[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE PFC JOSEPH P. DWYER PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. LaLota) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to a critical 
veterans program that has been helping veterans in my district for 
years. The PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program is a program that 
helps veterans deal with the invisible scars of war, including PTSD.
  This program was named after Iraq war veteran Army Private First 
Class Joseph Dwyer, a native of Mount Sinai, New York. After years of 
struggling with PTSD and addiction, PFC Dwyer passed away. He tried to 
seek help, but it was never enough.
  As a Navy veteran myself, I understand the difficulties many of our 
servicemembers face when they return home.
  I recently introduced the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program 
Act to help nationalize an important program that has been incredibly 
successful in my district. This program has a proven track record of 
success in helping veterans deal with their mental health issues in a 
safe and welcoming environment among their fellow veterans.
  My bipartisan bill would provide grants for State and local entities 
across the country to make the program easily accessible to all 
Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense 
bill to help our veteran community.


                   Calling for the Release of Kai Li

  Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the Chinese 
Communist Party to release Kai Li of Huntington Station, who has been 
unjustly held as a prisoner by the CCP since 2016.
  Mr. Li immigrated to the United States from China decades ago and 
soon after became a United States citizen.
  For years, Mr. Li visited China to see relatives and conduct 
business, never having an issue. Yet, in 2016, while Mr. Li was 
visiting Shanghai for the anniversary of his mother's passing, he was 
apprehended by Chinese police at the Shanghai airport. Mr. Li's secret 
trial ended in just an hour, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison 
for espionage.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Li is being detained unjustly and for purely 
political reasons.
  On March 17, I sent a letter to Secretary Blinken urging him to do 
everything possible to bring Mr. Li home. I again urge President Biden, 
Secretary Blinken, and Ambassador Burns to bring Kai Li home. He and 
his family have suffered long enough. Let's bring him home.


               The Threat of the Chinese Communist Party

  Mr. LaLOTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the growing threat 
coming from the Chinese Communist Party.
  For too long, the Chinese Communist Party has been allowed to grow 
and spread its influence throughout the world. They have encroached on 
Taiwan's territorial sovereignty. They have developed in and around the 
Paracel and Spratly Islands, continuing to falsely claim their control 
over the South China Sea. They have supercharged the Belt and Road 
Initiative to spread their influence. They continue to lie to the world 
about COVID-19. The list goes on, Mr. Speaker.
  Every day, we read stories of the CCP's attempt to become the 
dominant power in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, we must act in a bipartisan manner to address the 
threats from the Chinese Communist Party before it is too late.

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