On the recordSeptember 22, 2021
I rise first in support of my amendment, the Gray Zone Assessment Act. Whether we look at the annexation of Crimea, the militarization of the South China Sea, the economic coercion of Australia, or the cyberattacks that have stolen our data and crippled our industries, we see the same pattern. Our adversaries are using methods of coercion that lie somewhere in the so-called gray zone, between war and peace. To make matters worse, thus far, we seem incapable of effectively responding to this aggression. It is well past time that we have a viable response. Experts have identified several causes for our failure to deter these gray zone campaigns--in particular, our weakness at coordinating all of our tools of national power by requiring the GAO to take a hard look at these problems. My amendment aims to move forward a process of reform that will enable us to effectively counter the shadow war that China, Russia, and others are waging against us and against the free world. I would also like to voice my support for Mr. Connolly's amendment, No. 114, the Global Health Security Act. After 18 months of lockdowns, masks, social distancing, school closures, and, worst of all, a mounting death toll, COVID-19 has taught us that a disease that starts at the other side of the world can pose a direct national security threat right here in America. Back at the end of 2018, before COVID-19 even existed, Mr.…





