[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EXPLANATION OF VOTE

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 5, 1998

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, yesterday during the debate on HR 856, 
the United States-Puerto Rico Political Status Act, I voted for the 
Miller-Burton substitute amendment to the Solomon amendment, which 
passed, but against the final version of the Solomon amendment (as 
amended by Miller-Burton).
  I voted for the Miller-Burton substitute because it was vastly 
preferable to the underlying Solomon proposal. However, because I did 
not feel that any special ``English only'' provisions were worth 
supporting in the end, I opposed the Solomon amendment as amended by 
Miller-Burton. ``English only'' provisions are, as a rule, divisive, 
discriminatory, and serve no useful purpose. They simply have no place 
in this bill or this debate.

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