Mommsen

"They had to win because they know how difficult this group will be to get through," Mommsen told Sky Sports.

The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Norlin Mommsen, a Republican who represents a rural district in eastern Iowa.

That was followed on Thursday by the destroyer Wayne E. Meyer, challenging restrictions on passage through the Paracel Islands – which are occupied by China, Mommsen said.

Reann Mommsen confirmed the operation, saying it was conducted “to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law.”

Reann Mommsen, a spokeswoman for the Navy’s Seventh Fleet, confirmed the denial in an email and referred further questions to the Chinese government.