Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is seen outside a House Republican Steering Committee meeting to pick committee chairs within the U.S. Capitol Monday 9, 2023.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Members of the U.S. House from each the Democratic and Republican parties voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to ascertain a latest select committee to deal with the multifaceted threats that China poses to the US.
The ultimate tally vote was 365 in favor and 65 opposed, with all Republicans and 146 Democrats joining them to back the enterprise. The brand new panel shall be called the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party.
After every week that saw a historic intraparty Republican battle for the House speakership play out before cameras on the chamber floor, the China-committee vote offered a rare opportunity for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to notch a real bipartisan victory.
In line with the resolution creating the brand new select committee, its powers shall be largely investigative, not legislative. It’s going to even be given jurisdiction to call witnesses and hold public hearings in reference to its probes.
There’ll 16 members on the committee, nine Republicans and 7 Democrats. It’s going to be chaired by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, a number one voice within the GOP caucus on China issues.
It was unclear Tuesday which Democrats would join the panel, because committee assignments are still fluid on either side of the aisle because the 118th Congress takes shape under a latest Republican majority.
Speaking on the House floor Tuesday, Gallagher signaled the committee’s bipartisan approach right from the highest, leading off his remarks by quoting Democratic President Joe Biden’s top diplomat.
“As Secretary of State Antony Blinken put it last yr, China is the one country with the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it,” Gallagher said.
He said the panel will expose the Chinese Communist Party’s “coordinated whole of society technique to undermine American leadership and American sovereignty, while working on a bipartisan basis and with committees of jurisdiction to have a look at long overdue commonsense approaches to counter CCP aggressions.”
I have watched with consternation as our businesses’ electronic supply chain has been increasingly depending on China.
Bill Foster
Democratic Representative, Illinois
Gallagher said Republicans and Democrats might want to work together, “because that is the only way we’re going to achieve success over the long run.”
Moments later, a senior Democrat, Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, said on the House floor he would vote for the creation of the panel, immediately giving it bipartisan bona fides that culminated in the huge Democratic support throughout the afternoon’s vote.
Several Democrats followed McGovern, speaking in support of the brand new select committee.
“I have watched with consternation as our businesses’ electronic supply chain has been increasingly depending on China,” said Democratic Rep. Bill Foster of Illinois.
Nevertheless it was McCarthy’s turn within the highlight that was most memorable Tuesday, as the brand new speaker promised the committee could be serious and genuinely bipartisan, not only bipartisan for show.
“We would like serious lawmakers,” said McCarthy. “This is not for any person to go in and be viral to make some point. That is to work together as one Congress, on one in every of our best challenges for the long run.”
McCarthy continued, “You might have my word and my commitment. This isn’t a partisan committee. … I would like this committee to last beyond who’s in the bulk, and never, ever be a partisan committee.”
The creation of the brand new China committee highlights the rare ability of U.S.-Beijing issues to bring together lawmakers of all political stripes. This was also on full view throughout the presidential race, when each then-President Donald Trump and Biden campaigned on guarantees to get tough on China.