January 25, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC: The undersigned chapters and members of the Democratic Socialists of America and other allied organizations and individuals strongly condemn Congress’s use of industrial policy and other elements of the proposed US Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) to counter China as part of a new Cold War fueled by US imperialist interests, which further destabilizes geopolitical relations and jeopardizes efforts toward greater global cooperation on issues affecting everyone worldwide.
We call on members of Congress to oppose this aggressive escalation and push back on the narratives that have fueled rising anti-Chinese sentiment in the US, marked by increased anti-Asian racism and violence. We oppose the USICA and other legislation that calls for increased military budgets, further militarization of the Asia Pacific region, and fosters anti-Chinese propaganda efforts, all based on nothing more than perceived threats to US geopolitical interests. Elected members of the US Congress have the duty to prioritize the needs and concerns of their working class constituents instead of those of arms manufacturers and defense contractors who have fueled decades of endless war at the expense of genuine global cooperation and common prosperity for working class people everywhere.
We believe that US industrial policy should not be built upon imperialist ambitions that serve only to drag the world into a new Cold War. We believe that working people in the US and elsewhere deserve policies that invest in public works programs, climate resilience, infrastructure, healthcare, and more. The US Innovation and Competition Act is not created for those purposes, instead it is overwhelmingly focused on preserving US global hegemony by fabricating narratives aimed at painting China as a threat and riling up global conflict in an effort to undermine an increasingly multipolar world. If enacted, the bill would ramp up interference in the sovereignty of nations throughout the world, establish an anti-Chinese federal bureaucracy, intensify the militarization of US global policies, and continue the legacy of US industrial policy being weaponized against socialist movements globally. This legislation will promote confrontation and conflict with China, escalate the potential for military conflict between nuclear powers, and hinder global cooperation needed to address critical issues like climate change.
For these reasons, we strongly condemn the USICA and urge members of Congress to oppose the bill and call for an end to US policies that threaten hundreds of millions of people in the Asia Pacific region and could spiral into worldwide conflict.
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WRITE TO CONGRESS: dsaic.org/write-congress-usica
PDF: DSA IC Open Letter to Congress
READ: Full DSA IC Statement on USICA
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Signed,
Democratic Socialists of America,
International Committee
Organizations:
Peace Action New York State
New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
Committee of Anti-Imperialists in Solidarity with Iran
Rockingham County Education Association
Earth Neighborhood Productions
360 Collective
Peace Action Manhattan
Individual signatories in personal capacity (400+):
Yanis Varoufakis – General Secretary, MeRA25, Greek Parliament
Abby Martin – Journalist, Empire Files
Nick Estes – Co-founder, The Red Nation
Aída Chávez – DC Correspondent, The Nation
Mike Prysner – Iraq War Veteran, Empire Files
Max Ajl – Researcher, Wageningen University
Pawel Wargan – Coordinator, Progressive International
Vijay Prashad – Director, Tricontinental
Gerry Condon – Former President, Veterans For Peace
Branko Marcetic – Journalist, Jacobin Magazine
Doug Henwood – Journalist, Behind the News
Matthew Hoh – Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy
Zhun Xu – Professor, City University of New York
Michael Wong – Activist, Veterans for Peace
Jerry Harris – National Secretary, Global Studies Association
Colleen Moore – Coordinator, Women Cross DMZ
Immanuel Ness – Professor, City University of New York
Gary Potter – Professor Emeritus, EKU
Anthony Gronowicz – Professor, City University of New York
Saurav Sarkar – Assistant Editor, Labor Notes
Danny Shaw – Professor, City University of New York
Hester Eisenstein – Professor, City University of New York, retired
Eugene E Ruyle – Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, CSULB
Jackie DiSalvo – Professor, Baruch College
Howard Pflanzer – Playwright
Jeannette Graulau – Professor, Lehman College
Colby Clark – Peace Corps China 2019-2020
Les Cunningham – TSEU Organizing Committee, retired
Marcia Newfield – Professor, City University of New York
B. Vazquez – Professor, Hunter College
Brian Mitchell – UAW International Representative, retired
Glenn Kissack – Teacher, Hunter College, retired
Laura Kaplan – PhD, Author
Stephen Leberstein – Professor, City University of New York, retired
Michael Novick – Chair 2022, KPFK LSB
Marnie Thompson – Co-founder, Fund for Democratic Communities
Joanne Robinson – Interim Treasurer, Peace Action New York State
Jeff Jacobs – Political Science PhD Candidate, Columbia University
Corinna Mullin – Professor, City University of New York
Maryann Roby – Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace
Ted Swedenburg – Professor, University of Arkansas
John L Hammond – Professor, City University of New York
Renate Bridenthal – Professor Emerita, City University of New York
Jose Dominguez – President, People’s Progressive Caucus of Miami-Dade
DSA Chapters (25)
New York City DSA
Metro DC DSA
Los Angeles DSA
Chicago DSA
Portland DSA
Las Vegas DSA
Seattle DSA
South Jersey DSA
Philadelphia DSA
San Francisco DSA
Orlando DSA
Mid-Hudson Valley DSA
Lower Hudson Valley DSA
North Texas DSA
Eugene DSA
Columbia DSA
Nassau County DSA
Madison Area DSA
Salt Lake DSA
Akron DSA
Charlottesville DSA
NW Arkansas DSA
Southwest Louisiana DSA
Georgetown University YDSA
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign YDSA
Individual signatories continued:
Ashik Siddique – DSA National Political Committee
Austin Gonzalez – DSA National Political Committee
Fern D. – Steering Committee, DSA Immigrant Rights Working Group
Marge – Steering Committee, DSA National Electoral Committee
Sepehr Makaremi – Secretariat, DSA IC
Lindsey Shaughnessy – Steering Committee, DSA IC
Carrington Morris – Steering Committee, DSA IC
Dylan Awalt-Conley – Anti-War Co-Chair, DSA IC
Ron J. – Asia/ Oceania Co-Chair, DSA IC
Anlin Wang – Asia/ Oceania Co-Chair, DSA IC
Michael Galant – Econ & Trade Co-Chair, DSA IC
Mirah Wood – Middle East & Africa Co-Chair, DSA IC
Tom Wojcik – Americas Co-Chair, DSA IC
Adam Rea – Steering Committee, Athens Area DSA
Andrew Basta – Steering Committee, Lower Hudson Valley DSA
Megan Romer – Co-Chair, Southwest Louisiana DSA
Grayson Lanza – Co-Chair, Orlando DSA
Michael C. – Co-Chair, South New Jersey DSA
Paul John Cook – Steering Committee, Las Vegas DSA
David L. Mandel – Co-Chair, Sacramento DSA International Committee
Christopher Luke – Organizing Committee, Central Brooklyn DSA
Lewis Kuhlman – Secretary, Coulee Region DSA
Alyssa Figueroa – Co-Chair, Akron DSA
Eden Ewing – Co-Chair San Marcos DSA
Christopher Ryan Pitts -Secretary, San Marcos DSA
Michael Schel – PhD
David Paul – Nurse, retired
Kirsten Weismantle – AICP
Rick Schoolcraft – Member, UAW
Mary Lester – member of GVCP
Margaret Matlin – Ph.D.
Arnold Matlin – M.D.
Paul Arenson – Tokyoprogressive.org
H-KILLA – Musical Artist
Karla Correa – Party for Socialism and Liberation
Allison Chang – Peninsula DSA
Chris Lowe – PhD, Portland DSA
Tim J. – Twin Cities DSA
Mike Y. – Las Vegas DSA
Minnie Wood – Las Vegas DSA
Savannah Kuang – San Francisco DSA
Sean Kirkpatrick – North Texas DSA
Colin Mahns – North Jersey DSA
Gerard Dalbon – DSA IC
Leigh Fullmer – Democratic Socialists of Salt Lake
Ian Fernander – Orlando DSA
Christian A. – DSA IC, Americas
Donald Rhodes – DSA IC, Anti-War
Daeha Ko – DSA IC, Asia/Oceania
Jack Calvin – DSA IC
Tyler Bohinc – Akron DSA
Michelle Chen – NYC DSA
Philip Locker – Seattle DSA
Derek Barthel – DSA IC, Americas
Robin C – YDSA FIU E-Board Member, Miami DSA
Margot Chernyak – DSA
Alice Stevens – DSA
Greg Ziegan – DSA
Robert Carpenter – DSA
Joseph Gumina – DSA
Keaghan Townsend – San Francisco DSA
Paul John Cook– Las Vegas DSA
Adam Schendel – Coulee DSA
Benny Harris – DSA
Cassidy P – Middle TN DSA
Jesse Brown – Central Indiana DSA
Mick Barcas – Western CT DSA
Heather Hillenbrand – Akron DSA
Cliff Connolly – NYC DSA
Noah Palm – Peoria DSA
Katy Slininger – Quiet Corner DSA
Yael-Sophia Spinoza – DSA
Neal – Akron DSA
Anders Lee – MDC-DSA
Abbey Felley
Adam K.
Adams Rackes
Aditi Varshneya
Aftyn Behn
Aggie Medige
Alex Nelson
Alex Richter
Alex Tewell
Alfonso L.
Alfred L.
Amanda Lorei
Amanda Reilly
Andre Cartier
Andrew Lin
Andrew Maglich
Andrew Martins
Andrew Morales
Angel Lizardo
Angela Clinton
Anh Nguyen
Anna Culbertson
Anna Neubauer
Anna Theodore
Arael Herrera
Art White
Athnie McMillan-Comeaux
Audrey Berlowitz
Ben Gifford
Ben Gilbert
Blake Iverson
Blanca E.
Bradley Rito
Brandon Hull
Brendan Becker
Brian Murphy
Brian Omar Acevedo
Brian S Meadows
Britte Marsh
Caleb Gregory Padgett
Cameron Clark
Cameron Paul Unwin
Casey Ryan Stefanski
Chanae Houska
Charles Coddington
Charlotte Bloebaum
Chase C.
Chenxi Wu
Chris Lombardi
Chris Moritz
Chris Steffen
Christoph Michel
Christopher Romano
Chuck Gondos
Cian Gipson
Cinzia Ballantyne
Claire Wang
Clancy Ratliff
Connor
Corey Bratton
Cory Watson
D. Goldsmith
Daniel Rueda
Darith Sorn
Dave Tavalin
David DeVries
David H. Richardson
David Makofsky
David Painter
David Sinclair
Declan P Kennon
Dee Knight
Desire E Gallo
Desmond
DeVante Jones
Diana Jones
Diana Whittemore
Donovan Santaella
Douglas Marler
Duncan Joly
Edward Goldman
Eileen Moran
Elaine Rose
Elizabeth Oram
Elizabeth P.
Emily von W Gilbert
Emmanuel Segura
Eric Gold
Eric Lee
Eric Michael Walker
Eric Morris
Eric Powell
ES
Ethan Milich
Ethan Rather
Eunha Jeong Wood
Evan Chan
Farzad Qmehr
Freddy Stokes
Gabriel Chandler
Gail S. Mott
Gary Anderson
George Honig
George Yang
Gianna Macri
Greg Chung
Hank Stone
Harsh Bajwa
Heidi Hickman
Helen S Corkin
Henry Vogt
Hollie Oakes-Miller
Holly J Adams
Ian Forgie
Iris Yau
Isaiah Cze
Ivan DN
Ivan Willig
Jack Lindsay
Jack M Valentine
Jackson Albert Mann
Jackson Diianni
Jacob B.
Jacqueline Braslow
James Elliott
James Hedgecock
James Renola
Jamilah Elder
Jason Cornelius
Jason Lowery
Jeff Barrois
Jeffrey C. Cooper
Jen Crowder
Jenny Boettiger
Jeremy Rich
Jessica Parral
Jessica Rivera
Jim Langford
Jim Langford
JJ
Joe Ponzillo
Joel Berger
Joel Thorson
John Dorsey
John McGrath
John Smith
Jonathan Lewis
Jordan Brown
Jordan Rasmussen
Jose Mariscal
Joseph Beaudreau
Joseph Meier
Josh Smith
Joshua Becker
Joshua J Brown
Joshua Robinson
Josip Puši
Joy Wang
Julia Buck
Julia Tache
Julian Jimenez
Justin Chen
Justin Jones
Kathleen Pearson
Katy Schmidt
Kelly Ng
Kelsey Spencer
Ken Coughlin
Kevin Lindemann
Kofi
Kristine Gallagher
Lance
Lauren Giniger
LeRoy Rodriguez
LeTania Severe
Lewis Kuhlman
Liam Allen-McGoran
Liam S.
Lisa Rung
Lizzie of Earth
Lois Lo
Loren Ziem
Luke Bowers
Luke M.
Madison Nichols
Malcolm Greer
Malcolm Greer
Maria S.
Mark D Gurarie
Mark M.
Mark Patterson
Mark Weimer
Mary Smith
Matthew Buxbaum
Matthew Cahn
Matthew Louie
Matthew S. Cable
Megan Berkobien
Michael Desmond
Michael Hastings
Miranda Brawner
Mitch Schiller
Miya T
Moises Delgado
Mr. Jason Constant
N. Morrow
Nancy Wang
Nathan Mann
Nicholas Ward
Nicholas Watkins
Nicholas Yuhasz
Nick Sayresmith
Nick Schilling
Nicolas Garcia
Nicolas Presutto
Noah Ross
Noah Ross
Noriko O’Shea
Orion Cruz
Parker McQueeney
PATRICK C AULD
Patrick J Russell
Patrick Janis
Paul Beach
Peter Clark
Peter Mitchell
Peter P.
Peter Rubin
Phil Josselyn
Phyllis
Quincy R. Lehr
R. Bruno
R. Chapman
Rachael Atchison
Rachel Schneider
Rachel Y
Rafat R Islam
Rahman Faridi
Raymond O.
Rick Banks
Robert Goetz
Robert J. Hallinan, III
Robert Kosuth
Robert Newell
Roberta Frye
Roman G.
Ronna Stedman
Roy Z
S.R.Coutts Phd
Samantha Rodriguez
Scott T. Johnson
Sela Lewis
Seth A Matson
Shawn Hogan
Sheen Kim
Skeen Mackie
Sondra Franceil
Stacy V Flinn
Stephan Peter
Suliama Elemam
Suzi Kaplan Olmsted
Talbot Thames
Tasha Gjesdahl
Taylor Guillot
Taylor Mulik
TC
Thomas Meisenhelder
Thomas Wensing
Thomas Wood
Tifrah Akhtar
Tommy Miles
Toni Ann Mills
Travis Ward
Trinity Tanner
Tyler B.
Tyler Stewart
Tyler Sylvester
Tyler Sylvester
Vick, Dane
Victor Foster
Victoria Mary McFadyen
Wathana Keth
Wathanee Keth
Wesley Chau
Wil Thieme
William E Toms
William Hillers
Xabier Etchepare
Yogita Goyal
Yuri Kavalerchik
Zachary Kopet
Zoey Bryant