Bob Casey Skipped Vote to Ban Investing of Federal Funds in Chinese Companies That Make Weapons to 'Kill Americans' in Military

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), during the amendment process for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), skipped a crucial vote that would ban America’s federal retirement funds from investing in Chinese companies that make weapons “designed to kill Americans serving in the military.”

Right before the Senate adjourned for the August recess, the Senate passed its version of the NDAA, a bill designed to set the policy for America’s military. Although the Senate NDAA passed with strong bipartisan support, Casey was not present to help pass the legislation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 19, 2023. (FLORENCE LO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Notably, Casey was also not present to help pass an amendment proposed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), that would ban the federal retirement system, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), from investing “millions in Chinese companies that make weapons designed to kill Americans serving in the military.”

“I tried to end that today but 42 senators blocked it because we still have too many people who like to talk tough on China but never do anything about it,” Rubio added.

Our federal retirement system is investing millions in Chinese companies that make weapons designed to kill Americans serving in the military

I tried to end that today but 42 senators blocked it because we still have too many people who like to talk tough on China but never do…

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 28, 2023

Casey’s inability to vote for Rubio’s amendment follows when he served as the Pennsylvania state treasurer and oversaw investments worth over $31 million in 2006 from the state worker pensions into a Chinese government-backed firm, China Mobile Ltd., which has since been considered a national security threat.

The New York Post reported:

The holdings in China Mobile were overseen by Casey as the fund’s custodian as well as 10 other board members of the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System, including former Pennsylvania House members Nicholas J. Maiale, Michael F. Gerber, and Robert W. Godshall; and former Pennsylvania state senators Gibson E. Armstrong, Raphael J. Musto, and M. Joseph Rocks.

A spokeswoman for Casey’s office told the Post that the investment was made before Casey become state treasurer.

However, the spokeswoman did not respond to follow-up questions on if Casey had approved further investments in China Mobile in 2006.

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“After overseeing the investment of Pennsylvania worker pensions funds into CCP-backed companies as state treasurer, Bob Casey skipped a vote to oppose plans to do the same with millions of Americans’ hard-earned retirement savings,” Phillip Letsou, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), told Breitbart News in a comment. “Pennsylvania deserves a senator who will show up when it matters.”

Republican businessman David McCormick, who is considering a run to unseat Casey, unveiled his vision to “confront China” and preserve America’s status as a superpower in an interview on Breitbart News Saturday.

David McCormick speaks during a campaign stop in Lititz, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

McCormick published his book, Superpower in Peril: A Battle Plan to Save America, in March.

“The country is headed in the wrong direction economically, from a national security perspective, spiritually, and we’re in decline,” he explained to Breitbart News Saturday host Matthew Boyle. “And decline is a choice, and so is renewal, and it really depends on what we do, and so the book Superpower in Peril is about what we do. It essentially lays out a battle plan to educate our people to confront China and to secure America.”

Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

Update: Sen. Casey’s office told Breitbart News that he missed the votes because his mother was ill. He said in a statement at the time of the vote:

Mr. President, due to my mother’s sudden hospitalization late this afternoon for a serious illness, I need to leave Washington unexpectedly and immediately. As a result, I will miss the vote on final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, as well as any remaining amendment votes. I would like the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD to reflect that I support final passage of this legislation. When I return to Washington following the August work period, I will submit another statement to the RECORD detailing how I would have cast my vote on each of the amendment votes I was forced to miss.