Indiana State Representative Mitch Gore (D-District 89) recently proposed an amendment to House Bill 1183, aiming to prohibit entities in Indiana from entering into sister-city agreements or any cooperative agreements with foreign adversaries or prohibited individuals.
This move came after U.S. Representative Jim Banks (R-District 3) called for Carmel to sever its sister-city relationship with Xiangyang, China.
Although Gore’s proposed amendment was unanimously passed by the Indiana House of Representatives, it did not make it into the final version of the bill sent to the Indiana Senate.
House Bill 1183, authored by Indiana State Representative Kendell Culp (R-Ind. District 16), focuses on restricting prohibited individuals from acquiring or leasing agricultural land, mineral rights, or water within the state.
Prohibited individuals include citizens of foreign adversaries such as China, Cuba, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, as well as business entities headquartered in or controlled by citizens of these countries.
Gore stated that he introduced the amendment in response to Banks’ call regarding Carmel’s sister-city agreement with Xiangyang, believing it presented an opportune moment to address the issue in the General Assembly.
Banks had urged Carmel to terminate its sister-city agreement with Xiangyang and to refrain from participating in trips organized by CCP-aligned groups.
In support of Banks’ stance, Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam emphasized the importance of prioritizing the safety and interests of Hoosiers.
“As part of our transition, all agreements and contracts put in place by the previous administration, including sister-city agreements, are currently under review,” Finkam stated. “In the meantime, we have no plans for any travel to China, and the CCP will have no influence over my administration or the city of Carmel.”
Banks commended Finkam’s answer and emphasized his conviction about the risks associated with forming a sister city relationship with a Chinese city.
As for the ethical issue that Banks raised, Gore stated he thought it was something he had been considering since taking office.
“It just doesn’t seem like the right move for Hoosier public officials to be canoodling with foreign adversaries,” Gore stated. “…It’s not just the sister city agreement. It’s what happens afterward, the trips and the exchanging of money and things like that.”
Gore said that lawmakers at the Indiana Statehouse invalidated his amendment on “purely technical grounds,” meaning that it had no reasonable connection to House Bill 1183.
Gore stated that, as this is a nonpartisan subject, he is not given up on passing legislation on it during this congressional session. Gore did, however, state that if necessary, he is willing to discuss it as stand-alone legislation the following year.
“I think Hoosiers all agree that, you know, elected officials are there to represent them and they shouldn’t be wined and dined by members of the Communist Chinese Party,” Gore stated. “It’s pretty straightforward. We expect our elected officials to be ethical and upstanding and we know that China tries to influence American government officials and we need to steer clear of it. So year, I do think it’s a nonpartisan issue.”
According to Banks, this is a federal matter that should be supported by both parties.
“We’re trying to draw attention to tactics like these that the that the Chinese Communist Party uses to further their goal of dominating America,” Banks stated. “They want to be the superpower and they want to rule America under their thumb and Sister City agreements are a part of their strategy to do that.”
