65 Dems vote against new China committee – who w

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Sixty-five Democrats were the only representatives to vote against forming a committee dedicated to China, rejecting a resolution that still overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The motion to create a “Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party” passed 365-65, with 146 Democrats supporting joining the Republican-led effort, according to the House Clerk website. 

Among the Democrats who voted against the committee are progressive “Squad” Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), also a “Squad” member, broke with her longtime allies to vote in favor of the committee.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) – who as a toddler immigrated from Taiwan, an island China claims as its own – also voted against forming the committee.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a top Democrat who was until recently House Speaker, voted for the committee. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) – whose campaign operation was infiltrated by a Chinese spy, according to Axios – also voted in favor of it.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) is set to chair the committee, which he has said will inform people of the CCP’s growing power and put forward ways to contain it amid a “new Cold War.” China has come to be considered a top rival superpower as U.S. concerns grow over its longstanding claim over Taiwan and the global influence of the authoritarian ruling party.

Being tougher on Beijing has the potential for broad bipartisan support in Washington, D.C., with lawmakers across the political spectrum calling for stiffer competition from the U.S., as reported by NBC News. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said the committee’s work won’t be mired in U.S. political issues, The Hill reported.

“This is an issue that transcends political parties,” McCarthy said on the House floor Tuesday. “We want the very best ideas, and it doesn’t matter where they come from. … We’ll just need one philosophy, with one principle, and America will be stronger for the future to come.”

The resolution requires the committee to submit its policy recommendations by Dec. 31, 2023, and submit all its reports by Dec. 31, 2024.

Here’s a complete list of the 65 Democrats who voted against the committee:

Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont
Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán of California
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon
Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York
Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio
Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri
Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana
Rep. Gregorio Casar of Texas
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida
Rep. Judy Chu of California
Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York
Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia
Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas
Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois
Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier of California
Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas
Rep. Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania
Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida
Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida
Rep. Jesús García of Illinois
Rep. Robert Garcia of California
Rep. Dan Goldman of New York
Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California
Rep. Jared Huffman of California
Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland
Rep. Jonathan Jackson of Illinois
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington
Rep. Henry Johnson of Georgia
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California
Rep. Barbara Lee of California
Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania
Rep. Ted Lieu of California
Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California
Rep. Doris Matsui of California
Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York
Rep. Grace Meng of New York
Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin
Rep. Kevin Mullin of California
Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York
Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey
Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin
Rep. Katie Porter of California
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts
Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois
Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois
Rep. Deborah Ross of North Carolina
Rep. Linda Sánchez of California
Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland
Rep. Janice Schakowsky of Illinois
Rep. Robert Scott of Virginia
Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico
Rep. Mark Takano of California
Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada
Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan
Rep. Jill Tokuda of Hawaii
Rep. Paul Tonko of New York
Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois
Rep. Juan Vargas of California
Rep. Nydia Velázquez of New York
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey
Rep. Nikema Williams of Georgia

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