Idaho Sen. James Risch called for increased scrutiny Tuesday amid Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, only this time directed at China.
As ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Risch challenged foreign affairs leaders to “not let the authoritarians win” because “no one wants to live in a world controlled by Putin or Xi.”
The Tuesday hearing featured nominees for several positions. Among the positions were the Office of Foreign Missions’s director, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s assistant administrator, the ambassador to Chile, and the coordinator to combat global HIV/AIDS.
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“Every American can turn on the TV and see that authoritarianism is on the rise. From Putin’s personal war, very personal war, against Ukraine, to China’s genocide of the Uyghurs and technology-fueled repression, autocrats are busy quashing political dissent and actively working to undermine our open, democratic society,” Risch said.
“While Russia and China are the most egregious models of authoritarianism, Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and Zimbabwe also demonstrate the global nature of this rise. Clearly, the United States and our allies need to step up our game against these regimes.”
Authoritarianism globally is on the rise, with nearly 40% of countries considered “not free” by research firm Freedom House. The percentage is its highest since 1997.
Sanctions on Russia were “long overdue,” according to Risch. Now, the Idaho senator is calling for the U.S. to “improve scrutiny of foreign donations and contracts.”
“From 2019 to 2021 alone, U.S. universities received $545 million in gifts and contracts from China,” Risch said. “It’s a simple question — why are we funding Chinese authoritarianism?”
“Events in Ukraine serve as a reminder of the consequences of failing to hold dictators accountable,” Risch tweeted Tuesday. “The [international] community should learn from our mistakes. We can & must do more.”
Events in #Ukraine serve as a reminder of the consequences of failing to hold dictators accountable. #Russia is deploying the same tactics it used in #Syria in Ukraine. The int’l community should learn from our mistakes. We can & must do more. https://t.co/gyBepvvB89
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) March 15, 2022
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In 2012, Congress passed the Global Magnistky Human Rights Accountability Act, permitting the president “to impose sanctions with respect to foreign persons responsible for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” Currently, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act has passed in the House but awaits approval from the Senate.
