HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 57
### (By Delegates Ridenour, Jennings, Mallow, Phillips, Martin, Jeffries, Hillenbrand, Ward, Flanigan, and Marple)
[February 20, 2025; Referredto the committee on 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, such as fentanyl; biological warfare agents, such as the PRC-engineered disease known as COVID-19 and other diseases; cyberattacks on governmental, military, and economic entities; influence operations using witting human assets and "useful idiots"; intelligence operations using human assets, drones, and other technical means; and numerous other stratagems; and
Whereas, The Legislature finds that the new federal government of the United States is working to counter this illegal war and the effects of Chinese Communist hostile actions against the people of West Virginia; and
Whereas, The Legislature finds that the government of West Virginia must work with the federal government and the several states to develop means to counter and mitigate this illegal Chinese Communist war and thereby protect the people of West Virginia from the effects of this war; and
Whereas, As part of the means to counter this illegal war, all public debt of entities in West Virginia held since October 1, 2019 by any entities affiliated with the PRC is herewith and forever forgiven; and therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature asserts that the PRC is conducting an illegal, asymmetric war against the people of the United States of America and West Virginia which necessitates the whole of government action by the government of West Virginia; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Governor take necessary and appropriate actions with executive branch agencies to implement this resolution; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Attorney General of the state of West Virginia 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 be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislature of West Virginia invites other states to join with West Virginia in taking similar actions to counter the illegal war by the PRC against the people of the United States; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor, State Treasurer, State Auditor, and Attorney General; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward copies of this resolution to the presiding officers of each of the legislative houses in the several states, inviting these other states to join West Virginia in identifying that the People's Republic of China is conducting an illegal, asymmetric war against the United States of America.