Executive Calendar
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Madam President, I rise in opposition to the nomination of William Burns to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Communist China is the biggest threat our Nation faces. General Secretary Xi will stop at nothing in his quest for world domination and has made clear that he seeks to push the United States out of the Indo- Pacific and weaken and intimidate his neighbors, including our allies. Communist China continues to threaten to take Taiwan by force.
Communist China is committing a genocide against the Uoghurs and stripping Hong kongers of their basic rights. China sees the United States as its global adversary and is taking the steps necessary to ``win'' the great power conflict of the 21st century. China is taking every opportunity it can around the world to gain influence and exert control.
I am concerned that some past statements and actions by Ambassador Burns indicate an inaccurate view of Communist China and the danger it poses to our Nation and to Americans. Any U.S. official who thinks that China can play a positive role in the world, particularly among developing states or as a contributor to peace and stability, is mistaken. Ambassador Burns has not shown that he understands the threat that Communist China represents.
I am also troubled that Ambassador Burns' view of Castro's Communist regime in Cuba is equally flawed. I cannot support anyone who backed the failed Obama-Biden appeasement policies, which did nothing to help the Cuban people and allowed Havana to extend its reach and expand its control, giving power to other ruthless dictatorships in Latin America.
My opposition to Ambassador Burns' nomination is grounded in our fundamentally different views. Ambassador Burns has not demonstrated that he understands the threats we face around the world and the causes of those threats. We need leaders who will be strong and stand up for American interests in the face of dangerous regimes like Cuba and China, regimes that are committed to harm the United States and our allies.
For all these reasons, Mr. President, I oppose Ambassador Burns' nomination and urge my colleagues to do the same.
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