Prohibiting the Commercial Export of Covered Munitions Items to the Hong Kong Police Force

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California (Mr. Sherman) for his leadership on this and so many other important issues to uphold a high standard of human rights.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2710, the Placing Restrictions on Teargas Exports and Crowd Control Technology to Hong Kong Act, otherwise known as the PROTECT Hong Kong Act.

I am proud to have introduced this bipartisan legislation, along with my colleagues Chris Smith from New Jersey and Ro Khanna from California, in the House. Senator Merkley and Senator Cornyn introduced it in the Senate.

This bill responds to the excessive and unnecessary use of force by the Hong Kong police targeting those engaged in peaceful protests.

The PROTECT Hong Kong Act prohibits U.S. exports of police equipment to Hong Kong, including tear gas, pepper spray, grenades, rubber bullets, foam rounds, beanbag rounds, pepper balls, water cannons, stun guns, and tasers.

The Hong Kong Police Force is simply out of control. The reckless and escalating use of violence flies in the face of manufacturer guidelines and international standards on the use of force. In recent days, the world has seen eyewitness evidence showing protesters sprayed with tear gas directly in the face at short distances, rampant beatings and arbitrary arrests of people ages 11 to 74, police driving at high speeds into crowds, and unarmed protesters shot with live rounds.

The British Government already suspended export licenses for the sale of tear gas and crowd control equipment until concerns about human rights abuses are addressed. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an investigation of the use of crowd control tactics in Hong Kong.

Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. It is time for American companies to stop selling police equipment that is being used to suppress peaceful protests.

Mr. Speaker, today, we will cast votes on two pieces of legislation that will make it crystal clear to Beijing that we in this Congress in a bipartisan manner stand in solidarity with the protesters of Hong Kong, and we also stand with them in their demands, among which is there needs to be an independent investigation and inquiry into the brutal tactics of the Hong Kong Police Force.

It is absolutely outrageous. It is unacceptable. It goes beyond the pale. We have all seen the pictures, the photographs, and the videos that are on social media. Anybody who cares about human rights will stand with us proudly and vote for these two pieces of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this PROTECT Hong Kong Act.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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