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
