Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman, appeared recently with Tucker Carlson to explain his new legislation, aimed at blocking Red China from grabbing any of the coronavirus funding from the Congress aimed at propping up the American economy during the shutdown.
Called the “No Chinese Handouts In National Assistance Act,” or “No CHINA Act” for short, the bill’s aim is simple enough:
To restrict the use of funds made available in appropriations Acts for fiscal year 2020 for the benefit of any United States or foreign person subject to the control of the People’s Republic of China.
It’s good news that the China threat is becoming more widely understood in Washington. Too bad it took a worldwide pandemic to get the message across.
TUCKER CARLSON: Chinese business has penetrated big parts of the US economy; they control much of it, and many American companies now have Chinese ownership. Congressman Matt Gaetz represents Florida. He’s worried that a bailout will wind up enriching the Chinese and helping the Chinese government.
He joins us tonight. Congressman, tell us what your concern is and how you plan to address it.
CONGRESSMAN MATT GAETZ: Radisson hotels, AMC movie theaters, even the Waldorf Astoria New York are controlled by China in essence, and I think we ought to restore every American worker and American small business before borrowing money from China so that we can then give it to China to then pay China back with interest after the Chinese virus.
That seems like a foolish thing that a great nation would never do. I’ve introduced legislation to block bailouts to corporations that are controlled by China. It’s so obvious I can’t even believe it’s not the law already.
CARLSON: They unleash a pandemic on the world. We wind up sending them tax dollars — why would that be a controversial thing to propose?
GAETZ: China has a lot of influence, and the companies that seek Chinese investment also have that influence, but this is a time that we can actually put America first — the needs of our people and our businesses.
This should be the easiest time in the world to ensure that we are making reinvestment in the American economy and that we are not the world’s fools by borrowing money from a country in the bond market, recycling it back to them and then charging the next generation of Americans interest on that money. We cannot do that. Congress should include my No China Act in the ultimate relief package.
CARLSON: It seems very obvious. One quick thing before you go according to Bloomberg reporter Steven Dennis, there’s a major roadblock to finishing the Senate’s coronavirus bill. Democrats want Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics to get bailout dollars; obviously they already received Medicaid funding they’re not at risk of going over going under. Is this real for one thing?
GAETZ: There’s a never-ending list of these virtue-signaling items that the left is trying to tuck into this bill. Jim Clyburn who is a leader in the Democratic House said we ought to use the coronavirus as an opportunity to see through our vision for the country. Can we just for a moment take a pause in trying to socially engineer America and actually get resources in the hands of desperate Americans who are worried about how to buy food and clothing for their children?
CARLSON: Last question, 15 seconds — Senator Richard Burr hid what he knew about coronavirus in the country, lied about it and saved his own portfolio instead. Is he gonna stay in the Senate, do you think?
GAETZ: Richard Burr is a disgrace. He should be removed as the intelligence chairman immediately as a result of this conduct, and as Republicans in the Trump era we have an obligation to say that we do not want corrupt acts to be associated with our tribe, and Republicans need to start stepping up and speaking out because what Richard Burr did in the Senate stock sell-off is not something that we want our brand associated with.
CARLSON: God bless you for saying that. I wish more people had the clarity and the bravery to say that. Matt Gaetz, great to see tonight.
