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[Page S4084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT
Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on an entirely different matter, the
Senate has indeed turned to what will be the 60th annual National
Defense Authorization Act. If you look at the world news, it would
appear we have done so not a moment too soon.
After months of threats, President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party
finally delivered the punch in the mouth to the city of Hong Kong that
they are calling a ``national security law.'' As I and others have
warned for months, it tramples all over the freedoms and autonomy that
have set Hong Kong apart.
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from the
United Kingdom. Normally this anniversary would have occasioned
peaceful demonstration. Instead, the new law has brought scores of
arrests and boasts from local authorities about how many peaceful
demonstrators they have jailed, new harsh penalties for Hongkongers for
new and vague offenses, and new authority from Beijing to intervene at
will.
It appears to directly--directly--violate China's international
promises and effectively end the ``one country, two systems'' policy.
I have discussed at some length the specific consequences China will
face for this. I will continue to discuss them in the future.
This same week, we received new confirmation that China's ethnic
cleansing campaign against the Uighur people in Xinjiang includes
forced abortions, forced birth control, and State-enforced
sterilizations on a systematic scale.
All of this is in addition to the international provocation that
China has only stepped up during this pandemic--which they helped
worsen--against Taiwan, against India, against the Philippines, and so
on.
China is not our only adversary occupying the spotlight. Recent days
have intensified questions about Russia's negative role in the Middle
East.
I have long warned that Russia and other adversaries will exploit any
American passivity or retreat from this important region. Whether in
Syria or Afghanistan, the question is whether we will stand our ground
and exert our influence or allow Iran, Russia, and terrorists to
literally push us out of the region.
Sadly, as the Senate turns to the NDAA, the need to continue making
swift progress on our national defense strategy is staring us plain in
the face. Fortunately, Chairman Inhofe, Ranking Member Reed, and our
colleagues on the Armed Services Committee have put forward a bill that
rises to the challenge.
The bill establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. It lays out a
clear vision for making our Pacific joint force more adaptable and our
commitments to regional partners more feasible, smarter basing for
forward-deployed Americans, more supplies and equipment prepositioned.
It will encourage more streamlined technology so that, from weapons
platforms to information security, America and its allies in China's
backyard stand ready to counter aggression together.
This NDAA authorizes full funding for the European Deterrence
Initiative, doubling down on our NATO alliances as we check the worst
impulses of Putin's Russia. The bill will further limit the information
Putin gets pertaining to missile defense, bring more focus on tracking
Russian support for terrorist proxies and despotic regimes, and renew
our commitment to have U.S. forces support, train, and keep watch
alongside our partners.
But it isn't enough to check our adversaries today. We also need to
outrun them toward the future. So this legislation will also support
critical reserves to help us secure a decisive edge in everything from
hypersonic weapons to 5G communications.
Threats to our Nation are pulling American servicemembers in all
directions. Fortunately, this NDAA has all of their backs.
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