Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIM of California. President Ronald Reagan said: ``We cannot play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent, nor can we be passive when freedom is under siege.''

The free world is under attack as Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, the ayatollahs, and Kim Jong-un are teaming up to destroy any glimpse of freedom and democracy in their path.

Deterrence is not divisible, and history has shown that when the free world wavers, adversaries see a green light.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said recently that the United States' failing to support Ukraine would embolden Xi Jinping and support Beijing's propaganda that the United States is not a reliable partner.

We want our allies and partners to turn to the United States, not to the Chinese Communist Party, which wants to replace the American Dream with its authoritarian vision in a quest to become the world's top economic and military superpower by 2027.

If Xi Jinping is successful in his ambitions to take Taiwan, it will directly hurt our economy, our national security, and our leadership globally. We know he won't stop there. That is why we need to give Taiwan the weapons that it has paid for to defend itself and support other partners in the region.

This bill reaffirms our support by increasing foreign military financing and revamping our submarine industrial base as we implement Pillar 1 of the AUKUS agreement, which allows for the sale of nuclear- powered submarines to Australia and the United Kingdom.

For America to continue to shine as a beacon of hope and freedom, we need our allies and partners to trust us and our adversaries to respect us.

This is about freedom versus authoritarianism. This is about maintaining a world order that is safe for future generations.

History will judge this institution and our country based on how we vote today. The world is watching us, and we need to deliver.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to meet this critical moment and pass H.R. 8036, the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

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