[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DEATH KNELL OF THE PANAMA CANAL?

  Mr. HELMS. Madam President, I commend to the attention of my 
colleagues a significant book entitled, ``Death Knell of the Panama 
Canal?'', by Capt. G. Russell Evans (USCG, Ret.).
  In this, his second book on the subject, Captain Evans sets forth the 
facts and his analysis of the skullduggery that led to the ill-
conceived 1977 Panama Canal Treaties.
  The Panama Canal Treaties were a foolish giveaway of a critical 
waterway built with U.S. taxpayers' dollars. I vigorously opposed the 
1977 treaties, and to this day I regret that the United States Senate 
approved them--by one vote.
  Madam President, the Panama Canal is essential to the continued 
economic and strategic health of the United States and many of our 
allies. In his introduction to the book, distinguished former Chairman 
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Thomas J. Moorer (USN, Ret.), 
writes that ``about 95% of our routine logistics support goes by sea.''
  These military vessels, like their commercial counterparts, rely on 
the Canal to move quickly between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 
Since the United States began to hand over the Canal and its operations 
to Panamanian authorities, the maintenance of the Canal has slipped 
noticeably. The Canal is showing the effects of the neglect, and is now 
in a shocking state of disrepair.
  This essential maritime passage, a vital connection for international 
trade, is falling apart, and I fear that the deterioration of Canal 
facilities will increase as the Clinton Administration, following in 
the misguided path of the 1977 treaties, continues to hand over the 
Canal to Panamanian authorities.
  In light of the Panama Canal's critical importance, the United States 
simply cannot afford to squander the opportunity to secure access to 
facilities in the Canal Zone for our military to carry out essential 
missions and defend the security of the Canal.
  It is clearly in the best interests of both the United States and 
Panama to maintain a U.S. military presence there. The people of Panama 
consistently show, through opinion polls, that they do not want the 
United States to abandon its military bases. Without a U.S. presence, 
the Canal will be left undefended, this cannot be allowed to happen.
  Today, many former Carter Administration officials who engineered the 
Panama Canal giveaway in 1977 are serving in the Clinton 
Administration. Nevertheless, I will continue to press the 
Administration to reach a new agreement with the government of Panama 
to secure a U.S. military presence in that vital area.
  On September 5, 1996, the Senate approved my legislation, Senate 
Concurrent Resolution 14, urging the President to do just that.
  As Admiral Moorer states succinctly, ``the clock is ticking,'' and I 
believe Senators will find Captain Evans' book an invaluable reference 
to understanding the importance of the Canal--and the risks we run 
should the Canal fall into the wrong hands--or into disrepair.

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