News: Two members of the China Select Committee unveiled a “parallel opinion” to the panel’s final economic report, requesting more emphasis on trade and education as a way to shore up U.S. competitiveness with China.
Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) wrote a “parallel opinion” that requests tougher positions on economic relations and called for more U.S. investments in manufacturing and scientific research.
The two lawmakers also said there should be new requirements to make CCP lobbying more transparent and urged the Biden administration to ban the hugely popular social media app TikTok.
“We respectfully file this parallel opinion,” the lawmakers wrote. “It diverges from the industrial policy of the Strategy while emphasizing a subset of the report’s recommended legislation as beneficial and actionable.
Auchincloss opposed the final report in a voice vote, per a source familiar with it. Johnson ultimately backed it despite his concerns.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) also spoke out against the final report, per his office. Torres didn’t object during the voice vote.
The dissent is in response to the committee’s report titled “Reset, Prevent, Build: A Strategy to Win America’s Economic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party.” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) chaired the select committee, with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois serving as the top Democrat.
The panel’s report proposes roughly 150 policy solutions to shore up American competition with China, including potentially imposing more tariffs on select Chinese goods.
Auchincloss told us he wanted more recognition of U.S. competitiveness on issues like science and education, as advocated for in the CHIPS Act.
“The U.S. economy will outcompete China’s by emphasizing science, education, and a pro-growth business climate, not industrial policy,” Auchincloss told us.
Johnson said he didn’t view his parallel opinion with Auchincloss as opposition to the final report.
“I think the report is overall a good piece of work,” Johnson told us. ”But Jake and I did want to call for people’s attention that there are a subset of ideas we think are most important to prioritize.”
Allison Aprahamian, committee spokesperson, told us in a statement that Gallagher values members’ input and disagreement.
“The final report contains nearly 150 bipartisan recommendations,” Aprahamian told us. “While not every member agrees with every recommendation, the Chairman values their input. The Select Committee looks forward to working with all members to advance smart, bipartisan policy, and defend our national security and economic prosperity from the threat posed by the CCP.”
Of course, China has been one of the few bipartisan issues this Congress has found consensus on.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy pitched the committee back in January, with the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly supported the creation of the panel, which seeks to find solutions to counter Beijing’s influence on the world stage.
