[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 14, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3860-S3861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   THE NOMINATION OF DR. HENRY FOSTER

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I understand that the Senate Labor and 
Human Resources Committee has received all the necessary paperwork from 
the administration for Dr. Henry Foster's nomination for U.S. Surgeon 
General. I rise today to encourage the committee to move Dr. Foster's 
nomination expeditiously, and I look forward to his receiving a full 
and fair hearing.
  Unlike some of my colleagues, I am very excited about Dr. Foster's 
nomination. Dr. Foster is an ob/gyn. I appreciate, and want to stress, 
the importance and relevance of his practice area. For far too long, 
women's health concerns have been neglected by our Government.
  Women's health is critical to very family--every man, woman, and 
child--in this Nation. As a woman, and the mother of a son and a 
daughter, I find the selection of Dr. Foster reassuring. It is 
especially important at this time that President Clinton chose to 
nominate a physician who has dedicated his life to maternal and child 
health.
  Dr. Foster is one of the country's leading experts on preventing teen 
pregnancy and drug abuse, as well as reducing infant mortality.
  Dr. Foster is a very decent and dedicated physician who has been 
unfairly maligned. I hope my colleagues and the American public will 
hear the stories of some of the many people whose lives Dr. Foster has 
touched.
  I hope they get a more complete picture of Dr. Foster and the work he 
has done.
  For example, Dr. Foster worked tirelessly to help bring Christopher 
Hight into this world. Jeannette Hight and her husband Charles almost 
lost their baby twice during her pregnancy, but Dr. Foster helped nurse 
her through these crises.
  Earlier this year, Jeannette and Charles Hight wrote to Dr. Foster:

       Without you, there would not be a Christopher Hight. Your 
     talents and work have brought joy to our lives. You will be 
     proud to know that your extraordinary efforts resulted in us 
     having a son who is excelling at Rice University in 
     architecture. His teachers, who are nationally renown, have 
     told us that he has very special talents. No matter what 
     happens, we are with you. We will always remember your 
     special dedication, caring nature and skills.

  Cliff and Wilda Denton from Moses Lake in my home State of Washington 
wrote the following to Dr. Foster:

       I can say in all humility, without you we could have lost 
     our only daughter and first born grandson. Wilma was so very 
     ill and dehydrated. All I had to do was call you. You would 
     nourish her back to normal. This was thirty some years ago. 
     When you were a doctor in the Air Force at Larson Air Force 
     Base, her husband was away fighting a war.
       That's when we got acquainted with you. After the birth and 
     both were well and healthy, I wrote you a letter, thanking 
     you for all your good care. You told me I was the first 
     person (white that is) to ever give you a compliment. Greg is 
     now over thirty years old.
       We were so impressed when we visited you a few years ago 
     and found you had dedicated your entire life to humanity . . 
     . I feel confident you will be confirmed. . . .

  Mr. President, these are just a few examples for Dr. Foster's great 
work. He has delivered many thousands of babies, and he has saved 
hundreds of lives.
  Some of our colleagues would have the U.S. Senate exclude Dr. Foster 
from consideration because he has performed abortions. I disagree. 
Abortion should not be the determining factor in the selection of a 
Surgeon General. Abortion is a legal procedure, and every woman in this 
Nation has a constitutional right to choose whether and when to bear a 
child.
  Whether Dr. Foster has performed 1 abortion or 1,000 abortions, he 
should not be disqualified from consideration.
  I believe that the majority in this Nation will not allow an 
extremist minority to criminalize abortion through the Surgeon General 
nomination process. Furthermore, I believe the women in this Nation 
will not stand for perfunctory disqualification of candidates based on 
their practice areas, especially when the physician involved has 
dedicated his life to women's health.
  Mr. President, why is no one concerned about the exact number of 
babies Dr. Foster has delivered in the course of his practice? Why is 
no one inquiring into exactly how many lives he has saved?
  I am curious how many teenagers have benefited from his I Have A 
Future Program? I wonder how many unintended pregnancies he has 
prevented?
  How many young people has he empowered and inspired?
  Why is this man being attacked so viciously when he has dedicated his 
life to our well-being? Finally, how can a U.S. Senator vow to 
filibuster Dr. Foster's nomination before the doctor has even had a 
hearing?
  Mr. President, I had to speak on Dr. Foster's behalf today because I 
cannot stand by and watch his nomination be railroaded. Senator 
Kassebaum has promised Dr. Foster a hearing and I believe she is 
committed to following through. Luckily, not everyone is rushing to 
prejudge this nominee.
  Every day that goes by without a U.S. Surgeon General in place who 
can provide strong leadership for our Nation's future--is a day in 
which American lives can be changed.
  Mr. President, having a Surgeon General in place who can speak to 
women's health issues is imperative. I urge the committee to move 
quickly on Dr. Foster's nomination. And, I look forward to 
consideration of Dr. Foster's nomination by the full Senate.
  I yield the floor.
 [[Page S3861]] IN SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA--SENATE CONCURRENT 
                              RESOLUTION 9

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from 
Alaska, Senator Murkowski, in submitting a concurrent resolution 
expressing the sense of the Congress that President Lee Teng-Hui of the 
Republic of China on Taiwan [ROC] should be allowed a private visit to 
the United States.
  This concurrent resolution makes an important statement in the future 
direction of United States/Republic of China relations. The State 
Department's refusal last year to allow President Lee, a freely elected 
leader from a democratic nation, an overnight layover in Hawaii during 
his trip to Costa Rica, was very unfortunate. It is hoped that, with 
the passage of this legislation, the indiscretion that occurred last 
year will not be repeated. And, Mr. President, it is important to note 
that this bill expresses support for a private visit to the United 
States.
  Last May I had an opportunity to visit the Republic of China on 
Taiwan. It was a wonderful experience forging new friendships and 
strengthening the many ties between the Republic of China and my home 
State, Idaho. I was very much impressed by the public officials with 
whom I met and enjoyed the engaging conversations about the politics in 
the Republic of China and the recent elections.
  During my meeting with President Lee Teng-Hui, I learned of his 
genuine interest in seeing his country play a larger international 
role, which is a goal befitting Taiwan's economic power and place 
within the international community. President Lee urged all nations, 
especially the United States, to give their support to Taiwan's 
campaign to return to the United Nations. It is my hope that this goal 
will someday be realized. In addition, President Lee expressed a very 
sincere desire to travel privately to the United States. I shared with 
him an invitation extended by one of my constituents, who was concerned 
about the incident in Hawaii. In addition, I expressed my hope that he 
would be able to visit Idaho.
  Mr. President, Idaho and the Republic of China have enjoyed the 
mutual benefits of a long and close relationship. During my visit last 
year I had the pleasure of joining then Governor of Idaho Cecil Andrus 
and Governor James Soong of the Taiwan provincial government to 
celebrate the 10th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between 
Idaho and the Taiwan Province. Through this friendship my State has 
greatly benefited by expanding trade, cultural, and educational 
exchanges. Idaho exports to the Republic of China range from 
agricultural and wood products to electronics. In addition, the growth 
in trade has
 been enhanced by the placement of an Idaho trade office in the world 
trade center, in Taipei. Eddie Yen, the gentleman that operates the 
office for the Idaho Department of Commerce has been an asset to our 
State and has played an essential role in furthering the Expansion of 
Idaho's trade to Taiwan.

  The United States also benefits from a stable relationship with the 
Republic of China on Taiwan. After extensive internal review, there has 
been recent progress toward upgrading the relations between the United 
States and Taiwan, which was good news from the Clinton administration. 
The administration has agreed to help Taiwan enter certain 
international organizations, especially those that deal primarily with 
trade and commerce. I applaud and encourage that endeavor.
  The Clinton administration has also agreed to allow the Republic of 
China to change the name of its offices in the United States from the 
Coordination Council for North American Affairs, to the Taipei Economic 
and Cultural Representative Office. These modest improvements in 
relations between our two countries are certainly a step in the right 
direction. It is hoped that we will see this pattern of improvement 
continued.
  The concurrent resolution submitted by Senator Murkowski is yet 
another step in the right direction. Mr. President, I hope that 
remaining issues or obstacles can be resolved so that President Lee 
Teng-Hui can be allowed to visit the United States. It is my 
understanding that a number of my colleagues have extended invitations 
to President Lee and other leaders from Taipei, to visit Capitol Hill. 
I know for a fact that President Lee has much insight to share with us, 
especially on East Asian affairs, and, Mr. President, since the 
Republic of China on Taiwan is a tremendous example of economic 
prosperity and democratic freedom for developing nations around the 
world, we would undoubtedly benefit from the insights of a leader such 
as President Lee Teng-Hui, who has played a central role in the 
achievements of the Republic of China on Taiwan.

                          ____________________