House approves resolution condemning China for spy balloon in unanimous vote

February 11, 2023

In a unanimous vote, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution to condemn China for flying a spy balloon into U.S. air space more than two weeks ago.

H. Res. 104 condemned "the Chinese Communist Party’s use of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over United States territory” and labeled the situation “a brazen violation of United States sovereignty.”

Republicans in the House were underwhelmed by the Biden administration's handling of the balloon, which was allowed to fly all the way across the country and only shot down more than a week later over the Atlantic Ocean.

"We need to project power and force and strength against the Chinese Communist Party.” Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) said in sponsoring the bill.

"Our adversaries must believe that any future incursion into American airspace by a spy balloon or any other vehicle will be met with decisive force," he added.

A new report says that the balloon had antennas that could collect communications and was not consistent with being a weather balloon.