HOUSE CONCURRENT 63

(By Delegates Ridenour, Kirby, C. Pritt, Ward, Steele, Hillenbrand, Foster, Coop-Gonzalez, Adkins, Barnhart, Butler, Crouse, Dillon, Heckert, Horst, Kump, Longanacre, Mallow, Marple, Martin, Mazzocchi and Petitto)

[Introduced on January 31, 2024; Referred to the Committee the Judiciary then Rules.]

Requesting that the State of West Virginia acknowledge and identify that the People's Republic of China is conducting an illegal, asymmetric war against the United States of America and West Virginia.

Whereas, The Legislature finds that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is conducting an illegal war against the people of the United States and the State of West Virginia, using unconventional and asymmetric means, including chemical warfare agents, including fentanyl, biological warfare agents, including the PRC-engineered disease known as COVID-19, and other diseases, cyber-attacks on governmental, military, and industrial entities, and numerous other stratagems; and

Whereas, The Legislature finds that the current Federal Government of the United States is doing little to stop this illegal war and counter the effects of Chinese Communist hostile actions against the people of West Virginia; and

Whereas, The Legislature finds that it must protect the people of West Virginia from the effects of this war and prevent further attacks by countering and mitigating this illegal Chinese, Communist war; and

Whereas, As part of the means to counter this illegal war, PRC entities, or any entity affiliated with a PRC entity, including any citizen of the PRC, must divest their holdings in West Virginia within three months of the effective date of this legislation.  Any entity not divested will be seized by the State of West Virginia as partial restitution for this illegal war; and

Whereas, No PRC entities, or any entity affiliated with a PRC entity, including any citizen of the PRC, may hold any property in West Virginia; and

Whereas, All public debt from any entities in West Virginia held since the October 1, 2019, by any PRC entities, or any entity affiliated with a PRC entity, including any citizen of the PRC, is herewith and forever forgiven; and

Whereas, The Treasurer and Attorney General of the State of West Virginia will identify and take necessary and appropriate actions to identify PRC entities to facilitate recovery of any debts or property in the hands of those PRC entities; and

Whereas, The State of West Virginia invites other states to join in a compact with West Virginia in taking similar actions to counter the illegal war by the PRC against the people of the United States; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Legislature declares that the PRC is conducting an illegal, asymmetric war against the people of the United States of America and West Virginia which necessitates action on the part of the State Treasurer and Attorney General to prevent any agents or citizens of the PRC from owning property in West Virginia or enforcing any public debts owed to the PRC, its agents, or citizens, by the people of West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a certified copy of this resolution to the State Treasurer and Attorney General.