House Select Committee on China Leaders Condemn Rep. Gooden’s Offensive Comments Questioning Rep. Chu’s Loyalty to the United States

On Sunday, the leaders of the newly formed House Select Committee on China defended Democratic Rep. Judy Chu after Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas questioned her loyalty to the United States due to her Chinese heritage.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking Democrat on the panel, said Gooden’s comments were offensive and unacceptable. “One of my colleagues, unfortunately, attacked Judy Chu, the first Chinese American congresswoman in the United States Congress, saying that somehow she’s not loyal to the United States. I find that offensive as an Asian American myself,” Krishnamoorthi said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the China panel who appeared with Krishnamoorthi on the show, similarly called out Gooden’s comments. “I think it’s abhorrent to question someone’s loyalty to the United States based on their ethnicity or their race,” he said.

Gooden has yet to respond to the criticism, but his comments have been widely condemned by both Republicans and Democrats. The House Select Committee on China was formed in May to investigate the Chinese government’s human rights abuses and its influence on the U.S. economy.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that make up the United States. As Rep. Krishnamoorthi said, “We should be celebrating the diversity of our country, not questioning people’s loyalty based on their ethnicity or race.”