[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 21, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H3594-H3595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SUPPORTING NDAA AMENDMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Wagner) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which 
would deepen U.S. engagement in Southeast Asia by requiring the United 
States to develop a coherent regional strategy that addresses all 
aspects of the relationship, from trade and humanitarian goals to 
diplomatic and security arrangements.
  Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or 
ASEAN, are vital to the prosperity the U.S. economy, generating 
hundreds of thousands of American jobs and investing more in our 
economy than China and India combined. ASEAN is the counterweight to 
Chinese aggression in the region and world.
  The People's Republic of China is working aggressively to expand its 
influence in this strategically important region, using a combination 
of predatory investment, threatening new military installments, and 
outright bullying to achieve its goals.

                              {time}  0930

  Southeast Asian countries seek assurance that the United States is a 
steadfast partner as they try to maintain economic independence from 
China and defend their territorial claims in the South China Sea. We 
must support our partners and allies as they stand up to China's 
erratic and aggressive behavior.
  I have had many opportunities to meet with ASEAN officials and 
foreign ministers, and one message I hear repeatedly is that the United 
States must demonstrate strength and leadership in the region. Congress 
should listen closely to our partners who are demanding stronger 
leadership and not just because China, which would be sure to fill a 
vacuum of power, is a bully. ASEAN is clearly a powerhouse and a 
critical region in which to engage in and of itself.
  The U.S. should be proactively crafting and implementing its 
Southeast Asia strategy; this amendment would require the 
administration to do just that.
  I thank Congressman Castro, with whom I co-chair and cofounded the 
ASEAN Caucus, for his support of ASEAN and this very amendment. I am 
gratified that my colleagues support and, in fact, passed my amendment.


                   Preventing Human Rights Violations

  Mrs. WAGNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of two amendments 
to the National Defense Authorization Act which will improve the United 
States' ability to prevent human rights violations connected to the 
pandemic and improve its response to future public health catastrophes.
  As countries around the world have struggled to contain the virus and 
protect their citizens, some bad actors are using coronavirus response 
efforts as a pretext to chip away at the rights of their citizens, 
stifle protests, and limit the freedom of speech and the press. We must 
hold accountable the authoritarians who see COVID-19 as an opportunity 
to suppress dissent.
  I am pleased that my colleagues supported and passed Congressman 
McGovern's and my amendment, which will ensure the United States uses a 
robust tool kit, including reporting, foreign assistance, and guidance, 
to protect basic human rights during this time of uncertainty. I am 
proud to colead, in a bipartisan effort, this important amendment, and 
I am grateful for its adoption.
  I also thank my colleagues for their support and adoption of 
Congressman Connolly's and my amendment, which will greatly improve the 
United States' ability to prevent and respond to global health threats 
like the coronavirus pandemic. This amendment will establish a Federal 
official tasked with coordinating interagency responses to global 
health emergencies and requires the United States to proactively 
strategize for future crises. It also strengthens U.S. efforts to help 
our partners fight and contain outbreaks within their own borders.
  As we have seen during this tragedy, viruses can spread across 
borders and

[[Page H3595]]

oceans with deadly speed. Improving nations' abilities to address 
public health threats before they spin out of control is a matter of 
national security. I am glad to have worked again in a bipartisan 
effort to see that the House both approved and adopted these amendments 
to the National Defense Authorization Act.

                          ____________________