Feeling the Impacts in Texas

Floor Speech

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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the continued death of freedom and personal rights occurring in greater China.

Last week, Cardinal Joseph Zen, 90 years old, the former cardinal from Hong Kong, was arrested by the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong for speaking out for democracy.

This arrest threatens the fundamental freedoms of all individuals with the courage to speak out against the Chinese Communist Party by demonstrating the extent of the regime's aggression, threatening these advocates with life in prison or worse.

For years, Cardinal Zen has advocated for democracy and religious freedom for the Chinese people. I have had the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Zen and have heard his pleas for freedom and advocacy for citizens in Hong Kong and Roman Catholics in China.

Next week, we will recognize a week of global prayer for China. During the week, we will pray for all suffering under the Chinese regime, including Cardinal Zen.

I urge my colleagues to take a moment to pray for religious tolerance and individual rights, to pray for a bright and safe future for the Chinese people, a future without persecution, a future with the fundamental freedoms we all deserve.

We must keep Cardinal Zen and the other brave individuals advocating for freedoms that we enjoy here today and every day in our prayers today, tomorrow, next week, and until the Chinese people are no longer under the boot of Communist persecution. Preserving Peace and Stability in Taiwan

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Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation that I have introduced with the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).

Our bill, H.R. 7704, the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act, is a necessary step to help deter the Chinese aggression or the potential aggression, I think we should all hope, against Taiwan.

In 1979, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act to preserve and promote a close relationship between the United States and Taiwan. For 43 years, the United States has been committed to the preservation of human rights, peace, and stability for the people on the island of Taiwan.

Unfortunately, the Chinese Communist Party has been growing more comfortable in taking coercive and aggressive actions toward Taiwan.

Our bill will ensure that the financial consequences for CCP officials and their immediate family members are immediate if they are tempted to get any ideas from their brutal, repressive, murderous friends in Russia.

Under my bill, if the President reports to Congress any threat to the security or social or economic system of Taiwan made by China, as required under the 1979 act, the Treasury will report on all illicit and corrupt assets of senior CCP officials and their immediate family members and will take steps to prohibit these officials from benefiting from these funds at U.S. financial institutions.

We cannot risk any lack of clarity regarding the U.S. commitment to Taiwan. Aspiring global strongmen must know personal consequences are in store for any aggressive behavior.

Madam Speaker, I urge quick consideration and adoption of our bill, the Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act.

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