Congressional Record, Senate, June 1, 2020, Page S2624

Summary

A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated June 1, 2020, at page S2624. A senator says Chinese Communist Party agents have taunted the United States as the party tightens its grip on Hong Kong, notes that for the first time in 30 years Hong Kong authorities will not allow the Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil, and recalls authoring the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act in 1992. He also condemns violence at protests, including vandalism of the World War II Memorial, and says seven people were shot in Louisville. The page ends with Mr. McConnell objecting to further proceedings en bloc so that bills are placed on the calendar under rule XIV, after a mention of the House vote of 417 to 1 on the Paycheck Protection Program.

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“Congressional Record, Senate, June 1, 2020, Page S2624.” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-06-01-crec-2020-06-01-pt1-pgs2624-304202174b/, SHA-256 8f797d6fc595b87669635494946b70de352d35abb45fe41ecc7bbbab32824faa.

Full text

S2624 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 1, 2020
not advance freedom or justice to van- saries are all too eager to exploit a dis- damental evil; the regime that sees
dalize the World War II Memorial that tracted world. peaceful demonstrations as an existen-
stands for those who bled and died for In recent days, agents of the Chinese tial challenge. That is who is to blame
exactly those values. You do not ad- Communist Party have taken to social for this, no matter what the Com-
vance peace by committing assault. media to openly taunt—openly taunt— munist Party’s two-bit propaganda is
You do not advance justice by inflict- the United States and defend their vio- trying to claim—not the people of
ing injustice upon your neighbors. You lent crackdown on the autonomy of Hong Kong, not their friends in the
do not promote the rule of law through Hong Kong. United States, just the would-be ty-
anarchy. There is no constitutional It has been almost a year since the rants in Beijing.
right to commit violent crime or to world watched Hongkongers embark on Last year, as Congress passed Sen-
terrorize communities, period. the latest round of peaceful demonstra- ator RUBIO’s update to my Hong Kong
This cannot continue. It has already tions against the repressive grip of the Policy Act, I also secured additional
gone on for entirely too long. I hope Chinese Communist Party. The world funding to provide legal protections to
State and local authorities will work watched as Hong Kong voters, with Hong Kong protestors and support de-
quickly to crack down on outside agi- American flags in hand, dealt crushing mocracy promotion activities. But if
tators and domestic terrorists and re- defeats to Beijing’s preferred puppet China moves in the coming days and
store some order to our cities. If State candidates in elections last fall. But in weeks to implement its draconian new
and local leaders cannot or will not se- recent weeks, as the coronavirus pan- laws that strangle Hong Kong, there
cure the peace and protect citizens and demic that China exacerbated has will be no rule of law left for protesters
their property, I hope the Federal Gov- dominated the world’s attention, the to appeal to. That is why the U.S. re-
ernment is ready to stand in the Chinese Communist Party is trying yet sponse should mirror those of other de-
breach. again to tighten their grip. New laws— mocracies that open their doors to
In Kentucky, we are already seeing supposedly related to national secu- Hongkongers fleeing oppression. Our
violence and tragedy compound on rity—aim to stifle dissent and curtail Nation has a rich heritage of standing
themselves. Several days ago, seven Hongkongers’ civil liberties. as a beacon of light and freedom, from
people were shot in Louisville—none, When I authored the U.S.-Hong Kong refugees of war to those escaping the
according to the mayor, by law en- Policy Act way back in 1992, we wanted Iron Curtain. We should exercise it
forcement. Last night, one individual to ensure future Chinese regimes would again for the people of Hong Kong.
was shot and killed by authorities after respect the promises made regarding Finally, while we address these latest
the police were fired upon from within this unique, autonomous region, so we aggressions, we must not miss the
a crowd. We are learning about the in- made sure the weight and suasion of broader lessons. The Communist Party
cident as fast as we can. I was just the United States of America would of China does not play by the rules.
briefed by Governor Beshear today, and stand with Hongkongers if need be. They don’t—not the rules of the inter-
I support a full and thorough and im- Unfortunately, these years later, national economy; not the rules of its
mediate investigation. But this has to such a time is upon us. Among other bilateral agreements with other na-
end. examples, we received word today that tions; not even its own rules, which are
These important protests began with for the first time in 30 years—30 increasingly subject to the whims of
the notion that basic physical safety years—authorities in Hong Kong will President Xi.
and legal protections must be non-ne- not allow the annual candlelight vigil Whether they are cracking down on
gotiable for every single American, bar that commemorates the Tiananmen Hong Kong, trying to cover up a pan-
none; that American liberty and the Square massacre to occur. For the first demic, or herding ethnic and religious
rule of law must be universal truths for time in 30 years, no commemoration of minorities into modern-day gulags,
all, not special privileges for some. the Tiananmen massacre will occur in this generation of Chinese leadership is
That point is absolutely right. That is Hong Kong. For three decades, Hong telling the rest of the world every sin-
a righteous and important mission. Kong has been the only place in China gle day exactly who they are—exactly
And it is exactly why these senseless where full-scale remembrances of the who they are.
and destructive riots need to end. Not massacre are permitted, but now they, America and the world have watched
next week. Not tomorrow night. Right too, will be going dark. China deepen its tyranny at home, as-
now. Right now. So I am encouraged that Secretary sert its hegemony abroad, and under-
We have real work to do to build con- Pompeo is tapping into that law to for- mine basic norms that protect the
structive paths forward between law mally certify that Beijing’s systemic peace. The question before us is, What
enforcement and affected communities. efforts to interfere in Hong Kong have will we do to stop it?
More violence and destruction is not eroded the region’s autonomy. I might
f
just unfair to many innocent people, it say this is exactly what we were con-
also just makes this important work so cerned about back in 1992 when the MEASURES PLACED ON THE
much harder. Hong Kong Policy Act was introduced CALENDAR—S. 3833 AND H.R. 6800
f by me and became law—exactly what Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I
we feared. understand there are two bills at the
CORONAVIRUS I hope that the administration will desk due a second reading, en bloc.
Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, on soon identify the specific ways it will The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
an entirely different matter, these impose costs on Beijing and, just as im- clerk will read the titles of the bills for
events only compound what has al- portant, continue American support for the second time.
ready been a historically challenging the people of Hong Kong. Under my The legislative clerk read as follows:
time for our country. original legislation, several tools are A bill (S. 3833) to extend the loan forgive-
As our Nation continues to combat available. Their primary aim is to be ness period for the paycheck protection pro-
and contain the coronavirus, the Sen- an effective friend and partner for gram, and for other purposes.
ate will continue to lead the response. Hongkongers who share values of de- A bill (H.R. 6800) making emergency sup-
To name one example, I hope and an- mocracy and freedom and to help pre- plemental appropriations for the fiscal year
ticipate the Senate will soon take up serve the region’s unique character, au- ending September 30, 2020, and for other pur-
and pass legislation that just passed tonomy, and prosperity. poses.
the House by an overwhelming vote of Our Nation’s commitment to those Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, in
417 to 1 to further strengthen the Pay- efforts must remain ironclad, and it order to place the bills on the calendar

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
check Protection Program so it con- must be 100 percent clear that the re- under the provisions of rule XIV, I
tinues working for small businesses sponsibility for threatening Hong would object to further proceedings, en
that need our help. Kong’s economic, political, and social bloc.
Even as we fight the pandemic, we climate rests solely and squarely on The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec-
will remember that other challenges the Chinese Communist Party—the re- tion having been heard, the bills will be
face our Nation as well. Foreign adver- gime that views free thought as a fun- placed on the calendar.

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