[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL OF MFN STATUS FOR CHINA

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, for 15 years now, we have 
given MFN status to the Chinese. And rather than getting better, the 
situation is worsening: we now have a $30 billion trade imbalance, 
human rights abuses are on the rise, Chinese companies continue to 
steal America's intellectual property, military spending is increasing, 
and anti-American sentiment is rising throughout China.
  Not only do we tolerate such behavior from China, but by granting MFN 
status--by voting against this resolution--we actually condone the 
behavior of the Chinese. We tell them to continue the systematic 
killing of their children and the state-sponsored abortions; we tell 
them that America condones communism, hostility, and oppression; we 
support and fund their Army through our trade imbalance; and we ignore 
the theft of millions of American dollars in intellectual property. We 
standby and we do nothing, and our apathy is just as bad as our 
involvement; it is, in simple terms, the American seal of approval.
  My colleagues, we have the opportunity today to send a message to the 
world that America will not support a rogue nation, that we will not 
condone terrorism, oppression, and intolerance. Today, we have the 
opportunity to affect a change in China's policies, and to tell the 
rest of the world: America allies itself with only those nations who 
advance and encourage fairness, the nations who foster democracy, and 
those nations who embrace freedom.
  My colleagues, I urge you to do the right thing: Vote for the 
resolution of disapproval; vote against MFN for China.

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