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WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) was named to the House Republicans’ China Task Force, a committee of 15 Republican lawmakers representing 14 committees of jurisdiction to coordinate policy on China.

“Coronavirus has been a wake-up call to America that the Chinese government is not our friend – in fact, it’s actually the most threatening adversary America has ever faced,” Waltz said. “In Congress, it’s important we craft policy to put America’s interests first and curb China’s growing power.”

“Michael is an excellent fit for this important task force,” said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who appointed Waltz to the task force. “Though new to Congress, he has already spent over 20 years serving his country as an Army officer, including multiple combat tours overseas in the elite Green Berets. As a warrior and a policymaker, he understands that our present challenge goes well beyond defeating a single pandemic and that there is no substitute for victory. I know he will act as a ‘force multiplier’ for the task force and play a vital role in the success of its crucial mission.”

House Republicans will use the task force as a clearinghouse for ideas on China policy, including the Chinese Communist Party’s influence activity, supply chain dominance and infiltration and intellectual property theft at American universities.

Waltz has introduced several pieces of legislation on China, including a bill to bring the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain production back to America, legislation to ban U.S. federal retirement funds from funding China’s military and a bill cracking down on Chinese infiltration into U.S. colleges and universities.

Members on the task force will set priorities and pool information. Meetings and briefings will be held to coordinate approaches and devise tactics to successfully get bills signed into law.

“China’s Communist ideology is a threat to our God-given American freedoms,” said Waltz. “For the future of our national security and our way of life, we have to be smart and we must act now to protect them.”