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(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) is demanding reparations from China for putting the United States through the adverse health effects and financial fallout from coronavirus.
"I've heard from colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are ready to engage in the same fight that I've been fighting now for several months, to hold China accountable for their bad behavior," Banks told Fox News's Tucker Carlson Monday night.
We need to start by forcing China to pay the burden and the cost incurred on the United States of America due to the coronavirus. I think there are many ways that we could do that.
The president could force China to relieve a great amount of American debt. He could institute tariffs on China and designate the funds from that into a coronavirus victim relief fund to pay the cost incurred on Americans and American taxpayers due to the negligence on China's behalf that's led to the crisis in America today.
Carlson asked Banks if he thinks the Trump administration is willing to make such a demand of China:
"I hope so," Banks said:
“President Trump has shown enormous strength and effort so far in the trade deal. When we talk about future trade deals, there's an opportunity, an avenue and, I believe, an appetite to go after China to make them pay even further costs.
"So I hope that would be the case. But I have no doubt that President Trump will do everything that he can to hold China accountable for what they have caused on Americans today."
Banks said he also hopes the coronavirus will prompt Congress to move critical supply chains, including the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, back to the United States:
"I'm going to do my part," Banks said.
"One other thing we can do is stop the V.A. and the DOD -- two of the largest health care networks in America today -- from buying medical equipment from China. I mean, those are substantive, real ways that we can begin to disentangle ourselves from China's economy and hold them accountable.
“I'm going to do my part by authoring more legislation to do things just like that, but it's going to take a partnership between Congress and the Trump Administration to get there.
Tucker Carlson followed up: "It is shocking to me that the Department of Defense buys medical equipment from our chief global rival. That is just so reckless," he said.