[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 185 (Thursday, December 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              RESOLVE ACT

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to introduce 
legislation that's essential for securing America's leadership in the 
defining geopolitical challenge of our time. Days from now, I will 
conclude my service as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 
and my time in public office will draw to a close. But even as I 
prepare to leave this Chamber, the work of protecting our Nation's 
interests and values must continue with urgency.
  Today, I introduce the RESOLVE Act of 2024, an effort to mobilize 
America's strategic, economic, and diplomatic tools in response to the 
profound challenges posed by the People's Republic of China, PRC. This 
bill represents a comprehensive approach, a culmination of lessons 
learned and priorities identified over years of bipartisan debate and 
collaboration. It reflects an understanding that America's strength is 
not defined by military might alone, but by the breadth of our 
alliances, the resilience of our economy, and the integrity of our 
values. The RESOLVE Act sets the stage for Congress and our Nation to 
counter the PRC's growing influence, strengthen alliances, and maintain 
U.S. leadership in this pivotal moment.
  To remain competitive, we must think beyond sanctions and reactive 
policies. Instead, we must adopt a proactive strategy, one that invests 
in our partnerships, defends our principles, and sets a positive agenda 
for our engagement abroad.
  This bill authorizes approximately $6 billion over 5 years, including 
$2 billion in mandatory funding infrastructure that is strategic from 
the perspective of U.S. national security and economic security 
interests. These are investments to secure America's future, 
strengthening our allies when they are targeted by economic coercion, 
safeguarding critical supply chains, and equipping our diplomatic corps 
for a new era of strategic competition.
  And it does so with four clear priorities: first, with tools to 
counter economic coercion. When the PRC threatens through tariffs, 
sanctions, or diplomatic pressure to retaliate against our partners and 
allies when they make sovereign decisions that Beijing doesn't like, we 
must stand ready to help.
  This bill establishes a dedicated defense fund to respond to major 
economic threats, creates the Office of the Chief Economist at the 
State Department, and ensures we have the tools to support countries 
that choose to stand with us and foreign their own sovereign interests. 
It addresses supply chain resilience and advances efforts to secure 
critical minerals that are essential to the U.S. economy.
  Second, it strengthens U.S. economic engagement and infrastructure 
development.
  Through new authorizations for the Partnership for Global 
Infrastructure and Investment and appropriations for strategic 
infrastructure, this bill enables us to crowd in with U.S. private 
sector and convening power to offer comprehensive economic development 
solutions an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative and build 
durable partnerships based on shared prosperity and trust.
  Third, it reinforces our commitment to human rights and public 
diplomacy.
  Whether it is promoting internet freedom in Hong Kong, defending 
Uyghur communities against oppression, or empowering foreign service 
officers to share America's story more effectively, this bill ensures 
our leadership is rooted in the values that define us.
  And finally, it modernizes the State Department for the challenges 
ahead.
  We can't meet tomorrow's challenges with yesterday's tools. By 
establishing new roles like an Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific 
Affairs and a Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technologies, the 
RESOLVE Act ensures our diplomatic institutions are equipped to lead 
the global community in this new era of competition.
  We cannot address the challenges posed by the PRC simply with 
punitive actions and strongly worded speeches alone. These tools have 
their place, but they are not enough.
  We must offer a compelling vision of partnership, one that helps 
nations resist coercion, empowers them to thrive, and builds a 
coalition of countries that are aligned not by fear, but by 
opportunity.
  While the RESOLVE Act does not have a Republican cosponsor, it was 
crafted with significant input from our colleagues across the aisle and 
reflects a diverse range of perspectives.
  Throughout its development, we consulted with Members of both 
parties, incorporating ideas that represent a balanced, programmatic, 
and sensible approach to U.S.-China policy.
  This legislation reflects priorities that transcend party lines and 
speak to our shared interest in advancing America's leadership. The 
bill does not include everything I would like to have seen, nor does it 
include every proposal from my colleagues. It is the result of 
compromise, and that is how strong national security legislation gets 
done.
  I firmly believe that America's national security is strongest when 
we work together, when we forge a compromise, build coalitions, and 
deliver results that endure beyond a brief political moment.
  The RESOLVE Act provides a foundation for such bipartisan 
collaboration, and I remain hopeful that its thoughtful framework will 
inform future efforts to ensure that America remains a global leader in 
this era of strategic competition.
  I have no doubt the text in this bill will serve as a blueprint for 
bipartisan work in the future because America's national security is 
best protected when we come together to confront the challenges we 
face.
  When we fail to do so, it is Beijing that benefits, and it is the 
American people that lose.
  This is not just another bill, it is a reflection of what it could 
mean for Democrats and Republicans to lead together with confidence and 
clarity in an uncertain world.
  I leave this Chamber confident that the RESOLVE Act provides a 
roadmap for the work ahead, and it is now up to my colleagues and the 
next Congress to carry this effort forward.
  Let us rise to this moment together, ensuring that America leads not 
just with power, but with unified purpose.

                          ____________________