[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                               Hong Kong

  Madam President, on Hong Kong, 2 days ago, the Senate passed 
legislation, by unanimous consent, committing the United States to 
stand with the brave citizens of Hong Kong, who are now engaged in a 
fierce struggle to defend their civil and human rights. Last night, the 
House of Representatives followed suit by a vote of 417 to 1. Only a 
short time ago, I took part in a bipartisan signing ceremony for the 
legislation. Now it will head straight to the President's desk. 
Congress has just sent an unmistakable message to the Chinese Communist 
Party that the United States stands with the people of Hong Kong.
  President Xi, the U.S. Government has spoken. This legislation 
represents what America really thinks about your policies toward Hong 
Kong, not what President Trump may whisper in your ear. This 
legislation shows what Americans think about the Chinese Communist 
Party's treatment of Hong Kong.
  I would say to President Xi and to the Chinese leadership, the 
Communist Party leadership: You cannot be a great nation when you 
oppose freedom, deny civil liberties, and brutally suppress your own 
people from one end of China to the other, as the Chinese Communist 
Party has done to the people of Hong Kong, to the Uighurs, and to the 
millions of citizens whose voices have been silenced and whose rights 
have been trampled on by the Chinese Government.
  To the people of China, we stand with you in freedom.
  To the students and young people in Hong Kong, we stand with you.
  To the Uighurs, who simply want to practice their religion, we stand 
with you.
  I believe that freedom will prevail and that the Chinese system will 
either change or it will fail. History is not kind to those who peddle 
in autocracy and suppression.
  I thank all of my colleagues. This was one of the rare, fine, 
bipartisan moments on the floor of the Senate. Our colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle--the Senators from Florida and Idaho, Messrs. Rubio 
and Risch; the Senators from Maryland and New Jersey, Messrs. Cardin 
and Menendez; as well as Senator Merkley and Senator Cornyn--all worked 
hard to put together a very strong bill, and we came together. This has 
been an important bipartisan moment. It goes to show how Congress is 
still capable of doing big things.
  As we enter the Thanksgiving break, we should think about the other 
issues we could debate, about the other bipartisan bills on which we 
could vote, those of lowering the cost of prescription drugs, of 
securing our elections, of helping our veterans, and more. Passing 
bipartisan legislation should be the rule, not the exception.
  It has been several weeks since we have had a real debate and a vote 
on any legislation in this Chamber. I hope that in the final weeks of 
this year, Leader McConnell will begin to listen to the pleas from both 
sides of the aisle to get the Senate working again.
  A happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.