[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 101 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     UNITED STATES-INDIA RELATIONS

                                 ______


                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 1994

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last month, the internationally known 
publication India Abroad printed an article written by our colleague 
from New Jersey, [Mr. Menendez], in its Congressional Viewpoints 
section. Mr. Menendez' article offers a concise and balanced overview 
of the potential for a new and exciting era in relations between the 
world's two largest democracies, the United States and India. As 
Representative Menendez' article points out, the recent visit to 
Washington by Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao gave added momentum to 
the general warming trend in our bilateral relations. His article also 
makes the important point of urging American policymakers--including 
some Members of this body--to work in a more constructive manner in 
resolving the differences between our two nations.
  As founding members of the congressional caucus on India and Indian-
Americans, the gentleman from New Jersey and I are working to promote 
confidence-building measures that will elevate the Indo-United States 
partnership on economic, political, and security matters to a higher 
level. With the end of the cold war and the adoption of sweeping 
economic reforms by India, there is every reason for India to be one of 
our top foreign policy priorities. We are also committed to better 
representing the needs and interests of our Indian-American 
constituents, and encouraging their increased participation in the 
political arena.
  I hereby submit our colleague's words for the Record.

                      Rao's Visit Signals New Era

                  (By Representative Robert Menendez)

       The recent visit to the United States by India Prime 
     Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao will, hopefully, mark the 
     beginning of a new era in U.S.-Indian relations.
       Unfortunately, relations prior to the Prime Minister's 
     visit have not been entirely satisfactory. Comments and 
     actions by leaders in both nations have had the effect of 
     straining ties between the world's most populous democracy 
     and the world's oldest democracy.
       Rao's trip was the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister 
     to the United States in seven years. I was very impressed 
     with how well he dealt with all of the contentious issues 
     during his meetings in Washington. His meetings with 
     President Clinton and Vice President Gore went well and 
     helped to emphasize the positive aspects in the bilateral 
     relationships.
       The Prime Minister took the correct approach when he 
     stressed that we must set Cold War frictions aside and build 
     a new relationship based on a wide range of economic, 
     cultural and diplomatic interests.
       In particular, Prime Minister Rao took important steps to 
     expand trade between our two countries. He stressed that 
     India is a natural trading partner for the United States and 
     emphasized his desire to see continued growth in our economic 
     relations. Prime Minister Rao was given the rare honor of 
     addressing a joint session of the United States Congress so 
     that members from both the Senate and House of 
     Representatives were able to interact with him. As a member 
     of the ``India Caucus'' in the House, I was particularly 
     pleased by the warm reception accorded to him by the 
     Congress.
       The Prime Minister's address was most appropriate and set 
     the tone for even better relations in the future. As I 
     listened to his words and reflected upon the improving 
     relations with India that are likely to follow, I was 
     reminded that it was not that long ago that a number of my 
     colleagues, led by Representative Dan Burton (Republican of 
     California), had sought to cut aid to India.
       Many of the supporters of the Burton amendment boycotted 
     Rao's speech. I felt that it was inappropriate for these 
     members of Congress to refuse to come to listen to Rao's 
     speech. Even if they disagree with specific policies by the 
     Indian government, they should have shown the courtesy due to 
     a world leader of Rao's stature by attending this session. In 
     addition, they missed a singular opportunity to hear, first 
     hand, how the relationship will develop and grow.
       I had opposed the Burton amendment in the past and will do 
     so if it is offered again in the future. My opposition is 
     based upon my belief that this approach would establish an 
     entirely wrong precedent for U.S. relations with India. The 
     aid in question was intended to pay for such programs as 
     health care, childhood immunization against malaria and 
     cholera, and for AIDS education. In addition to selecting the 
     wrong target for cuts, I felt cutting aid to India is a 
     misguided attempt to isolate India at a critical time in its 
     political, economic, and cultural development.
       I certainly respect Burton's concern for human rights 
     issues throughout the world. However, I felt that this 
     approach to addressing these problems was not appropriate. 
     Drastically cutting U.S. assistance to India unless it 
     repeals five of its own domestic security laws will not help 
     the cause of human rights in India. In fact, I am convinced 
     that passing this amendment would only have strengthened the 
     hands of those extremist and fundamentalist groups within 
     India bent on tearing that secular democracy apart.
       When the Burton amendment was under consideration by the 
     House, I argued that by punishing and isolating India this 
     amendment will hinder India's efforts to arrive at solutions 
     to the difficult and complex problems in Kashmir and Punjab. 
     These two Indian states face civil insurgencies involving 
     terrorist acts that represent a fundamental challenge to 
     India's national sovereignty.
       Additionally, India has the world's sixth largest economy. 
     Only a strong democratic India will be able to secure the 
     recent reforms it has undertaken to open its economy, making 
     it one of the world's most promising markets for U.S. 
     products. Burton's amendments have only narrowly been 
     defeated. He is likely to reintroduce similar measures in the 
     future. Continued vigilance and political activism by the 
     Indian-American community and other friends of India will be 
     required to ensure that these types of amendments are never 
     enacted.
       Not all of the actions by the United States government of 
     interest to the Indian-American community involve foreign 
     policy or trade concerns.
       For example, I was a strong supporter of the Hate Crimes 
     Sentencing Enhancement Act. This act was modeled on a similar 
     New Jersey law which I helped to draft after a spate of 
     violent acts against Indian Americans in 1987.
       The act will increase federal sentencing guidelines, adding 
     an average one-third more prison time for felons convicted of 
     targeting their victims on the basis of race, religion, 
     nationality, gender or sexual orientation. While we can't 
     stop prejudice with a law, we can send a clear message from 
     society that bias crimes are particularly heinous and will be 
     punished accordingly.
       I am proud to be a founding member of the recently 
     established India Caucus, a network of House and Senate 
     Members who support strong ties with the Indian-American 
     community and between our nations. I am pleased that 
     participation by Indian Americans at all levels of government 
     is now at an all-time high. It is gratifying that three 
     Indian Americans are now serious candidates in Congressional 
     races and that other Indian Americans are becoming more 
     politically active throughout the country. In the past few 
     years the Indian-American community has certainly become more 
     involved in the American political process. However, the 
     community must continue to become even more active.
       As a strong supporter of good relations with India, I was 
     distressed at the relatively sparse attention given to Prime 
     Minister Rao's visit. Certainly the Indian press covered 
     every moment of the trip, but the general media should have 
     done a better job of informing the American people about this 
     most significant diplomatic visit.
       In sum, the American government takes many actions that 
     directly affect relations with India and the lives of Indian 
     Americans. Within the next few months, the Congress will 
     consider such issues of direct concern to Indian Americans. 
     The only way to affect how these decisions are reached is to 
     become involved. I applaud the efforts of Indian Abroad to 
     support this approach and encourage each member of the 
     Indian-American community to expand his or her potential 
     influence by becoming personally engaged in the political 
     process.
       (Representative Robert Menendez sits on the subcommittees 
     for International Operations and Western Hemisphere Affairs 
     of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.)

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