WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement after President Joe Biden’s virtual meeting with Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, and following reports that the Biden administration will announce a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Scott is calling for the Department of Homeland Security to immediately report to the Committee how the Biden administration will protect American athletes.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Last night, President Biden had the chance to actually stand up to Beijing’s genocide and human rights abuses, but again, he has chosen appeasement and weakness over strength and resolve. Time and time again, Biden does the bare minimum when it comes to dealing with China and it’s absolutely unacceptable. He refused to confront General Secretary Xi about his military’s endless harassment of Taiwan, one of our most important partners in the Asia-Pacific. Now, reports are showing that the Biden administration is going to engage in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Games, distracting from the fact that Biden has spent months ignoring calls from me, human rights groups and others to demand that the International Olympic Committee to move the Games to a country that actually respects human rights. Biden’s weak choice for a diplomatic boycott also does NOTHING to ensure the safety of American athletes who will undoubtedly by targets for Communist China to surveil and steal data and personal information.

“As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I am calling on the Department of Homeland Security to explain to the Committee what they are doing to ensure athletes are protected while travelling to Beijing. Their safety and security cannot be put in jeopardy.”

In February, Senator Scott re-introduced the Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act to further reinforce the U.S.-Taiwan relationship and strengthen Taiwan’s ability to resist Communist China’s aggressive policies and military actions. This week, he announced that he will reintroduce this legislation as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Also in February, Senator Scott sent a letter to President Biden requesting a meeting to discuss the horrific human rights atrocities occurring across Communist China and the Senator’s continued calls for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select a new site for the 2022 Winter Olympics Games. In October, Senator Scott again sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to outline his plan to protect the safety and personal information of American athletes and team members from Communist China’s invasive surveillance, including data and DNA collection under the guise of COVID protocol. The Senator has been clear he does not support a boycott, which only hurts athletes, and that his focus is on moving the Games to a nation that respects human rights. President Biden has refused to respond to any of Senator Scott’s inquiries regarding the 2022 Olympic Games.