[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 111 (Thursday, July 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8930-S8931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          EXTENDING MOST-FAVORED-NATION TREATMENT FOR CAMBODIA

  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar No. 398, H.R. 1642.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1642) to extend nondiscriminatory treatment 
     (most-favored-nation treatment) to the products of Cambodia, 
     and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Finance with an amendment 
to strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the 
following:

     SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) despite recent increases in acts of repression by the 
     Cambodian Government and growing government corruption that 
     has contributed to substantial environmental degradation, 
     Cambodia has made some progress towards democratic rule after 
     20 years of undemocratic regimes and civil war, and is 
     striving to rebuild its market economy;
       (2) extension of unconditional most-favored-nation 
     treatment would assist Cambodia in developing its economy 
     based on free market principles and becoming competitive in 
     the global marketplace;
       (3) establishing normal commercial relations on a 
     reciprocal basis with Cambodia will promote United States 
     exports to the rapidly growing Southeast Asian region and 
     expand opportunities for United States business and 
     investment in the Cambodian economy; and
       (4) expanding bilateral trade relations that includes a 
     commercial agreement may promote further progress by Cambodia 
     on human rights and democratic rule and assist Cambodia in 
     adopting regional and world trading rules and principles.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF NONDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT TO THE 
                   PRODUCTS OF CAMBODIA.

       (a) Harmonized Tariff Schedule Amendment.--General note 
     3(b) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
     is amended by striking ``Kampuchea''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     applies with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after the effective date of 
     a notice published in the Federal Register by the United 
     States Trade Representative that a trade agreement obligating 
     reciprocal most-favored-nation treatment between Cambodia and 
     the United States has entered into force.

     SEC. 3. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

       The President shall submit to the Congress, not later than 
     18 months after the date

[[Page S8931]]

     of the enactment of this Act, a report on the trade relations 
     between the United States and Cambodia pursuant to the trade 
     agreement described in section 2(b).
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am very pleased that the full Senate 
will soon approve H.R. 1642, a bill to grant MFN to Cambodia. I would 
like to thank the chairman of the Finance Committee for his help in 
seeing it through. He promised to do so last October and has been true 
to his word. My hope now is that the other body will quickly approve 
the minor alterations in the findings and send the bill to the 
President for his signature.
  Traditionally, we have only restricted trade with Communist 
countries, and since 1975, only select Communist countries which 
prevent the free emigration of their people. The only other countries 
with restricted access to the American market are proven international 
aggressors and terrorist nations such as Iran and Iraq. Cambodia is no 
longer Communist and it does not restrict the free emigration of its 
people. It is certainly not in the category of rogue nations. I think 
the committee and the Senate has acted appropriately not to impose 
restrictions on Cambodia more appropriate for other eras and other 
nations.
  Although it did not change the real substance of the bill, the 
committee did alter the findings. I would not have done so--not because 
I do not share Senator Roth's concerns or the other concerns raised in 
the findings already approved by the other body. I do share concerns 
about the development of Cambodian democracy, government corruption, an 
human rights abuses. I encouraged the committee not to amend the bill 
principally because I thought it should be sent to the President as 
quickly as possible.
  I should point out to my friends in Cambodia that they would do very 
well to heed the concerns expressed in the findings of this bill and in 
the accompanying report. They are the same concerns which led to the 
adoption in the other body of H. Res. 345. Those who pay close 
attention to Cambodia have been concerned about the direction of 
Cambodian politics. It is true that the Cambodian people have a freely 
elected government, freedom of speech and freedom of association. It is 
also true, however, that each of these democratic institutions has at 
one time or another come under attack from the coalition government.
  The Senate is today approving unconditional most-favored-nation 
status for Cambodia. It is only fair that it do so. But the Cambodia 
Government should be under no illusions. Granting MFN to Cambodia 
should not be interpreted as disinterest in the course of Cambodian 
democracy. The United States Senate is committed to helping democracy 
and human rights to flourish in Cambodia. Our efforts will not end with 
this vote.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee amendment be agreed to, the bill be deemed read a third time, 
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any 
statements relating to the bill be placed at the appropriate place in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 1642), as amended, was deemed read the third time and 
passed.

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