[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CORVALLIS WILL NOT BE BULLIED BY CHINA

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Recently, the Chinese consul general sent a letter to 
the mayor of Corvallis, a small city in my district. The letter was 
followed up by personal visits by the vice consul and the deputy consul 
general. Now, we always welcome visitors, but under these 
circumstances, we have some concerns.
  They are trying to pressure the mayor of the City of Corvallis to 
compel a local businessman to remove a mural dedicated to free Tibet 
and Taiwan independence from his downtown building. It was 
characterized by the local newspaper as a shakedown because the 
original letter broadly hinted that it might be in Corvallis' best 
interest economically to cooperate with the request.
  I am shocked and appalled that apparently Chinese professional 
diplomats have failed to read the Constitution of the United States of 
America before traveling here to represent their country.
  This represents the basis of our representative democracy, our 
freedom of speech, and our rights, and it will not be bullied by China 
or any other overseas interest.

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