China's VP Visit Becomes Campaign Issue - Will Romney Ask GOP To Allow China Bill Vote?

As China's Vice President Xi Jinping visits the US Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney blasts President Obama for not being tough enough on China. Meanwhile Romney says nothing about House Republicans keeping the China Currency Bill from being brought to the floor for a vote. That includes 61 Republicans who co-sponsored the bill. So if Romney is serious, there is something he can do without waiting for the election: tell House Republicans to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Reuters: Romney, Obama campaign spar over US-China policy [1],

Mitt Romney lashed out at Beijing and President Barack Obama's China policy on Thursday, criticizing the president for going in "precisely the wrong direction" and calling meetings this week with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping "empty pomp.

... Romney's comments come as China's vice president and presumed future leader visits the United States to build ties and urge greater cooperation between the two countries. Obama and other administration officials have pressed Xi to improve China's human rights record and play by the rules of the world economy.

... "Today's tough talk on China stands in stark opposition to his position two years ago, when Romney called the president's decision to enforce trade laws against China 'bad for the nation and our workers,'" said campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt, quoting from Romney's book, "No Apology."

The House Bill

As Romney says on the campaign trail, China manipulates its currency so things made in China have a price advantage of as much as 30-40% in world markets even before China's other trade cheating comes into play. This means that our jobs, factories, industries and economy lose. There is a bill in Congress to take action to stop this currency manipulation. For more background, see: China Currency Fight In Congress [2].

The bill is stalled in the House. Speaker Boehner refuses to let it come to the floor for a vote, and even though the bill has 61 Republican co-sponsors no Republicans have signed the "discharge petition" to force a vote.

From Will The U.S. House Side With China On Currency? [3],

The bill can be forced onto the House floor using a "discharge petition." You can take action to help get Republicans to sign the discharge petition so it comes to the floor. Click here to contact members of Congress [4] and ask them to sign this discharge petition and end Chinese currency manipulation now.

Tell Congress to stop China's cheating on currency manipulation, which stands in the way of free and fair trade, job creation, and a higher standard of living for millions of Americans.

Click here to see the actual discharge petition. [5]

From These Are The House Republicans Blocking The Crackdown On China Currency Manipulation. Call Them. [6],

One very big thing we can do about this right now is to confront China over their currency manipulation and the Senate passed a bill to do just that. The House leadership, under the control of lobbyists siding with China, refuses to allow the bill to come up for a vote. You can contact co-sponsors of the bill and ask them to sign a "discharge petition" that will make that vote happen.

... There are 61 Republican members of the House of Representatives who co-sponsored legislation to confront China over their currency manipulation: Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act (HR639). Contact them [4] and ask them to sign the "discharge petition." They are: (click through to see [6]...)

From 61 House Republicans Co-Sponsored China Currency Bill, Now Side With China [7],

61 House Republicans ... had co-sponsored the China currency bill, but who now side with China by refusing to help force a vote on the bill. The bill has passed the Senate and Republican leaders are refusing to allow a vote in the House. This bill means jobs. This bill means confronting China over their trade cheating. Call these members of Congress and demand that they side with American workers instead of China.

[. . .] The Club For Growth, a Wall Street front-group that backs China's positions on these issues, has demanded that Republicans side with China on this, and has called it a "litmus test." One Republican who actually did sign the discharge petition to force the House to vote, Harold Rogers, was forced by House leadership to remove his name!

Does Romney Want To Do Something Or Not?

Romney says he supports cracking down on China's currency manipulation. Does he mean it, or is he just saying it to get votes, only to go back on it later?

There is a way for Romney to demonstrate that he means it. He can demand that Speaker Boehner bring the China Currency bill to the floor for a vote, and demand that Republicans in the House sign the discharge petition to force a vote, if Boehner refuses.

Will he?

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