[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 32 (Thursday, February 16, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S433-S434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 China

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, so as the Senate closed business last 
night, we did something that I think would make the American people 
proud. The Senate spoke in one voice condemning the Chinese Communist 
Party for brazenly violating American sovereignty with their 
surveillance balloons earlier this month.
  Our resolution--bipartisan--championed by Senators Tester and 
Collins, sends a clear message that China's belligerence, their near-
endless escalating tactics, and their scornful disregard for American 
sovereignty is unacceptable.
  I want to thank Senator Tester above all. He has been the leader in 
this whole country on this issue, and I appreciate Senator Collins 
working with him, and I appreciate both of their good work putting this 
resolution together with strong bipartisan unity.
  This resolution condemning China is precisely the kind of 
bipartisanship Americans expect at a time like this. Instead of each 
party attacking each other, we are united in this resolution, in 
condemning China, exactly as we should be.
  And last night's resolution is just one step. Senator Tester is also 
taking the lead on a bipartisan effort to get to the bottom of why we 
didn't learn about these balloons sooner. It is a very important 
question that the American people deserve answers to,

[[Page S434]]

and I am fully, fully supportive of this effort.
  Again, this is the kind of bipartisanship the country expects. When 
China is pushing the boundaries, they don't want Democrats and 
Republicans pointing fingers at each other. They don't want any 
premature attacks. They want us to come together to respond to the 
threats posed by the CCP, and that is just what we did last night.
  Now, yesterday's resolution was not the only way the Senate was 
focused on standing firm against the CCP. We also, yesterday, had a 
briefing from the Department of Defense on our ongoing competition with 
China. I want to thank the briefing team for their hard and ongoing 
work. While all the details are classified, I want to make a few 
points.
  First, the United States is competing with China at every level: 
economically, militarily, geopolitically, technologically, in terms of 
our fundamental values, and more. It won't be enough to outcompete 
China in any single area. We must be ready to compete with them on all 
of these fronts because that is what China is trying to do.
  Second, China's main goal with respect to the United States is to 
displace us. Their main goal with respect to the United States is to 
displace us, displace NATO in Europe, and displace our allies as the 
world leaders on the military and geopolitical side and in driving the 
innovations of tomorrow, many of which affect our national security: 
AI, quantum computing, 5G and other advanced communications 
technologies, bio manufacturing, clean tech, and especially--
especially--the next generation of semiconductors.
  China wants to be ahead of us on everything because, if they do, they 
will be the ones writing the rules of the road on these technologies. 
An autocracy writing these rules, an autocracy that often uses these 
technologies to oppress its people and spy on them, that would have 
dangerous consequences for the world's democratic nations. A change in 
those rules with China in the lead would make the world a safe haven, 
unfortunately, for autocracy.
  And, finally, the Chinese Communist Party is not constraining itself 
in pursuit of these goals. They are all in. They will do whatever it 
takes to beat us, and if we do not respond in kind, we won't be able to 
keep up.
  So yesterday's briefing made a couple of things exceedingly clear for 
the Senate and, frankly, for the House. Most importantly, yesterday's 
briefing on our competition with China reaffirmed the need for Congress 
to work together and pass a clean debt limit without brinksmanship, 
without hostage-taking. Few things would hand the world over to the 
Chinese Communist Party more than a first-ever default by the United 
States. Defaulting would send a loud and clear message to the world 
that America cannot be trusted, that squabbling democracies are 
incapable of governing, and that the best days of our country are 
squarely behind us. To prevent China from overtaking us, we must raise 
the debt ceiling on a bipartisan basis as soon as we can--no chaos, no 
brinksmanship, no default.
  Yesterday's briefing also made clear that the kind of cuts that MAGA 
Republicans are pushing would be a disaster for staying ahead on China. 
China would love to see the kind of cuts that the MAGA wing of the 
Republican Party is pushing. It would guarantee that they would 
overtake us across the board--on defense and military preparedness; on 
innovation; on American manufacturing, science, and workforce; and so 
much more--so much more.
  So let me say it again. China would love nothing more than to see the 
kinds of cuts across the board that MAGA Republicans are pushing.
  The kind of cuts Republicans are talking about are dangerous. 
Instead, Congress must complete the appropriations process as we have 
in the last 2 years. China is all in on beating us. They are going to 
do whatever it takes. And as the Chinese Communist Party drives their 
country forward, the worst thing we can do is put America in reverse 
with funding levels from 2 years ago. It would be malpractice given 
what is at stake.
  Now, we have done some good, important work to outcompete China in 
the last few years under this Democratic-led Senate: infrastructure, 
CHIPS and Science, the IRA, and last year's omnibus bill. But we 
shouldn't stop there. We need to ensure all of those bipartisan efforts 
are funded. We need to redouble our efforts. We need to keep pushing 
ahead.
  There is no doubt that the United States and our allies and partners 
remain the world leaders militarily, economically, and in innovation.
  But if that is to continue, the United States must be all in--all 
in--on outcompeting China and make it clear to President Xi that his 
autocratic campaign to dominate the 21st century will not--will not--
succeed.