Thaddeus McCotter - China
Valley Patriot Interview
In August of 2011, Congressman McCotter was interviewed by the Valley Patriot in Concord, New Hampshire. Congressman McCotter notes the need for currency reform in China and intellectual property reform.
Christine: Another thing that that candidates aren’t talking about is China.
McCotter: Communist China!
Christine: You have talked about how China is manipulating the currency and stealing our innovations. [Radio host] John Bachelor was talking about how large sums of money have disappeared from the Chinese treasury, nobody knows where it’s going, and I also heard recently that the Chinese are buying up huge portions of real estate in New York and other cities. What do you think is their ultimate goal and why should Americans be concerned about them?
McCotter: They’re clear about what they want. They want the 21st century to be the century of communist China. They want to be the hegemon, which means superpower behemoth. And when they talk about the hegemon, nothing good for America can come from that. They believe that the 21st century will be theirs, they have our manufacturing, they have our capacities, they continue to drive us to a consumptive economy where we have to borrow money to pay for the welfare state to make up for all the lost, stagnant wages and everything else. So, we’ve got this vicious cycle. Then what they are doing with a lot of the reserves that they hold of our dollars is that they come here and buy up our real estate, which helped fuel the housing bubble. They have to park that money somewhere, because it’s not a free market over there. The government decides where that money is going to go. So to me, it’s clear. This isn’t my supposition. It’s what they say themselves. I’m not speaking out of school, here. So when you see how they are operating, when you see the tactics they use, it’s a very stealth, very indirect means, but the goal remains the same.
The trouble is that a lot of Americans are awake to what their leadership is doing. There’s a whole lot of money to be made on that regime by sending our jobs over there. I would argue that one of the reasons we have problems with tax reform, regulatory reform or energy policies in the United States is that there are so many of these business people who shift their jobs overseas and they don’t worry about the economic climate in the United States. That’s the reason you don’t see a lot of businesses trying to produce taxation regulations and tort reform as much as you see the left trying to impose it. Because the left can’t go overseas. But business can just pick up and ship everything over there. It’s very frustrating. What’s the first thing the communist Chinese government told us we had to cut because of out debt? It was our military, while they put out their new aircraft carrier at the same time. We cannot lose the strategic technological superiority we have.
Christine: What happened to the patent reform bill, where does that stand?
McCotter: That’s over in the senate. I voted against it.
Tom: Why?
McCotter: To me it was a bill that was against the little guy. It allowed the big corporations to gain advantage over the little entrepreneurs. They passed it anyways. I hope I’m wrong on that.
Voting Record
Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act
In September of 2010 the House voted on the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act to address the Chinese manipulation of currency. The bill passed the house 348-79. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the Currency Manipulation for fair Trade Act.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the Currency Manipulation for fair Trade Act.
China - Human Rights Abuses
In July of 2008, the House voted on a resolution calling on the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to immediately end abuses of the human rights of its citizens, to cease repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens, and to end its support for the Government of Sudan and Burma to ensure that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games take place in an atmosphere of freedom. The amendment passed 419-1. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution.
Resolution - China and Tibet
In April of 2008, the House voted on a resolution calling on the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to end its crackdown in Tibet and to enter into a substantive dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to find a negotiated solution that respects the distinctive language, culture, religious identity, and fundamental freedom of all Tibetans. The amendment passed 413-1. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on China and Tibet.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on China and Tibet.
Resolution - Financial Services
Calling on the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to remove barriers to United States financial services firms doing business in China. The resolution passed 401-4. Thaddeus McCotter voted against the resolution to remove barriers to financial services.
Thaddeus McCotter voted against the resolution to remove barriers to financial services.
Resolution - Forced Labor Prisons
Calling on the international community to condemn the Laogai, the system of forced labor prison camps in the Peoples Republic of China, as a tool for suppression maintained by the Chinese Government. The resolution passed 413-1. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on forced labor prisons.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on forced labor prisons.
Resolution - EU and Chinese Embargo
In February of 2005, the House voted on a resolution expressing the strong concern of the House of Representatives that the European Union may end its embargo against the Peoples Republic of China. The resolution passed 411-3. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution.
Resolution - Intellectual Property
In July of 2004, the House voted on a resolution urging the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to improve its protection of intellectual property rights, and for other purposes. The resolution passed 416-3. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on intellectual property.
Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the resolution on intellectual property.
Resolution - Trade Agreements
To encourage the Peoples Republic of China to fulfill its commitments under international trade agreements, support the United States manufacturing sector, and establish monetary and financial market reforms. The resolution passed 411-1. Thaddeus McCotter cast a "No Vote"
Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation
Condemns the People's Republic of China (PRC) for producing unsafe products, disregarding the environment, and exploiting workers. Encourages: (1) U.S. merchants to suspend the importation and sales of goods from the PRC until reforms are made; and (2) U.S. parents to consider the "Made in China" label when purchasing toys due to potential high levels of toxic materials that may cause serious injury or death.Currency Harmonization Initiative through Neutralizing Action Act of 2005 - Cosponsor
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to analyze annually the exchange rate policies of the People's Republic of China, and to impose additional tariffs, if necessary, to equalize any currency manipulations.Communist Chinese Olympic Accountability Act - Prime Sponsor
Prohibits any federal government official or employee from attending the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, except for an individual who is a member of the U.S. Olympic Team or who is serving in a medical or security capacity on behalf of the Team.Commends the people of Taiwan for establishing a multi-party democracy that respects human rights. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the President should abandon the "One China Policy" in favor of a "One China, One Taiwan Policy" that recognizes Taiwan as a sovereign government; (2) the President should begin the process of resuming normal diplomatic relations with Taiwan; and (3) the President and other U.S. officials should support Taiwan's full participation in international organizations for which statehood is a membership requirement.Declares that Congress strongly condemns the continued violations of human rights by the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC), including regarding birth limitations and related forced abortions and sterilization. Urges the PRC government to cease these policies and urges the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to cease all its activities in the PRC and withdraw from that country. Affirms certain internationally recognized human rights, including the right of women to bear children unconstrained by government policies limiting the number of children they bear and the right of children not to be discriminated against by a government because they were born contrary to a government plan. Asks that the President and the Secretary of State raise these concerns with the PRC government, call upon the PRC government to cease immediately these policies, and continue to withhold funds from UNFPA due to UNFPA's continued involvement in supporting coercive abortion and sterilization, which violates the "Kemp-Kasten" provision of U.S. law.Prisoners of Conscience - Prime Sponsor
Condemns Communist China's discrimination, harassment, imprisonment, torture, and execution of its prisoners of conscience. Calls upon Communist China to release its prisoners of conscience. Urges the Administration to raise the issue of Communist China's prisoners of conscience in high-level diplomatic meetings with Communist Chinese officials.Chinese Currency Act of 2005 - Cosponsor
To clarify that exchange-rate manipulation by the People's Republic of China is actionable under the countervailing duty provisions and the product-specific safeguard mechanisms of the trade laws of the United States, and for other purposes.Chinese Currency Manipulation - Cosponsor
To authorize appropriate action if the negotiations with the People's Republic of China regarding China's undervalued currency and currency manipulation are not successful.Currency Rate Adjustment and Trade Enforcement Act - Cosponsor
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to analyze and report on the exchange rate policies of the People's Republic of China, and to require that measures consistent with the obligations of the United States under the World Trade Organization be taken to offset any disadvantage to United States producers resulting from China's exchange rate policies.East Asia Security Act of 2005 - Cosponsor
To authorize measures to deter arms transfers by foreign countries to the People's Republic of China.Unfair Chinese Automotive Tariff Equalization Act - Cosponsor
To prohibit the importation of motor vehicles of the People's Republic of China until the tariff rates that China imposes on motor vehicles of the United States are equal to the rates of duty applicable to motor vehicles of the People's Republic of China under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.China and Human Rights - Cosponsor
Urging the appropriate representative of the United States to the 61st session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to introduce a resolution calling upon the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its human rights violations in China, and for other purposes.China and Prison Camps - Cosponsor
Calling on the international community to condemn the Laogai, the system of forced labor prison camps in the People's Republic of China, as a tool for suppression maintained by the Chinese Government. Urging the European Council to continue to maintain its embargo on the sales of arms to the People's Republic of China.China and Arms Embargo - Cosponsor
Urging the European Union to maintain its arms embargo on the People's Republic of China.References
[1] Website: The Valley Patriot Article: An Interview with Presidential Candidate Thaddeus McCotter Author: CHRISTINE MORABITO & TOM DUGGAN Accessed on: 08/30/2011