As we have seen in the past by the actions of the State of California, The City of San Francisco and others, who have been willing to roll out the red-carpet for President Xi Jinping of China, a murderous dictator and adversary of the United States, I intend to re-introduce legislation (SB 1141 Last Session) to divest all Pennsylvania holdings associated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

My bill will provide for the gradual divestiture by the State Treasurer, the State Employees Retirement System (SERS), and the Public-School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) of investments in companies controlled by the CCP.

For far too long, Pennsylvania has invested hundreds of millions in government funds to a regime that continues to trample on human rights.

The atrocities are wide-ranging and include the suppression of basic freedoms. Under international law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the widespread and systematic persecution of the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities on religious, cultural, ethnic and gender grounds; constitutes crimes against humanity.  

According to the United Nations, it is estimated that 2 million Uyghurs Muslims are currently or have been held in large scale concentration camps for the purpose of torture and cultural genocide.  Reports from the lucky few who have escaped these camps are nothing short of horrendous. The CCP’s chief goal in Xinjiang has been the destruction of an entire group by wiping out their religion, language, and ethnic identity.

The CCP has also used force and aggression to methodically erode self-rule in Hong Kong, weaken democracy in Taiwan, and abuse basic human rights in Tibet.   

Additionally, most of the fentanyl that has killed tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians is manufactured in China. The CCP knows this and has refused to take measures to stop its production and export.

It is far past time to separate our state funds from companies controlled by the CCP.
Senators who co-sponsored this bill last session were ARGALL, DUSH, MILLER, PHILIPS-HILL and ROTHMAN.

This Legislation is also supported by State Treasurer Stacy Garrity who added this quote she wished to share:
 
 “Due to serious concerns about geopolitical risk involving China, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity directed the divestment of all of Treasury’s direct holdings in China in 2022.  The treasurer supports codifying her decision in state law across all Commonwealth funds.”


Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation. If you have any questions regarding this bill, please contact Don Beishl in my office at dbeishl@pasen.gov