[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 11, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE STRATEGIC COMPETITION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES 
                    AND THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. SUZANNE BONAMICI

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 10, 2023

  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, l rise today in opposition to House 
Republicans' Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the 
United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
  The purported focus of this Select Committee is essential to the 
national security and economic vitality of the United States. 
Unfortunately, there is a consistent trend by some in the House 
Republican Conference, and unfortunately by many across the country, to 
use xenophobic rhetoric that enflames violence bias, and hate crimes 
against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) 
community.
  Let me be clear. The CCP has an egregious record on human rights and 
forced labor, especially regarding the Uyghur people. Additionally, the 
CCP consistently uses underhanded economic tactics like manipulating 
its currency, stealing intellectual property, and using unfair trade 
practices to undercut American companies and gain an unfair advantage 
in the global market.
  The CCP's record does not, however, mean we should condone xenophobic 
rhetoric, fearmongering, or attacks on individual people and AAPI 
community in the United States. This is especially concerning after the 
recent spikes in hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans. In 
2021, hate crimes against Asian Americans increased by 339 percent and 
in 2020 they increased by 124 percent.
  Many of my colleagues across the aisle have invoked racist terms like 
``the China virus'' to ignore our own responsibility to safeguard 
public health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Trump 
Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's China Initiative 
profiled Asian American researchers in the United States as conducting 
espionage on behalf of the CCP. The China Initiative led to numerous 
false accusations, quashing opportunities for affected researchers, and 
failed to demonstrate any effective results until, wisely, Attorney 
General Garland ended this program.
  It is necessary to grow the United States' global leadership and 
dedicate resources that strengthen our scientific enterprise, bolster 
research and development, grow our domestic semiconductor manufacturing 
base, and onshore critical supply chains. That is what Democrats did, 
in a bipartisan manner, last Congress by passing the CHIPS and Science 
Act. Unfortunately, most of my Republican colleagues opposed this 
bipartisan economic competition legislation when it passed the House 
and was subsequently signed into law by President Biden.
  Under the leadership of President Biden, CHIPS and Science will put 
our nation on a path to reassert our international economic strength. 
Expanding the market for U.S. goods will help businesses grow in this 
country. Oregon exports everything from computer chips to potato chips, 
and more exports means more jobs at home. Competing globally 
necessitates a level playing field for all nations, including China. 
And when the playing field is level, America wins.
  Although I remain hopeful that this Select Committee might be an 
important forum to focus on priorities for economic and national 
security priorities, we must make it clear that xenophobia, hate 
crimes, and stigma against Asian Americans have no place in our nation. 
I am heartbroken and infuriated by the violent attacks on members of 
our AAPI community and vandalism against AAPl-owned businesses.
  Additionally, there are existing committees in the House with 
jurisdiction over the related issues that already have authority to 
examine and make progress on these important matters. And the Select 
Committee lacks legislative authority, so it will not deliver the 
solutions that House Republicans argue it will be working toward. 
Members of these existing committees have the experience necessary, 
many from our work last Congress on CHIPS and Science, to take the 
nuanced approach required to address these challenges. For these 
reasons, I cannot support the formation of this new Select Committee.

                          ____________________