A rare actual bipartisan vote in the U.S. House created a new committee to investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s growing global influence.
The vote was 365-65, with 146 Democrats – including Seventh District Democrat Abigail Spanberger – on board.
The committee will be chaired by Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher, who said after the vote that he was “very excited to see that it was overwhelmingly bipartisan.
“I do think, to the extent possible, if Congress can speak with a unified voice on this issue and if, to the extent possible, politics can stop at the water’s edge, our foreign policy is stronger for it,” Gallagher said.
Spanberger, a former CIA case officer, said the Chinese Communist Party’s growing influence on the global stage “poses a serious national security threat to the United States.”
“Right now, the CCP is increasing military spending, CCP-backed companies are spying on U.S. citizens and companies, and government-sponsored hackers are stealing from American taxpayers,” Spanberger said. ”Congress must hold the Chinese Community Party accountable, preserve our global influence, strengthen American competitiveness, and protect the American people. These issues should not be areas of partisan disagreement. In this era of divided government, this new committee ought to be an example of bipartisan cooperation to keep our country safe.”
Spanberger has been out front raising issue with security threats coming from China, which include the controversial, yet popular, mobile app TikTok, which U.S. intelligence has warned can be used to track its users without their knowledge.
NBC News reported last month that Chinese government-backed hackers stole at least $20 million in U.S. COVID relief benefits, including SBA loans and unemployment insurance funds in more than a dozen states.
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Chris Graham
