[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 39 (Wednesday, April 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            INTRODUCTION OF THE VIETNAM CODE OF CONDUCT ACT

  (Mr. DORNAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DORNAN. Mr. Speaker, this is the 251st anniversary of the birth 
of Thomas Jefferson.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1943 President Roosevelt dedicated one of the world's 
most beautiful memorials across the pond from where we are now, and 
inside the ring below the marble canopy are the stirring words that 
ring through history: ``Eternal vigilance against every form of tyranny 
over the mind of man.''
  Mr. Speaker, that tyranny still exists in the Communist nation of 
Vietnam, and that is why I want to treat Vietnam the way we treated 
South Africa when the evil of apartheid was in full force, the way this 
House voted to treat China last year. I rise today to ask my colleagues 
to join me in a bill that, although lifting the embargo on Vietnam was 
a bad idea, that battle being behind us, it is time to look ahead with 
a similar set of principles, like the Sullivan principles that we 
applied to South Africa.
  Under my bill, Mr. Speaker, American nationals involved in business 
would be asked to, among other things, insist that those who served in 
the Vietnamese military government, as well as those who worked for, or 
assisted, the United States Government, are not discriminated against, 
and there are four other key points I do not have the time to go over, 
but I ask they be in the Record, Mr. Speaker, and I call this the 
Vietnam Code of Conduct Act for our United States businessmen to follow 
as they make, sometimes, 30 pieces of silver.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite my colleagues to join me in 
efforts to enlist American businesses in the fight for human rights in 
Vietnam.
  Lifting the trade embargo on Vietnam was a bad decision. Yet, that 
battle is now behind us. It is time to look ahead.
  Tomorrow I will be introducing legislation, the Vietnam Code of 
Conduct Act, that will establish a set of voluntary principles for 
Americans doing business in Vietnam. This idea had its genesis in the 
Sullivan principles that were applied by American companies doing 
business in South Africa during the darkest days of apartheid. And 
almost identical to a bill on China that passed in this Chamber last 
year. I am simply applying the same concept to Vietnam.
  Under my bill, American nationals involved in business projects will 
be asked to:
  Insist that those who served in the South Vietnamese military or 
government, as well as those who worked for or assisted the United 
States Government, are not discriminated against in hiring or any other 
terms of employment.
  Ensure that harassment of any kind or political indoctrination 
programs will not be tolerated on the premises.
  Prohibit any military or Communist cadre presence on the premises.
  Promote the free exchange of ideas and information.
  Help us, the United States Government, push for a full accounting of 
all American MIA's from the Vietnam conflict.
  To really effect change in Communist Vietnam will require the efforts 
of both our United States Government and our United States businesses.
  So I urge all my colleagues to join me as an original cosponsor of 
the Vietnam Code of Conduct Act.

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