Written by Will Hekman
An amendment to the funding of the State Department has been added to include a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The amendment was introduced by Republican Representative Michael Waltz of Florida and co-sponsored by Democrat Congressman Tom Malinowski of New Jersey.
The amendment stated that no money can be used for any U.S official or officer to attend the games. The United States has considered a boycott, diplomatic or full, due to the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China.
The amendment was introduced in the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. Waltz told ABC News, “It would have a significant impact on the United States sending an official delegation,when this administration and the last administration have both said officially and unofficially that there’s an ongoing genocide [in China], I can’t imagine that we would send a delegation at all.” Waltz has plans to introduce an amendment that would cancel contracts to any company with any U.S company that participated in the games.
Waltz’s amendment comes after a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter last week to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) demanding that the winter games be relocated or face a boycott from the United States. The letter was stated, “No Olympics should be held in a country whose government is committing genocide and crimes against humanity.” The letter was signed by Republican lawmakers Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Chris Smith and Democrat lawmakers Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Jim McGovern.
It is not just the treatment of Uyghur Muslims that is the reason for the boycott, but also the backlash of COVID-19 and China’s cover-up and lying about the severity and source of the virus.
