[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 257 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 257

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the responsibility of the 
  United States to ensure that the Panama Canal will remain open and 
                   secure to vessels of all nations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 10, 2000

  Mr. Craig (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, Mrs. Hutchison, and Mr. Crapo) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the responsibility of the 
  United States to ensure that the Panama Canal will remain open and 
                   secure to vessels of all nations.

Whereas the 1977 Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the 
        Panama Canal provides that Panama and the United States have the joint 
        responsibility to ensure that the Panama Canal will remain open and 
        secure, and provides that each signatory, in accordance with its 
        constitutional processes, shall defend the Canal against any threat to 
        its neutrality and shall have the right to act against threats against 
        the peaceful transit of vessels through the Canal;
Whereas the United States Armed Forces have depended upon the Panama Canal for 
        rapid transit in times of global conflict, including during World War 
        II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the 
        Persian Gulf War;
Whereas the common interests of Panama and the United States have produced close 
        relations between the two nations and a shared interest in protecting 
        the Canal and its operations;
Whereas the passage of Panama Law Number 5 and the port facilities lease 
        agreements have created concern about the future security of the Canal 
        and its continued unfettered operations;
Whereas Panama does not have an army, navy, or air force, and the national 
        police capabilities are inadequate to defend the Canal against terrorism 
        from internal or external sources;
Whereas occupation, damage, or destruction of this crucial naval choke point 
        would be catastrophic to the United States, its allies, and the world;
Whereas the Canal has influenced world trade patterns, spurred growth in 
        developed countries, and has been a primary impetus for economic 
        expansion in developing countries;
Whereas the Panama Canal remains a vital economic and strategic asset to the 
        United States, its allies, and the world; and
Whereas 53 percent of Canal traffic originates or ends at United States port 
        facilities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) any attack on or against the Panama Canal by any 
        country will be considered an act of war against the United 
        States;
            (2) the President should, prior to June 1, 2001, negotiate 
        security arrangements with the Government of Panama that will 
        protect the Canal and ensure that the Canal remains open, 
        secure, and neutral, consistent with the Panama Canal Treaty, 
        the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of 
        the Panama Canal, and the resolutions of ratification thereto; 
        and
            (3) the President should consult with the leadership of 
        both Houses of Congress and with the chairmen and ranking 
        members of the appropriate congressional committees regarding 
        the implementation of this resolution.
                                 <all>