.
        This is a simple amendment that will put even more pressure
    on the CCP, again, by naming these individual cases and putting
    a spotlight in their wrongful detention, especially those who
    are family members of U.S. citizens.
        I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield
    back, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Connolly. Would my friend yield? Would my friend yield?
        Chairman McCaul. Is there any further discussion on the
    amendment?
        The chair recognizes Mr. Connolly.
        Mr. Connolly. Okay. I do not need that much time, but I
    just want to thank my friend for his amendment. I happily
    support it.
        And I'm so glad he included the case of Dr. Abbas. Dr.
    Abbas has relatives in Virginia, including in my district. We
    have a robust Uyghur community and we're very concerned about
    this.
        Senator Kaine of Virginia and myself wrote Secretary
    Blinken back in July about this case and about the number of
    Uyghurs who are detained, as my friend described. And I would
    ask unanimous consent, Mr. Chairman, that that letter of July
    19th be entered into the record.
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, so ordered.
        [The information referred to follows:]

                               connolly material

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        Mr. Connolly. I thank my friend, and I thank my friend for
    getting ready to yield.
        Chairman McCaul. So, the gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the amendment? Mrs. Kim is
    recognized.
        Mrs. Kim of California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support
    Mr. Waltz' amendment naming and sharing those stories of two
    additional individuals who are victims of the Uyghur genocide.
    And I wish that we could name all of the individuals who have
    suffered in Xinjiang at the hands of CCP, but I am afraid that
    the list would be too long to fit into this one bill. But I
    would like to use this opportunity though to draw attention to
    the persecution of the families of reporters that Radio Free
    Asia face for reporting on the Uyghur genocide.
        As you know, RFA's work is critical to sharing the truth of
    what is happening in Xinjiang. And according to RFA six U.S.-
    based Uyghur journalists have family members in the PRC who are
    missing, jailed, or detained, and this number of individuals is
    estimated to be more than 50.
        Shohret Hoshur has worked at RFA for 15 years. He has two
    brothers who were sent to a reeducation camp along with their
    wives and children and a number of extended family members.
        Mamatjan Juma has reported for RFA's Uyghur Service for 12
    years. His two brothers were thrown in prison after being
    questioned by authorities about their connection to Mr. Juma.
    Gulchehra Hoja has reported for RFA for 18 years. She estimates
    that up to two dozen of her family members are being held in
    reeducation camps. Ms. Hoja has also been the target of a CCP
    smear campaign against Uyghurs involved and abroad.
        Jilil Kashgary has reported for RFA for 20 years. His
    sister-in-law and his brother were taken into custody along
    with his cousins and nephews in 2017, and some of his family
    members have been released, but he still has brothers jailed.
        Eset Sulaiman has worked at RFA for 6 years. His two
    brothers, mother-in-law, and father-in-law were sent to a
    reeducation camp. All of the previously mentioned reporters are
    U.S. citizens.
        In addition to these reporters Kurban Niyaz is currently in
    the United States as an asylum seeker and has worked at RFA for
    8 years. He has a brother who was arrested in 2017 and his 5-
    year sentence was extended to 15 years after he was supposed to
    be released in 2022.
        These cases of transnational repression show that these
    crimes against humanity are not confined to China's borders.
    The CCP targets American citizens who are brave enough to call
    out the CCP for this genocide. We must continue to raise
    awareness about this issue and garner international support for
    Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and abroad who
    are targeted by the CCP. Thank you and I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentlelady yields.
        Any further discussion?
        Mr. Meeks is recognized.
        Mr. Meeks. Yes, let me just say that I strongly support
    this amendment also. The number of people who have suffered
    under the PRC's repression is staggering, but the scale of the
    tragedy in Xinjiang demands that we remember the individual
    human lives that have been oppressed, detained, separated from
    their loved ones, tortured, and made to suffer in many other
    ways.
        These individuals are too many to name in this one bill, as
    indicated by other members, but I wholeheartedly support this
    amendment by Representative Waltz as a way to highlight a few
    more of the innocent individuals who have been wrongfully
    detained and held captive by the PRC. And with that I yield
    back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the amendment?
        I too support this amendment. There being no further
    discussion, the question now occurs on the amendment offered by
    Representative Waltz No. 112.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    amendment is----
        Mrs. Kim of California. Chairman, may I ask on the recorded
    vote on this one, please?
        Chairman McCaul. On the amendment?
        Mrs. Kim of California. No, no, not on the amendment; on
    the bill.
        Chairman McCaul. Okay. The ayes have it and the amendment
    is agreed to.
        Are there any further amendments?
        There being no further amendments, I move that the
    committee report H.R. 2766 as amended to the House with a
    favorable recommendation.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    motion is agreed to.
        Ms. Kim?
        Mrs. Kim of California. Yes, I would like to ask for a
    recorded vote on this one.
        Chairman McCaul. A roll call vote has been requested.
    Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement this vote will be
    postponed.
        Pursuant to notice I now call up H.R. 5375, Strengthening
    the Quad Act.
        [The Bill H.R. 5375 follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. The bill was circulated in advance. The
    clerk shall designate the bill.
        The Clerk. HR. 5375, to require a strategy for bolstering
    engagement and cooperation between the United States,
    Australia, India, and Japan to seek to establish a quad intra-
    parliamentary and working group----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispensed with. The bill is considered read and open to
    amendment at any point.
        Without objection, the Meeks amendment No. 51 in the nature
    of a substitute circulated to members in advance shall be
    considered as read and will be treated as original text for
    purposes of the amendment.
        [The amendment offered by Mr. Meeks follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. Is there discussion on the bill?
        The ranking member, Mr. Meeks, is recognized.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for your work
    and working collectively on this also as I strongly support
    H.R. 5375, the Strengthening the Quad Act. And I have always
    said that we are stronger when we lead with diplomacy and work
    with our partners and our allies.
        This is especially true in the Indo-Pacific region where
    America's presence, engagement, and alliance systems has
    maintained peace and stability for decades. Today as the world
    and the region undergo rapid strategic and economic changes, it
    is critical that the United States upgrade our diplomatic and
    development efforts to showcase the United States' leadership
    and deliver for the region.
        And that is why I am thankful to President Joe Biden for
    elevating the quad to the leaders' level and supercharging quad
    diplomacy. In less than 3 years the leaders of the United
    States, Japan, Australia, and India have held five Quad
    Leaders' Summits to chart cooperation, to support the region's
    development, stability, and prosperity.
        As the quad has evolved it has expanded to new areas of
    cooperation. At the May 2023 Quad Leaders' Summit at Hiroshima
    the quad nations agreed to enhance cooperation on
    infrastructure, investment, critical and emergent technologies,
    maritime issues, climate and energy, as well as other issues.
    And the quad does so in ways that complement other multilateral
    groupings in the region including ASEAN. The quad is integral
    for a free and open Indo-Pacific, but it will only be
    successful if it has a clear long-term strategy as well as
    political and institutional support in all four capitals.
        And this is why my bill calls for a quad strategy that
    focuses on building democratic leadership in the region for the
    long term, but we need to maximize the quad's effectiveness by
    making longer term investments, engaging in sustained
    cooperation, and adapting our approach over time based on
    results. The strategy and report to Congress would allow
    successive Administrations to chart long-term objectives and
    partner with Congress to best meet them.
        H.R. 5375 also calls for the creation of a quad intra-
    parliamentary working group to facilitate engagement and
    cooperation among the legislative bodies of the four quad
    democracies. Intra-parliamentary engagement would enhance
    legislative input and oversight and will help enhance the
    quad's focus and effectiveness. It would also ensure that there
    is sustained support for the quad in all four countries across
    political lines. Moreover, legislative input will also make it
    easier to adequately resource the quad and equip it to deliver
    for the region.
        With an increasingly precarious and unstable Indo-Pacific
    region the quad is more important now than ever for upholding
    regional rules and helping maintain stability. This bill will
    ensure that the quad is putting forward a positive and
    practical agenda for the region.
        And again, in talking about having the parliamentarian
    engagement it gives us the opportunity--and I know, Mr.
    Chairman, you and I have sat in on some of the dinners where we
    have had conversations and working together in that regards,
    and in also meeting and working with some of our colleagues in
    the parliaments of these other countries. It enhances us
    working together. It makes sure that no matter what
    Administration has changed or who the legislative branch is
    engaged also. So I thank you for your cooperation and working
    together.
        So I support this measure and urge all my colleagues to do
    the same, and I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        And I fully support this measure. I believe it is important
    not only for the executive branch to communicate with the
    respective parliaments and the Congress.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman McCaul. Mr. Connolly is recognized.
        Mr. Connolly. Thank you. I also am grateful for Mr. Meeks
    and bringing this forward. And I think it is about time
    Congress in fact take specific action with respect to the quad,
    and I welcome this measure and gladly support it.
        I would note that for the quad to be effective we need
    partners who are making the serious investments in their own
    militaries to be a partner in the region. The quad will not be
    effective if China has nothing to fear from it. And maybe the
    word respect is better than fear. And we had a hearing a few
    months ago where some of the weaknesses in Australia's military
    really were highlighted. And so some of our partners need to be
    making investments, just like we have been making investments,
    in their region and in our military. They need to reciprocate.
    They need to do it, too, because this has to be the
    partnership. That is the whole point of the quad. It is not a
    unilateral American actin.
        So I would hope that when this bill becomes law we can use
    this platform, on the parliamentary level anyhow, in
    encouraging our colleagues in the other members of the quad to
    make those investments, to support those investments so that
    China understands what it has wrought. I thank my friend and I
    yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        And let me just add it appears that the--our AUKUS measure
    will like pass in the National Defense Authorization Bill. I
    want to thank the ranking member for working with me to get to
    this point. And I think that--of course as you know is the U.K.
    and Australia, but the quad really complements that effort in a
    strong way. And so that is why I strongly support this bill.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        There being no further discussion on the bill the committee
    will move to consideration of amendments. Does any member wish
    to offer an amendment?
        Mr. Meeks. Can we get a roll call vote?
        Chairman McCaul. Oh.
        Mr. Meeks. Oh, we have not done it?
        Chairman McCaul. Oh, we are on amendments.
        Mr. Meeks. Yes.
        Chairman McCaul. Yes. Any amendments?
        There being no amendments, I move that the committee report
    H.R. 5375 as amended to the House with a favorable
    recommendation.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    motion is agreed to.
        Mr. Meeks. Ask for a roll call vote.
        Chairman McCaul. A roll call vote has been requested.
    Pursuant to the chair's previous announcement this vote will be
    postponed.
        Pursuant to notice I now call up H.R. 1103, the Hong Kong
    Economic and Trade Office Certification Act.
        [The Bill H.R. 1103 follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. The bill was circulated in advance. The
    clerk shall designate the bill.
        The Clerk. H.R. 1103, to require the President to remove
    the extension of certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities
    to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no
    longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People's
    Republic of China and----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispenses with. The bill is considered read and open to
    amendment at any point.
        Any discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Smith is recognized.
        Mr. Smith. I do have an amendment in the nature of a
    substitute.
        Chairman McCaul. Yes.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I
    do want to thank you for including the bill in today's markup
    and for your strong support of it as well as for Ranking Member
    Meeks'.
        Hong Kong today is not the Hong Kong many of us knew,
    respected, and supported. We cherish the people, but is it the
    government that has become the severe oppressor of the people.
    The promise of one country, two systems, by whereby Hong Kong
    would keep its distinct social and legal system for 50 years
    following the 1997 hand over from Great Britain has proven to
    be a fiction. The basic law has been trashed. And I would
    remind members that the basic law reads like our Bill of
    Rights. The rights enumerated there are amazing and the people
    of Hong Kong enjoy those rights. Sometimes they are abrogated,
    but they did enjoy them to a large extent until now.
        Also the Sino-U.K. Treaty has been abrogated with impunity.
    That was a treaty that is binding. And so that international
    law has been violated by Xi Jinping and the Hong Kong
    authorities. Again, it has all been done in plain sight, and
    some of the best and the brightest and the bravest are now
    languishing in prison, including people like Joshua Wong.
        Jimmy Lai. Jimmy Lai, what an amazing man. He could have
    left. He was a publisher, as we all know, was a newspaper man
    and now he is in prison and he will probably spend the rest of
    his life there.
        We had a hearing in April and we heard from Sebastian Lai,
    his son. Articulate, strong, powerful, courageous. And he made
    the case like no other on behalf of the people of Hong Kong and
    of course for his father.
        And we have a situation where people just look askance and
    say well, maybe we could do business again in Hong Kong. It has
    changed radically and people who do business there who happen
    to be Americans or corporate types, they had better take notice
    because in a twinkling of an eye they could find themselves in
    a very, very bad situation. About 1,000 political prisoners--
    there is more than that, but these are people who are
    absolutely committed to non-violence who are being tortured by
    the Hong Kong police and of course being--all this being
    promoted by Xi Jinping.
        The Hong Kong Economic and trade Offices, or shortly--or
    for short HKETOs, were given the status akin to an embassy and
    with privileges and immunities on the assumption that Hong Kong
    would retain--I say again retain a degree of autonomy from
    Communist China. They have now however become three additional
    hostile Chinese outposts in the United States. From these
    HKETOs located in Washington, New York, and San Francisco we
    have seen an extension of the PRC's long arm transactional
    repression including harassment of Hong Kong democracy
    advocates living in exile here in the United States.
        Anna Kwok, who is here with us today--and thank you for
    your extraordinary bravery. She is the executive director of
    the Hong Kong Democracy Council. She testified at out hearing
    of the China Commission and she told us how her team was
    questioned or the Chinese officials. HKETO officials questioned
    her team and there was one of the eight democracy advocates of
    whom the Hong Kong government placed; she is one of them, a
    million dollar bounty for their return to face political
    persecution in Hong Kong. I mean in the light of day here they
    are operating in the United States. It is time that their doors
    be shuttered.
        We just saw the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC
    meeting conclude in San Francisco the week before last where
    China had two votes. Not one, two; its own and Hong Kong's.
    Hong Kong's financial minister Paul Chan was present at APEC
    though thankfully Chief Executive John Lee, who has been
    sanctioned by the United States for his dismantling of
    democracy in Hong Kong, did not show up.
        But regardless of who was the front man the reality is that
    Xi Jinping is calling the shots and the notion that Hong Kong
    was an independent actor at this gathering is about as credible
    as the days of the Soviet Union when it had three votes at the
    United Nations General Assembly; its own plus that of Ukraine
    and Belarus Soviet Socialist Republics.
        Thus, the timeliness of moving this bill at this junction
    is that Congress is sending a message. We see through the
    charade. The bill will authorize the President to end the
    privileges and immunities HKETOs now enjoy and force them to
    enter--either fold or reconstitute themselves as an NGO thereby
    taking away the diplomatic shield they now hide behind when
    they are harassing Hong Kong democracy activists living in the
    U.S.
        It would further prevent the U.S. Government entities from
    contracting with HKETOs, putting a stop to debacles such as the
    one that took place in September of last year whereby the
    Smithsonian Institute hosted a gala called Classy, Sassy, Jazzy
    Hong Kong Night, effectively enabling HKETO propaganda to--a
    ploy aimed at showing the world that business had returned to
    normal in Hong Kong, when in reality press freedom and
    democracy activists, like I said, Jimmy Lai and Joshua Wong,
    were languishing in prison.
        Finally, the bill would update and reState our policy vis-
    --vis Hong Kong.
        I would like to thank the committee staff, both Democrat
    and Republican, particularly Ann Kowalewski, Chris White, who
    kept--who worked on this ANS with us. And let me just remind
    members, this is a--not only a bipartisan bill; Jim McGovern is
    the chief cosponsor of it, it is also bicameral. Senator
    Merkley and others have also joined on the Senate side. So it
    is an effort that is totally bipartisan/bicameral. And again I
    want to thank Scott Flipse, Andy Wong, Piero Tozzi, who is
    right behind me who is our general counsel for--and chief of
    the staff for the China Commission. This is an idea whose time
    has come and let's empower the President to be able to do this.
    I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Let me thank you, Mr. Smith, for bringing this bill
    forward. I was astounded to learn that these offices were still
    in existence in the United States and they are a mouth--a
    propaganda piece for the CCP. So thank you for calling this
    excellent bill to our attention.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Connolly is recognized.
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman, just briefly, I absolutely join
    in the sentiments expressed by my friend from New Jersey and I
    thank him for bringing the bill forward.
        I mean, Hong Kong was one of the most vibrant, exciting,
    successful places on the planet. It merged cultures, it
    fostered entrepreneurship, it was an entrepot for the whole of
    Asia, and a beautiful place to see physically. And it took the
    Chinese Communist Party to squelch all that, to suppress it, to
    turn back the clock. And in doing so abrogating and violating a
    treaty it agreed to in 1997 with the hand over.
        And China has no one to blame but itself with respect to
    Taiwanese alienation from the One China, Two Systems policy
    espoused previously that has been abrogated and abandoned
    today. Taiwan looks at what happened in Hong Kong as the
    exemplar, and it is not reassuring. And China has, as I said,
    no one to blame for itself for its own behavior.
        And I think we have to respond and we have to keep Hong
    Kong in the spotlight because it is such a special place and
    there are--we know from protests, we know from the courage my
    friend described of men and women who are in prison simply
    because they defend the freedom promised in the 1997 agreement.
        So I think this is an important step and I hope this
    committee and I hope Congress will continue to keep Hong Kong
    in the forefront. Thank you.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion on the bill?
        There being no further discussion, are there any
    amendments? The committee will move to consideration of
    amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment?
        Mr. Smith is recognized.
        Mr. Smith. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment in the nature
    of a substitute.
        [The amendment of Mr. Smith follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. The clerk shall distribute the amendment.
        Mr. Smith. And would just say to my colleagues I want to
    thank both the Democrat and the Republican side. We worked very
    cooperatively on this and I think there is no remaining issues
    whatsoever. So this amendment I think should hopefully garner
    the support of everyone.
        I would ask that, Mr. Chairman, a letter signed by 30 Hong
    Kong human rights and democracy organizations in support of
    this bill be made a part of the record.
        [The information referred to follows:]

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        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, so ordered.
        Mr. Smith. I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. And the clerk shall report the amendment.
        The Clerk. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R.
    1103 offered by Mr. Smith of New Jersey. Strike all after the
    enacting clause and insert the following: Section 1, short
    title. This act may be----
        Chairman McCaul. Without objection, further reading of the
    amendment is dispensed with.
        The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Smith. Chairman, I have Stated I think the case. I
    yield back and I just ask for support.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields back.
        Any other members seek recognition?
        Mr. Meeks is recognized.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I strongly support the
    ANS to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification
    Act. The whole world has watched as Beijing undid the one
    country, two systems framework that guaranteed autonomy to Hong
    Kong. In doing so Beijing failed to live up to its commitments
    under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and to the people of
    Hong Kong.
        Since June 2022 China, through its draconian national
    security law, as essentially revoked Hong Kong's autonomy. We
    have seen authorities crack down on free speech, free press,
    and free association. Hong Kong courts are no longer
    independent. Some judicial cases are now tried in Mainland
    China while some trials are held behind closed doors.
        We have also seen intimidation and rampant digital
    surveillance of journalists and activists and the arrest of
    anyone who dares to express their opposition to Beijing's
    repressive policies. According to the Hong Kong Democracy
    Council as of last week there were 1,732 political prisoners in
    the city. Under these circumstances it is very hard to see Hong
    Kong as autonomous in any credible way.
        Currently Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices operate as
    official representative offices of the Hong Kong Special
    Administrative Region enjoying a series of privileges,
    exemptions, and immunities. The United States granted Hong Kong
    these privileges based on Hong Kong's distinct autonomous
    status. Given the rampant repression we have seen under the
    national security law it makes sense to revisit whether Hong
    Kong officials should continue to retain such privileges.
        This bill calls on the President to determine whether such
    privileges should be extended or revoked. Hong Kong should only
    benefit from having a status distinct from China
    internationally if it is truly autonomous from the PRC at home.
        And so while I am generally supportive of this measure I am
    concerned that we could inadvertently be playing into Beijing's
    hand by helping shut the door on Hong Kong's return to
    autonomy. It is my hope that the majority would have accepted
    more of our suggested edits to address these concerns. If the
    Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices are eventually shut down,
    I hope this can be done in a way that does not help Beijing
    consolidate control over the political and economic governance
    and international relations of Hong Kong.
        But given the terrible state of human rights in Hong Kong
    and the blatant disregard for Hong Kong's autonomy by Beijing I
    do support the ANS. And with that I yield back the balance of
    my time.
        Mr. Smith. Thank you.
        Anybody else like to be heard?
        If not, there being no further discussion, do any members
    wish to offer an amendment to the amendment in the nature of a
    substitute?
        If not, Okay. There being no further amendments, the
    question now occurs on the amendment in the nature of a
    substitute offered by myself.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        The ayes have it and the amendment is agreed to.
        There being no further amendments, I move that the
    committee report H.R. 1103 as amended to the House with a
    favorable recommendation.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        The legislation is agreed to.
        Mr. Smith. Now in the opinion of the chair, the ayes have
    it and it is agreed to. And I would ask for a roll call.
        Subject to the chair's previous announcement this vote will
    be postponed.
        Pursuant to notice I now call up H.R. 5532, the Russia-
    North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act.
        [The Bill H.R. 5532 follows:]

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        Mr. Smith. The bill was circulated in advance. The clerk
    will designate the bill.
        The Clerk. H.R. 5532, to provide for the imposition of
    sanctions with respect to North Korea's support for Russian--
    Russia's illegal war in Ukraine. Be it enacted by the Senate
    and House of Representatives for the--of the United States of
    America----
        Mr. Smith. Without objection, the first reading is
    dispensed with and the bill is considered as read and open to
    amendment at any point.
        Is there any discussion on the bill?
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman?
        Mr. Smith. Yes.
        Mr. Connolly. Would you like me to move the amendment, the
    ANS now?
        Mr. Smith. Well, if we could just hold off.
        Mr. Connolly. Of course.
        Mr. Smith. Mr. Wilson wanted--he is very late for a 1-
    minute on the floor, so--then I will go right to you.
        The chair recognizes----
        Mr. Wilson. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am especially
    grateful to serve as co-lead on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
    President Gerry Connolly's Russia-North Korea Cooperation
    Sanctions Act.
        This bill expands sanctions on North Korea and war criminal
    Putin as they reveal the new axis of evil. Putin's invasion of
    Ukraine is murderous and North Korea should not provide
    munitions to war criminal Putin without consequences. Reports
    are of train convoys from North Korean dictatorship to the
    oppressive Russian dictatorship of a 155 millimeter artillery
    rounds to murder Ukrainian citizens. Dictator Kim has produced
    the world's largest inventory of artillery to intimidate Seoul
    and the people of South Korea as the North Korean people
    actually starve themselves.
        Ukrainian victory will show how rule of law democracies
    prevail over dictators which preserve their rule by rule of gun
    oppressing the people of Russia. North Korea dictator Kim Jong
    Un aspires to join Putin, the Iranian regime, and the Chinese
    Communist Party axis of evil working to destroy freedom and
    democracy around the world. Kim is developing intercontinental
    ballistic missiles to attack Japan and America.
        As the only Member of Congress today serving who has
    visited Pyongyang I saw firsthand the brutal dictatorship
    oppressing the people of North Korea, threatening the thriving
    democracy of South Korea. IN fact the dictatorship in North
    Korea has reduced the per capita income of the citizens of
    North Korea to $967 as South Korea has a per capita income of
    over $30,000.
        Evil working to have--must be addressed. This bill ensures
    that the aspiring dictator Kim can neither profit nor aid and
    abet war criminal Putin's mass murder of innocent Ukrainians.
    Before he ever joins as a supplicant puppet in the axis of evil
    I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and hold North
    Korea responsible for conspiring with war criminal Putin. I
    yield back.
        Mr. Smith. The gentle yields back.
        There being no further discussion of the bill, the
    committee will move to consideration of amendments. Does any
    member wish to offer an amendment?
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk
    in the nature of a substitute.
        [The amendment offered by Mr. Connolly follows:]

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        Mr. Smith. The chair will distribute the Connolly amendment
    in the nature of a substitute.
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman, while we are waiting for
    distribution I just want to clarify this amendment in the
    nature of a substitute will ensure that assistance Russia
    provides North Korea for its space, nuclear, or ballistic
    missiles programs is included in the sanctions covered by this
    bill. Thank you.
        Mr. Smith. The clerk will report the amendment.
        The Clerk. Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R.
    5532 offered by Mr. Connolly of Virginia. Strike all after the
    enacting clause and insert the following: Section 1, short
    title. This act may be cited as the Russia-North Korea
    Cooperation Sanctions Act. Section 2----
        Mr. Smith. Without objection, further reading of the
    amendment is dispensed with.
        The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes on behalf of his
    amendment.
        Mr. Connolly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to thank
    Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Meeks for bringing forward
    this important legislation. And I want to thank my friend Joe
    Wilson for his friendship and cooperation and collaboration on
    this bill.
        On September 13 Kim Jong On traveled to meet with Vladimir
    Putin in the far-eastern Russian region of Amur. As Kim and
    Putin lauded each other with accolades of comrade they
    reportedly discussed the war in Ukraine and possible Russian
    technical assistance for launching a North Korean spy
    satellite. Kim Jong Un's support during the summit of
    totalitarian autocrats was unvarnished. Raising a glass Kim
    remarked, quote, ``The Russian army and people will certainly
    win a victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a
    great evil that claims hegemony and thieves and expansionists
    to loosen.''
        This delusion shared by the two delusional repressive
    depraved authoritarians aims to punish Ukraine for the sin of
    simply seeking to be a free people. That cannot be a sin here,
    nor in Ukraine, nor in anywhere else in the world.
        Some pundits and far-right politicians have dis-ingenuously
    argued that the conflict in Ukraine is just a simple
    territorial dispute from which the United States must abstain.
    That is wrong. The stakes are truly about the future of
    democratic values, ways of life that infuse the human spirit
    with freedom versus the alternative, the absolute suppression
    of those same freedoms.
        Just months after the summit reports confirmed our
    suspicions about that meeting. North Korea delivered more than
    1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to
    resupply Russia. It estimated that North Korea sent up to 1
    million rounds of ammunition and shells to Russia to rain down
    on Ukrainian people. South Korea's military has publicly
    confirmed that the DPRK has also likely supplied several types
    of missiles to Russia for its use against the Iranian people.
        While unsurprising that Kim Jong On would find common cause
    with a fellow sociopath in Vladimir Putin, the United States
    must immediately create real costs for this unseemly material
    support. That is why I authored the North Korea-Russia
    Cooperation Sanctions Act, legislation that will require
    targeted economic and visa-blocking sanctions to be implemented
    on any foreign person or entity that is responsible for or
    facilitates the transfer of sale of arms or material support
    from North Korea to be used in Russia's depraved and illegal
    war in Ukraine.
        Not only do these arms shipments undermine peace and
    security in Europe on the footsteps of our NATO allies, they
    countervene the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874
    which prohibits such arms trading with North Korea.
        The Biden Administration has taken swift action to sanction
    three entities tied to the sanctions evasion network attempting
    to support arms deals between Russia and the Democratic
    People's Republic of Korea. The legislation would support those
    efforts and ensure the Departments of Treasury and State have
    the requisite authority, statutory authority to do all we can
    to stymie such shipment of arms. Our efforts, if they are
    successful, could mean Ukrainian lives are saved on the
    battlefield.
        This bill expands the North Korea Sanctions and Policy
    Enhancement Act of 2016 to ensure that along with releasing all
    political prisoners, ceasing its censorship of peaceful
    political activity, and dismantling the nuclear, chemical,
    biological, and radiological weapon systems North Korea must
    also halt material support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
        Of course I was proud to support a humanitarian exception
    in the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of
    2016. And our legislation includes such an exception as well to
    ensure that the United States can continue to support the North
    Korean people and their aspirations for democracy, human
    rights, and basic dignity.
        On November 21 with the help of Russia North Korea launched
    its first spy satellite, its third attempt after two failed
    previous tries. North Korea's State media has already claimed
    Kim Jong On has received satellite images of the White House
    and the Pentagon. The Russian-North Korean Cooperation
    Sanctions Act imposes sanctions on any individual who is
    responsible for or facilitates the provision of economic
    assistance and technical support to the North Korean's space,
    nuclear, or ballistic missile programs.
        There must be no equivocation in the response from the
    United States. People are dying in Ukraine as we speak for
    daring to embrace the democratic ideal we propound, we hold
    dear. We must not allow authoritarianism to extinguish the
    flame of that hope and that democracy in Ukraine or anywhere
    else.
        I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and I
    yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any other members seek recognition?
        Mr. Bera is recognized.
        Mr. Bera. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank my
    colleague and good friend from Virginia for his leadership on
    H.R. 5532, the Russian-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act.
    This bill is critical to ensuring that Russia and the DPRK's
    leadership does--or partnership does not go unchecked. And I
    urge all my colleagues to vote for this.
        I would also like to briefly speak on two bills that were
    brought up earlier.
        H.R. 5375, the Strengthening the Quad Act. I want to thank
    the ranking member Mr. Meeks for his leadership on this
    incredibly important bill. When we think about our Indo-Pacific
    strategy, when we think about maritime security, freedom of
    navigation, and the rule of law, strengthening the quad will
    empower the Secretary of State to develop a quad strategy
    really to build the leadership in the Indo-Pacific on the
    shared interests and challenges that we have. And again, I want
    to thank the ranking member Mr. Meeks for his leadership on
    that bill.
        I also would like to thank the chairwoman on the Indo-
    Pacific subcommittee, Chairwoman Kim, for her leadership on
    H.R. 2766, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023. This is incredibly
    important legislation to make sure we uphold our values, to
    make sure we have a special coordinator for Uyghur issues
    within the State Department and understand the importance of
    continuing to keep this issue on the front plate. I also want
    to thank the ranking member Mr. Meeks and Chairman McCaul for
    their support of this important bill which I was proud to be a
    co-lead on. So with that I yield back.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Is there any further discussion?
        Mr. Meeks is recognized.
        Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support this
    bipartisan bill and ANS and thank Representative Connolly for
    his leadership on this issue and his continued work to support
    the people of Ukraine against Russia's brutal war.
        Russia's renewed invasion has caused reverberations across
    the world, affecting the world's energy and grain markets, and
    making crystal clear the Kremlin's intentions. In response the
    United States has led through its revitalized alliances and
    partnerships to impose severe costs on Russia and strengthen
    those relationships with friends of freedom and democracy. And
    as a result, and thanks to Ukrainian resilience and bravery,
    the Russia war machine had been degraded. Russia can no longer
    count on its dwindling number of partners to fulfill its war
    demand to find spare parts and has been forced to look to other
    sources, notably North Korea.
        This timely bill seeks to close that spigot as well.
    Importantly it requires the Administration to impose sanctions
    on any foreign person or institution supporting the concealing
    military pathway from North Korea to Russia's war in Ukraine.
    And as the war evolves so should our economic strategy to help
    Ukraine win. Knowing that Russia is scrambling to find parts
    and other sources of military material, this is an important
    bipartisan step in that direction.
        And finally, I look forward to the ability to vote for the
    next Ukraine supplemental that is so desperately needed. They
    are about out of resources now so I hope that happens very,
    very soon. Our partners and allies are watching. The Ukrainians
    who have showed us all that freedom and democracy is worth
    protecting will continue to fight, but are watching. And
    finally, the Kremlin and others that doubt American leadership
    are also watching. So we must act and we must act now. It is
    urgent. The urgency is now. And with that I yield back the
    balance of my time.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman yields.
        Any further discussion?
        Let me say I agree 100 percent with the ranking member's
    comments. And when I got the reports that Mr. Putin was going
    to North Korea hat in hand to beg him for weapons, because he
    is running out, and yet we cannot make that decision in the
    Congress to fully arm and fund and back Ukraine, a democracy,
    against Putin's aggression in light of his embracement of Hamas
    in the Kremlin--what more evidence do we need? It is Russia,
    China, Iran, North Korea all together in this against the free
    world and the West. It is very simple to me.
        What is at stake here? I think the free world is at stake.
    And the United States needs to lead. And I do not know about
    the two of you, but Reagan--I grew up as a Reaganite and what
    would Reagan do? The guy who defeated the Soviet Union. Would
    he stand down? And if we abandon our NATO allies, what then?
    What message does that send to our enemies? It only emboldens
    and empowers our enemies.
        And as Mr. Putin has said, within 1 week he will take over
    Ukraine. And then what? Then he advances his aggression. And
    then they see the United States withdrawing from our
    commitments, our responsibilities, and that we are weak. As a
    super power we are no longer leading the free world, but
    shrinking from that very responsibility that many of our great
    presidents have stood for both on the Democrat and Republican
    side. I remember John F. Kennedy talking about this to
    President Reagan. There should be no partisanship to this
    issue. It should be American. And I really thank the gentleman
    for bringing this measure forward.
        And with that, is there any further discussion?
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman, if you would just yield for 1
    second?
        Chairman McCaul. I yield.
        Mr. Connolly. I cannot thank you enough and Mr. Meeks
    enough for the sentiments you have expressed. I had the
    privilege of joining you and Mr. Meeks when he was chairman a
    few days after the invasion and we saw collectively the human
    cost.
        Chairman McCaul. Absolutely.
        Mr. Connolly. There were 22,000 people who crossed that
    border that day we were there and there were six such border
    crossings. And we saw women when an airplane went over crouch
    because they thought it was going to bomb them. That is the
    trauma they had just been through. And that was the beginning
    of this war.
        And the chairman couldn't be more correct. Ronald Reagan
    must be turning over in his grave when he hears some of his
    fellow colleagues who express misgivings or doubts or downright
    opposition to America standing tall with a country that is a
    former Soviet satellite seeking to join the West in the
    democratic freedoms we espouse.
        And so I thank the chairman for his leadership particularly
    on his side of the aisle. He has been forthright, he has been
    consistent. And we have the privilege of being there at the
    very beginning and understanding I think that you have got to
    translate policy into human terms. And there are real human
    beings paying a terrible price and we cannot be sidelined in
    that enterprise. We just cannot. So I thank my friend.
        Chairman McCaul. I thank the gentleman. I also recall this
    man saying how can one man do this? And that echoed with me.
    And at the end of the day we are on the right side of history.
        Mr. Meeks. No question.
        Chairman McCaul. And Poland--I remember the Poles saying
    this reminds you of 1939 all over again. And the parallels to
    my father's war, World War II, are absolutely there. And if we
    fail to act now, we will see that aggression take place as my
    father's generation saw it.
        So thank you for those kind words.
        And is there any further discussion?
        There being no further discussion, do any members wish to
    offer an amendment to the Connolly amendment in the nature of a
    substitute?
        There being no further amendments, the question now occurs
    on the amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr.
    Connolly.
        All those in favor signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the
    amendment is agreed to.
        I move the committee report H.R. 5532 as amended to the
    House with a favorable recommendation.
        All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
        All those opposed, signify by saying no.
        In the opinion of the chair----
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman?
        Chairman McCaul [continuing]. The ayes have it; the motion
    is agreed to.
        Chairman McCaul. The gentleman from Virginia is recognized.
        Mr. Connolly. Mr. Chairman, on that I would also ask for a
    recorded vote.
        Chairman McCaul. Roll call vote has been requested.
        Mr. Connolly. I thank the chair.
        Chairman McCaul. Pursuant to the chair's previous
    announcement this vote will be postponed.
        This committee will stand in recess. We will reconvene
    following votes on the House floor at approximately 2 p.m.
        [Recess.]
        Chairman McCaul. The committee postponed further
    proceedings on reporting H.R. 2766, the Uyghur Policy Act of
    2023, as amended, favorably to the House, on which the ayes
    prevailed by voice vote.
        The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the
    House with a favorable recommendation.
        Members will use the electronic voting system.
        The clerk will open the vote.
        Have all members voted?
        You do not know? Oh, can we put the screen back up?
        Okay. Schneider. Have you got it?
        Okay. Have all members voted?
        Does any member wish to record or change his vote?
        The clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
        The Clerk. On this vote, the ayes are 40; the nos are zero.
        Chairman McCaul. The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to.
        Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the
    table.
        The staff is authorized to make any technical and
    conforming changes.
        The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting
    H.R. 5375, Strengthening the Quad Act, as amended, favorably to
    the House, on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
        The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the
    House with a favorable recommendation.
        Members will vote using the electronic voting system.
        The clerk will open the vote.
        Have all members voted?
        Does any member wish to record or change his vote or her
    vote?
        The clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
        The Clerk. On this vote, the ayes are 39; the nos are zero.
        Chairman McCaul. The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to.
        Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the
    table.
        The staff is authorized to make any technical and
    conforming changes.
        The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting
    H.R. 1103, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
    Certification Act, as amended, favorably to the House, on which
    the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
        The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the
    House with a favorable recommendation.
        Members will use the electronic voting system.
        The clerk will open the vote.
        Have all members voted?
        Does any member wish to record or change his or her vote?
        The clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
        The Clerk. On this vote, the ayes are 39; the nos are zero.
        Chairman McCaul. The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to.
        Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the
    table.
        The staff is authorized to make any technical and
    conforming changes.
        The committee postponed further proceedings on reporting
    H.R. 5532, the Russia-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act, as
    amended, favorably to the House, on which the ayes prevailed by
    voice vote.
        The question now occurs on reporting the measure to the
    House with a favorable recommendation.
        Members will use the electronic voting system.
        The clerk will open the vote.
        Have all members voted?
        Does any member wish to record or change their vote?
        The clerk will close the vote and report the tally.
        The Clerk. On this vote, the ayes are 40; the nos are zero.
        Chairman McCaul. The ayes have it. The motion is agreed to.
    Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the
    table. The staff is authorized to make any technical and
    conforming changes.
        This concludes consideration of the measures noticed by the
    committee for today. I want to thank all members.
        There being no further business, the committee stands
    adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 2:28 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]

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