If there’s one thing that unites a deeply divided 118th Congress, it’s bound to be China.
In a 365 - 65 vote on Tuesday, House lawmakers approved a resolution setting up a new select committee focused on the People’s Republic. It was a sharp contrast to a completely partisan vote to establish a new subcommittee on the “weaponization” of the federal government minutes later.
The panel will “investigate and submit policy recommendations on the status of the Chinese Communist Party’s economic, technological, and security progress and its competition with the United States,” according to the resolution. Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher is set to lead it.
Several Democratic lawmakers voiced support for the creation of the committee and some like Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. have publicly expressed interest in joining.
“I think this select committee can be a forum to bring us together,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. said on the House floor ahead of the vote. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. told Semafor “absolutely” when asked if she would like to be on it.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned against using the panel to “be discriminatory to Asian Americans,” but supported its creation and is a longtime China critic dating back decades.
“It’s important to address unfairness in our trade practices, violations of human rights, whether you’re talking about Uyghurs, whether you’re talking about Tibet, whether you’re talking about Hong Kong,” said Pelosi, who last summer sparked a brief international incident with China by becoming the highest-ranking official in 25 years to visit Taiwan.
Gallagher told Semafor last month he wants the committee to bring together “serious, sober members” from both sides of the aisle. McCarthy is ultimately responsible for tapping the other members, which will include nine Republicans and seven Democrats. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will also have a say in who the Democratic members are.
— Morgan Chalfant and Kadia Goba