In remarks on the House floor last week, Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) spoke about an amendment on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
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00:00Amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Georgia those in favor say aye
00:05Those opposed say no
00:07In the opinion of the chair the noes have it the amendment is not agreed to for what purpose does the gentlewoman from Georgia?
00:13Seek right I asked for a recorded vote
00:17Recorded vote has been requested but pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18 further
00:21Proceedings on the amendment by the gentlewoman from Georgia will be postponed
00:24It
00:29Is now in order to consider amendment number 21 printed in part B of House report 118 5 5 9
00:35For what purpose is the gentlewoman from Wyoming seek recognition? Mr. Chairman? I have an amendment at the desk
00:41The clerk will designate the amendment amendment number 21 printed in part B of House report number 118 5 59
00:48offered by Miss Hageman of Wyoming
00:50Pursuant to House Resolution
00:521316 the gentlewoman from Wyoming miss Eggman and a member opposed each will control five minutes
00:57The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Wyoming
01:02In favor of my amendment 21 to HR
01:068771 which blocks funds for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO
01:12the FAO exists within the UN system as a specialized agency as it has
01:18194 member states and has a mission to improve food quality and combat hunger in over
01:23130 countries this sounds like a good cause so why my amendment
01:28Simply FAO is the current target of the Chinese Communist Party influence strategy within the multilateral system
01:36facilitated by FAO director general q2
01:39Don't you a Chinese citizen and former vice minister of agricultural and rural affairs of the CCP?
01:47It is no secret that the CCP is waging a multilateral influence operation
01:52With the intent to undermine the u.s. As a world power while reorienting the global system in its favor
01:58Seeking to advance this cause by gaining legitimacy inside the UN the CCP is targeting elections for leadership
02:06Positions within these specialized agencies then seeking to shift its policies in the CCP's favor
02:12Over the course of the last 12 years China has run the World Health Organization
02:16UN Industrial Development Organization
02:19International Civil and Aviation Organization
02:22International Telecommunications Union and now the FAO in
02:272020 China nearly succeeded in its bid to lead the World Intellectual Property Organization and all of these
02:33Organizations coordinate in major sectors crucial for development of modern in modern life
02:38And yet I am concerned that the State Department is not taking these threats seriously and only engages with countering Chinese
02:45ascensions to these leadership
02:48Leadership positions when elections get down to the wire or if there is media scrutiny
02:53It is time to step up and counter CCP influence
02:56This starts by engaging with agencies to prevent CCP control
03:00The u.s. Contributes 22% of the FAO's regular budget compared to Chinese 12%
03:06If we are going to foot the bill at international organizations, we should not do so at the expense of promoting the CCP
03:13I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and with that I reserve
03:17Gentleman from Wyoming Reserves. What purpose is the gentlewoman from California seek recognition? Mr. Chairman?
03:22I claim time in opposition to this amendment
03:25Gentleman from California is recognized for five minutes
03:27I rise in opposition to this amendment which would prohibit funding to the Food and Agriculture
03:34Organization because the agency head is a citizen of the People's Republic of China
03:40The FAO Deputy Director General is a US citizen and there are numerous Americans in high-level
03:47positions across FAO all
03:50elevating United States priorities and interests
03:53Americans have always held one of these three Deputy Director General positions
03:59735 million people face hunger worldwide
04:03United States support to the FAO in 2022 provided assistance to 30 million people in places like
04:11Ukraine
04:12Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Afghanistan to address food insecurity famine and drought
04:19FAO is also aggressively pursuing partnerships with American private sector companies working with Google on
04:26Monitoring natural resources, Mars Inc. on
04:31Antimicrobial resistance mitigation and other on
04:36agribusiness
04:37FAO collaborates with the United States land-grant universities on agricultural technology
04:43programs such as with Penn State on their desert locust early warning system and
04:49Mississippi State University on a reference center for
04:53antimicrobial resistance and
04:56aquaculture
04:57biosecurity
04:58This amendment is another example of approaching the world as black and white. The FAO Director General was re-elected last
05:06summer
05:08unopposed by the FAO
05:10membership. The United States pulling out from an organization that we have an interest in only is
05:16detrimental to us. Our ability to improve improve the operations of
05:21multilateral institutions and make sure their stances reflect our values hinges on the United States being an active
05:29participating member of the organization
05:32While I agree that reform should be considered regarding appointments at the UN
05:36This is not the way to go about such a change
05:39This amendment would reduce US engagement in a United Nations agency based on where a leader is from
05:47We need to pay our dues
05:49Contribute to UN agencies and be an active participant
05:52You don't have a say in what happens at the table if you're not at the table
05:57I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and I reserve the balance of my time
06:01The gentleman from California Reserves the gentleman from Wyoming is recognized. I yield 30 seconds to the chairman
06:08Gentleman is recognized. Thank you
06:10I want to thank my colleague for bringing this important amendment to the floor. Look the CCP's influence at the FAO. It's real
06:17It's dramatic and it's real and she mentioned
06:20In her state opening statement, and I think she made a great job explaining it
06:25So look, hey, if there's a change in leadership in that organization, maybe we can start supporting this organization
06:30But there have to be consequences and I'm grateful for my colleague for bringing this important amendment. I strongly support it
06:37I yield back
06:38Thank you, and I reserve a gentleman from Wyoming Reserves gentlewoman from California is recognized. Mr
06:45Chairman, how can we counter CCP influence if we pull out of these organizations?
06:50We also agree that the United States should be more serious about leadership
06:55But yeah, we have to be there to do it. I
07:00Urge a no vote on this amendment and I yield back the balance of my time
07:03Gentleman one from California leads back gentlewoman from Wyoming is recognized for my colleagues who may share my concern about CCP influence
07:11But are concerned about not supporting the FAO mission
07:15I would also note the director Don used and tenure has been marked with criticism
07:20including from UN officials for mismanaging the agency and failing to properly respond to global food shortages a
07:26December 22 Politico article interviewing more than a dozen UN officials and diplomats highlighted these concerns
07:33These officials criticized the top-down
07:36Authoritarian management of the FAO saying quote. It's not him. It's China and quote and quote
07:43I'm not convinced. He would make a single decision without first checking in with the capital and quote referring to China
07:49It is a matter of fact that the invasion of Ukraine a major food exporter further contributed to food shortages
07:56especially for Ukraine's trading partners
07:59UN officials criticized the FAO's for refusing to realize this reality even though it falls directly within its
08:06Jurisdiction the concern got so bad that the US and EU officials had to force an emergency meeting of the FAO
08:13Council under his watch the priorities of the collective FAO have been sidelined for the director-general's
08:20Priorities which the West has warned are similar to China's global development initiative
08:25I would also note that according to the base text of this bill
08:28There is precedent for such a policy as section
08:327048 restricts funds for a specialized agency chaired or presided over by a country which supports international terrorism
08:40I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and with that I yield back
08:44Joan yields back all time for debate having expired
08:47The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Wyoming those in favor. So so signify by saying aye
08:54Those opposed say no
08:57In the opinion of the chair the ayes have it the amendment is agreed to mr. Chairman
09:01I ask for a recorded vote pursuant to clause 6 of rule 18 recorded vote has been requested, but