{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2024/7/wicker-risch-demand-the-biden-administration-present-deterrence-options-amid-china-s-aggression-against-the-philippines", "Wicker, Risch Demand the Biden Administration Present Deterrence Options Amid China\u2019s Aggression Against the Philippines", "2024-07-17", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "MS", "Roger F. Wicker", "W000437", "www.wicker.senate.gov", "wicker", "https://www.wicker.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 China is escalating against Philippine forces in the South China Sea.\n\nU.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the top Republican on the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have asked President Biden to immediately present response options.\n\nSpecifically, they have requested the president provide a full list of military, diplomatic, and economic options from the Department of Defense and Department of State to deter further Chinese aggression.\n\n\u201cWe must respond with visible and concrete demonstrations of our support,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cAnything short of this risks our appearing unwilling to honor our bilateral commitments.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces \u2013 including its Coast Guard in the South China Sea \u2013 would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cLimiting our response to verbal assurances of the applicability of Article IV undermines the credibility and value of these commitments. We must respond with visible and concrete demonstrations of our support.\u201d\n\nThe letter follows a similar effort from Wicker and Risch in October 2023, when the senators again urged support for the Sierra Madre and its mission in the South China Sea.\n\nRead the full letter here or below.\n\nThe Honorable Joseph R. Biden\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\n\nWashington, D.C. 20500\n\nDear President Biden,\n\nWe write to express our grave concern regarding the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s (PRC) escalation of the use of force and coercion against the Philippines in the South China Sea. Your administration must move quickly to support the Philippines in countering China\u2019s aggressive behavior.\n\nOn June 19, the Philippines attempted to resupply the BRP Sierra Madre, a Filipino vessel grounded on a reef near Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. According to the Philippine military, the PRC\u2019s Coast Guard used pickaxes and knives to puncture the Philippine vessels, confiscated the Philippines\u2019 equipment, and deployed tear gas to create chaos and confusion during the confrontation.\n\nYour administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces \u2013 including its Coast Guard in the South China Sea \u2013 would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Limiting our response to verbal assurances of the applicability of Article IV undermines the credibility and value of these commitments. We must respond with visible and concrete demonstrations of our support. Anything short of this risks our appearing unwilling to honor our bilateral commitments.\n\nWe request your administration provide us with a full list of military, diplomatic, and economic options developed by the Departments of State and Defense to support the Philippines and deter further escalation by the PRC.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2024/7/wicker-risch-demand-the-biden-administration-present-deterrence-options-amid-china-s-aggression-against-the-philippines"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1863019317388535, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}