Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is calling on the Biden Administration to “shoot it down” as a Chinese spy balloon makes its way across the U.S.
On Friday, Hawley demanded Homeland Security to immediately launch an investigation into President Joe Biden’s lax response to the Chinese spy balloon.
I write to request that you expeditiously convene a hearing on troubling reports that the Chinese government has launched a surveillance balloon over the United States to spy on our nuclear capabilities,” Hawley wrote in a letter addressed to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich).
He called the Biden Administration’s response to the discovery “baffling,” adding that there is an obligation as members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to have full knowledge of the Chinese government’s surveillance of the U.S., calling it a “gross violation.”
“China’s foray into America’s sovereign airspace is deeply disturbing and calls for an immediate investigation. This is a matter of homeland security, and we should hear from senior members of the Biden Administration to understand their response, or lack thereof, so far. The American people are demanding answers,” Hawley continued.
This comes after Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Mark Green (R-Tenn) blamed Biden for his lack of transparency and keeping Congress informed about the matter, adding that his committee should have been alerted by the administration and not the media.
Hawley rejected the Chinese foreign ministry’s claim that the balloon was blown off course due to the weather and “civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes.”
“We know that is a lie,” the Senator wrote. “The Pentagon has confirmed that the balloon is ‘maneuverable’ and is currently somewhere over the center of the continental United States- in violation of the U.S. airspace and international law.”
Defense Department spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder informed the U.S. that the Chinese spy balloon was being closely monitored and would most likely float over the country for the next few days.
However, Hawley criticized Biden for not taking action to shut the whole operation down.
“Yet rather than shooting down or otherwise disabling this high-altitude balloon, the Biden Administration is merely ‘monitoring the situation’ and referring reporters to the Chinese government for answers,” Hawley wrote.