"China's cover up directly led to this crisis," GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy said of the CCP's deadly and intentional mismanagement of the coronavirus at his Thursday press conference.
"The Communist Party of China hid the seriousness of the disease, led a propaganda campaign blaming the U.S., used their supplies to exert influence, and continue to refuse international experts to investigate what happened."
As President Trump has also often noted, once China learned of the seriousness of COVID-19, they banned all flights into the country, but allowed international travel to resume, resulting in a global pandemic.
With China's obvious culpability, both Republicans and Democrats were ready to get to work to hold China accountable. For months a bipartisan group had already been working to form a committee that would research the best strategies for dealing with China. They were far along in the planning process to the point where McCarthy said he was ready to name the individual task force members. But the list didn't materialize because the Democrats pulled back a few months ago.
"Without notice or reason, the Democrats walked away," he said.
They continued to delay the process to the point where McCarthy just couldn't wait anymore. So, he is forging ahead without them. On Thursday he announced the launch of the China Task Force. The committee will be tasked with influence operations targeting the U.S., the economic threat to our government and allies, efforts to gain the technological advantage, and China's role in the origin and spread of COVID-19.
"We cannot wait any longer," he said. "The stakes are too high to sit idly by."
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The now all-Republican Task Force will be chaired by Representative Michael McCaul (TX), and includes Conference Chair Liz Cheney (WY), and Reps. Jim Banks (IN), Andy Barr (KY), John Curtis (UT), Mike Gallagher (WI), Anthony Gonzalez (OH), John Joyce (PA), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Darin LaHood (IL), Guy Reschenthaler (PA), Denver Riggleman (VA), Elise Stefanik (NY), Chris Stewart (UT), and Michael Waltz (FL).
??New: LR @RepMcCaul to chair China Task Force
— House Foreign Affairs GOP (@HouseForeignGOP) May 7, 2020
"I want to thank @GOPLeader for the honor of chairing this task force... The United States must take bold action to address the CCP’s malign agenda & better compete with China on the world stage." https://t.co/nJFcHKiHjr
I look forward to serving on the China Task Force and developing a plan to ensure our future economic and national security. Thank you @GOPLeader for the opportunity.
— Rep. Chris Stewart (@RepChrisStewart) May 7, 2020
The task force is expected to provide a list of recommendations by October, McCarthy explained. He invited the Democrats to join them.
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