Webster: Pelosi Chooses Conceding Over Competing

Washington, DC – Today, Florida Congressman Daniel Webster (R-Clermont) voted against H.R. 4521, Speaker Pelosi’s so-called “America Competes Act” bill, which actually undermines U.S. competitiveness and promotes Green New Deal-style policies instead of improving America’s ability to compete with China.

“Ignoring the existence of bills that have already passed with bipartisan support, today Speaker Pelosi forced a vote on her bill introduced just last week that replaces meaningful policies Republicans and Democrats support with partisan provisions.

“Last year, Republicans and Democrats worked together to develop and pass bills that improve U.S. investment in basic science, support the most important emerging technologies, build our technical workforce, protect our research from theft and hold China accountable. Once again, Speaker Pelosi has rejected bipartisanship and real policy actions in favor of political partisanship.

“This is unacceptable. Congress must return to a member-driven process, which I have advocated for so we can have real, thoughtful debate on each other’s ideas and advance policy that is in the best interest of our constituents.”

Speaker Pelosi’s bill:

• Creates a new visa cap carveout program that allows an unlimited number of eligible Chinese Communist Party members to apply.
• Directs U.S. to work more with China – providing them more opportunity to steal intellectual property.
• Requires U.S. Military to train to combat climate change.
• Makes China eligible for financial assistance from the World Bank Group and Asian Development Bank for projects that help “fight climate change.”
• Gives $8 billion to the unaccountable “green climate” slush fund at the UN, which has awarded $100 million to China.
• Creates a $45 billion slush fund that can be used by labor unions and other political allies of the administration.
• Adds burdensome labor union requirements to previously bipartisan programs, giving unions unfair advantages and special subsidies over small businesses and independent workers.
• Fails to ban federal funding for colleges and universities that host Confucius Institutes, a tool of the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate U.S. colleges.