[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 149 (Saturday, August 22, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, INTERIOR, 
ENVIRONMENT, MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS 
                               ACT, 2021

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                       HON. XOCHITL TORRES SMALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, August 22, 2020

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize my vote on July 24, 2020 in favor of H.R. 7608, the State-
Foreign Operations, Agriculture, Interior-Environment, and Military 
Construction-Veterans Affairs agencies appropriations package for 
fiscal year 2021.
  Right now, it's more important than ever that we work together to 
keep all of us, especially our veterans, safe and healthy. This bill 
provides relief to an outdated and overburdened VA system, invests in 
rural and water infrastructure systems in need of repair and continues 
efforts to combat the global pandemic and spur economic recovery.
  As we fight to save American lives and rebuild our economy, reports 
indicate China may have exploited the pandemic for its own advantage. 
This is unacceptable, which is why I strongly support the Countering 
Chinese Influence Fund. While the motion to recommit purported to 
increase funding for the Countering Chinese Influence Fund, it actually 
defunded the Countering Chinese Influence Fund in a separate account. 
This type of politically motivated procedure is only a distraction that 
prevents us from moving forward real, bipartisan solutions that help 
hold China accountable. Moving forward, I will continue to support 
legislative measures that hold China accountable for exploiting COVID-
19, its combative trade policy, and malign initiatives that threaten 
our national security.

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