24th Winter Olympic Games

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an event that many Americans look forward to every 4 years: The Winter Olympics.

In a few days, millions around the world will tune in to watch their country compete in the 24th Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The spirit of the Olympics is one of sportsmanship, friendship, competition, and national pride for viewers and athletes around the world.

Unfortunately, several years ago the International Olympic Committee selected a host country that is one of the last Communist nations in the world, enslaves workers in sweatshops, forces sterilization upon minority women, punishes those who speak out against the dictatorship, imprisons and murders ethnic minorities, and lied to the world about a global pandemic that has killed millions and changed our lives forever.

Almost every freedom that Americans take for granted is nonexistent under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party. The government has created countless human rights abuses against its people, including the genocide of the Uyghur Muslim population. To this day, they have blocked the rest of the world from learning more about the origins of COVID-19, something that is important for our national security and our public health.

Meanwhile, the majority has thrown away months of bipartisan work and has decided to push another partisan bill that will not pass the Senate or become law in its current form. Included in the so-called America COMPETES Act are several provisions that have nothing to do with China. This bill gives billions to the United Nations Green Climate Fund. It mentions the word ``coral'' more than the word ``China.'' This bill gives no sanctions, punishment, or funding for an investigation into the Chinese Communist Party's cover-up of the origins of COVID-19.

And hidden on page 1519, this legislation also allows the President to use emergency powers until the President declares the COVID-19 national emergency is over, or September of 2025; coincidentally, after the next Presidential election. The vast majority of the American people believe that COVID is unfortunately going to be with us for a long time and desire transparent information so that we can learn to live with it and treat it rather than living in perpetual fear. The national emergency should end no later than this year, and Congress should work in a bipartisan way to end unending emergency powers. We should also act to hold China accountable for lying to the world about a global pandemic and for the human rights atrocities they have committed.

The Chinese Government is known to arbitrarily arrest and hold Americans against their will to blackmail our government. The government has a long track record of spying on Americans, placing microphones and cameras wherever they can. They have no concept of privacy and will gladly find a way to collect DNA samples and as much information as possible on our world-class athletes. I believe the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people are just like us, but the actions of their government have given us no reason to trust them.

Going forward, I do not believe that a country with a human rights track record like that of the People's Republic of China should be given the honor of hosting the Olympic Games.

I pray for the safety, health, and success of American athletes, coaches, and support staff during their time abroad and wish them all the best of luck. I know they will make all of us back home proud.

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