The House easily passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the Chinese spy balloon in a 419-0 vote on Thursday.
The measure, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), takes aim at the Chinese Communist Party for spreading claims “about the nature and purpose of the surveillance balloon, falsely claiming it to be a weather balloon that veered off-course due to ‘force majeure’ events,” and asserts that the incursion was a violation of international law.
The balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina over the weekend after days of flying over the continental United States, including nuclear military sites in Montana.
The resolution passed under suspension of the rules, requiring the support of two-thirds of the chamber. The vote came after Republicans had considered denouncing President Joe Biden’s handling of the balloon, but the plan was scrapped after it became apparent the legislation couldn’t attract enough GOP votes.
McCaul said Thursday’s resolution is necessary to send a message to China that the U.S. will not tolerate acts of aggression.
“This past week, the nation watched in shock as the Chinese surveillance balloon traversed much of the United States, including sensitive American military sites, like the Air Force base in Montana. That base is one of the three places where our Minutemen, ICBM, and nuclear missiles are stored. Americans are rightly disturbed by this brazen surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party. This act of aggression was done before a meeting between President Xi and Secretary Blinken,” he said on the floor.
“The balloon, I believe, is a test — a test of this administration to see how it would respond,” he added. “I believe the president should have shot it down before it entered American airspace rather than allow it to cross over the continental United States airspace. But make no mistake — this was another intentionally provocative act by the CCP, and as I said often, weakness invites aggression. This act will only further embolden and empower our enemies.”
American intelligence agencies have said efforts by the CCP are likely part of a global surveillance program to collect information about military capabilities.
While the resolution is nonbinding, it “calls on the Biden administration to continue to keep Congress apprised by providing comprehensive briefings on this incident.”
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House leaders received a briefing on the matter on Wednesday, while members of the upper chamber are slated to be briefed on Thursday.
Congress has ramped up its efforts to combat threats from China, launching a select committee to craft policies to combat the issue.
