Jim McGovern

I now am pleased to introduce Representative Jennifer Wexton of Virginia, who has emerged as a champion for human rights in this Congress.

China claims that these sprawling camps with barbed wire and armed guard towers are humane vocational training centers. This is a lie.

History will not look favorably on those who knew about it and did nothing.

Words, however, are not enough. And we must act and respond quickly to these horrific crimes.

What is taking place there probably rises to the level of a crime against humanity.

This is one of the world's largest human rights tragedies.

The introduction of this bill today, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, is important.

Any U.S. or international company working in or with suppliers in Xinjiang should reconsider whether they want to be producing products in a region where there is evidence that crimes against humanity are being committed.

So today I am pleased to announce that Senator Rubio, Congressman Chris Smith, Senator Merkley, Congressman Suozzi, Congresswoman Wexton, myself, and other Members are introducing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

Over the past several years, the Chinese government created and expanded a system of extrajudicial mass internment camps.

Today I am proud to announce the release of a new China Commission report detailing how global supply chains are tainted with goods and products made with forced labor in Xinjiang.

Opening Statement of Hon. James P. McGovern, a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts; Chair, Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

I ask that the committee fully fund the National Park Service and encourage NPS to enter into a cooperative agreement for the coming fiscal year.

This Congress has made significant progress in protecting our public lands and spaces, in large part thanks to the leadership of this committee.

As you begin to draft this year's appropriations bill, I encourage you to provide critical funding for important conservation programs that preserve this country's rich history and natural beauty.

I just want to thank you for all the incredible work that you have done on behalf of vulnerable people all over the world.

I assure you, we are doing everything we can to get it updated and upgraded.

The whole point of compiling a list of political prisoners is to make sure that people know the extent of China's brutality.

We are moving in the right direction, I can assure you of that.

We want to make this user friendly so that people have access to this relatively easily.

They are trying to destroy Tibetan culture, and now interjecting themselves in who will be the next Dalai Lama.

We are concerned about what is happening China with regard to the treatment of Uyghurs.

I respectfully would disagree that they are making the progress on the drug front that we all hope.

I am also grateful for the one-time increase of $250,000 to upgrade the Congressional Executive Commission on China Prisoner Database.

Resolving this case would be a tremendous step in breaking impunity and advancing justice in El Salvador.