[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on an entirely different matter, the 
Senate has indeed turned to what will be the 60th annual National 
Defense Authorization Act. If you look at the world news, it would 
appear we have done so not a moment too soon.
  After months of threats, President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party 
finally delivered the punch in the mouth to the city of Hong Kong that 
they are calling a ``national security law.'' As I and others have 
warned for months, it tramples all over the freedoms and autonomy that 
have set Hong Kong apart.
  Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from the 
United Kingdom. Normally this anniversary would have occasioned 
peaceful demonstration. Instead, the new law has brought scores of 
arrests and boasts from local authorities about how many peaceful 
demonstrators they have jailed, new harsh penalties for Hongkongers for 
new and vague offenses, and new authority from Beijing to intervene at 
will.
  It appears to directly--directly--violate China's international 
promises and effectively end the ``one country, two systems'' policy.
  I have discussed at some length the specific consequences China will 
face for this. I will continue to discuss them in the future.
  This same week, we received new confirmation that China's ethnic 
cleansing campaign against the Uighur people in Xinjiang includes 
forced abortions, forced birth control, and State-enforced 
sterilizations on a systematic scale.
  All of this is in addition to the international provocation that 
China has only stepped up during this pandemic--which they helped 
worsen--against Taiwan, against India, against the Philippines, and so 
on.
  China is not our only adversary occupying the spotlight. Recent days 
have intensified questions about Russia's negative role in the Middle 
East.
  I have long warned that Russia and other adversaries will exploit any 
American passivity or retreat from this important region. Whether in 
Syria or Afghanistan, the question is whether we will stand our ground 
and exert our influence or allow Iran, Russia, and terrorists to 
literally push us out of the region.
  Sadly, as the Senate turns to the NDAA, the need to continue making 
swift progress on our national defense strategy is staring us plain in 
the face. Fortunately, Chairman Inhofe, Ranking Member Reed, and our 
colleagues on the Armed Services Committee have put forward a bill that 
rises to the challenge.
  The bill establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. It lays out a 
clear vision for making our Pacific joint force more adaptable and our 
commitments to regional partners more feasible, smarter basing for 
forward-deployed Americans, more supplies and equipment prepositioned.
  It will encourage more streamlined technology so that, from weapons 
platforms to information security, America and its allies in China's 
backyard stand ready to counter aggression together.
  This NDAA authorizes full funding for the European Deterrence 
Initiative, doubling down on our NATO alliances as we check the worst 
impulses of Putin's Russia. The bill will further limit the information 
Putin gets pertaining to missile defense, bring more focus on tracking 
Russian support for terrorist proxies and despotic regimes, and renew 
our commitment to have U.S. forces support, train, and keep watch 
alongside our partners.
  But it isn't enough to check our adversaries today. We also need to 
outrun them toward the future. So this legislation will also support 
critical reserves to help us secure a decisive edge in everything from 
hypersonic weapons to 5G communications.
  Threats to our Nation are pulling American servicemembers in all 
directions. Fortunately, this NDAA has all of their backs.

                          ____________________