Amata Votes on Foreign Affairs Bills
Takes Part in China Relations Oversight
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata took part this week in a full slate of committee activities, especially votes and hearings in the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) regarding China’s competitive activities, including cosponsoring three foreign affairs bills passed by the Committee.
- Amata is the sole original cosponsor upon introduction with Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) of H.R. 1149, to establish certain reporting and other requirements relating to telecommunications equipment and services produced or provided by certain entities, and for other purposes.
- She is one of six cosponsors of H.R. 1093, introduced by Chairman McCaul, to direct the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on implementation of the advanced capabilities pillar of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- She cosponsored H. Res. 90, led by Chairman McCaul with over 30 cosponsors, demanding that the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Communist Party of China immediately release Mark Swidan, an American businessman wrongfully detained for over ten years.
Also in this markup, the Committee passed H.R. 1107, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Is Not a Developing Country Act, led by Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Young Kim (R-CA), on which Amata serves as Vice Chairman. Chairwoman Kim’s bill is to ensure that the Chinese government cannot receive favorable treatment that is meant to economically help truly developing nations.
Chairman Michael McCaul’s bill, H.R. 1153, which provides legislative authority to the President to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security, also passed the committee 24-16.
Amata (to left side of photo) in Foreign Affairs Committee this week
In addition to these votes, the full committee held a thorough hearing, titled, Combatting the generational challenge of CCP aggression, which includes China’s global efforts in economic influence. Amata took part in question and answers with Undersecretary Alan Estevez regarding China’s role in chip manufacturing.
“Congress is putting new energy into a much-needed focus on China’s strategic activities, not least in the Indo-Pacific, and I appreciate these efforts by Chairman McCaul and others in House leadership,” Amata said.
Amata is also congratulating Ambassador Cindy McCain as she takes on the international role of Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), a leadership effort to combat global hunger, currently strained by high costs of food and fuel.
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