U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) named several Republicans to a special congressional task force that will investigate China’s global agenda, including its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rep. McCarthy announced May 7 the selection of U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) as chair of the China Task Force, which will develop legislative solutions to address challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). U.S. Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Darin LaHood (R-IL), and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) are among the lawmakers who will serve on the 15-member task force.
“As we learn more about COVID-19 one thing has become clear — China’s coverup directly led to this crisis,” Rep. McCarthy said. “It follows the same threatening pattern of behavior we have seen from the Chinese Communist Party for years — something that has long-been the bipartisan consensus in Washington.”
In fact, Rep. McCarthy said that congressional leadership had planned for a bipartisan task force on this issue months ago, but the Democrats recently walked away from participation in the group, which he said “will be looking at a broad range of China-related issues, including: influence operations targeting the U.S., the economic threat to our government and allies, efforts to gain the technological advantage, and China’s role in the origin and spread of COVID-19.”
Rep. McCaul, ranking member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, noted that China has become America’s strategic adversary and most consequential foreign policy challenge of this generation.
“Their coronavirus coverup is yet another wake up call to the evolving threat they pose to the world,” Rep. McCaul said. “Not only do we have to hold the CCP accountable for their role in the spread of coronavirus, the United States must take bold action to address the CCP’s malign agenda and better compete with China on the world stage.”
The task force will provide frequent updates on its efforts and later this year will unveil a comprehensive report with legislative recommendations, Rep. McCaul said, adding that the task force “will hit the ground running to develop new and enduring policy solutions that, among others, enhance our economic strength and create jobs, protect our national security, rethink our supply chains and grow our competitive edge in technology.”
Rep. Barr also said that the CCP lied from the start about the pandemic’s origins.
“The totalitarian leadership in Beijing silenced whistleblowers who attempted to sound the alarm, they underreported their initial cases, they manipulated the World Health Organization to spread lies about no human-to-human transmission, and they embarked on an elaborate scheme to hoard personal protective equipment and weaponize the global supply chain of medical and pharmaceutical supplies against the international community, including the United States,” said Rep. Barr.
Rep. Barr “has invaluable insight into how China uses the financial system to control the world’s most crucial supply chains and technologies,” said Rep. McCarthy. “I know Andy will paint a full picture of what went wrong and offer strong recommendations for how we can fix it.”
According to Rep. Reschenthaler, China has stolen American intellectual property, violated international trade laws, exported illicit fentanyl into the U.S., and committed human rights abuses.
“American workers, particularly right here in southwestern Pennsylvania, too often pay the price for China’s unfair trade practices,” Rep. Reschenthaler said. “This group will ensure we can further the important progress President Trump has already made in holding China accountable and work to address the CCP’s malign agenda towards our nation.”
Rep. McCarthy called Rep. Reschenthaler “a rising star in the Republican Party,” who has demonstrated vision and foresight to tackle America’s challenges, particularly national security vulnerabilities related to China. “He was a natural choice and I know will be an invaluable member of the task force as we work together to keep our country secure for generations to come,” said Rep. McCarthy.
Rep. LaHood agreed that China represents an ever-evolving challenge for the United States.
“Since becoming co-chair of the bipartisan U.S. China Working Group in 2016, I’ve been proud to provide a leading platform in Congress to engage with our colleagues, our allies, the administration, and the Chinese to better understand the complex relationship between the United States and China,” said Rep. LaHood. “As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues to promote policy solutions that advance the United States’ trade interests, strengthen national security, and ensure that China is held accountable for their failings to combat COVID-19.”
Rep. LaHood has been closely engaged on trade issues with China for the last several years, said Rep. McCarthy. “This task force gives him the opportunity to continue to fight to protect the livelihoods of farmers, workers and businesses from CCP malfeasance,” he said. “I know he will advocate passionately for solutions that prioritize the long-term interests of the American people.”
Rep. Kinzinger also for years has worked in Congress to push for greater oversight on U.S. relations with China, including U.S. reviews of proposed investments by China, as well as the country’s trading practices with American farmers, and sanctions on bad actors in China that have threatened U.S. communication networks.
“For too long, the United States has allowed the Communist Party of China to encroach on our very way of life and it’s time we take these threats to task,” Rep. Kinzinger said last week. “I am grateful to Leader McCarthy for this appointment and look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to address the various challenges we face in our global security.”