[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 79 (Monday, June 7, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S6466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire:
  S.J. Res. 28. A joint resolution disapproving the extension of the 
waiver authority contained in section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 
with respect to Vietnam; to the Committee on Finance.


               disapproval on trade benefits for vietnam

  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise to introduce two 
resolutions concerning our trade relationships with the People's 
Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Last Thursday, 
June 3, 1999, the President of the United States formally recommended 
waivers of the application of the Trade Act of 1974 provisions with 
respect to China and Vietnam, thereby allowing U.S. taxdollars to 
subsidize business operations in these countries. In the case of China, 
the waiver also allows for continuation of most-favored-nation trade 
privileges, now known as normal trade relations. Mr. President, there's 
very little that is normal about our relationship with these communist 
countries. In short, I think the President's policy is seriously flawed 
and deeply troubling, especially in view of recent events.
  Mr. President, on November 26, 1974, in its report on the Trade Act, 
the Senate Committee on Finance stated: ``The Committee recognizes that 
segments of the private sector wish the U.S. Government to provide 
credits and investment guarantees, and other conditions before private 
capital investments are ventured. The Committee believes that it is 
equally reasonable to establish conditions on all basic human rights, 
including the right to emigrate, before extending broad concessions to 
communist countries.'' The resolutions I have introduced keep faith 
with the original Congressional intent of the Trade Act of 1974. One 
need only read the annual State Department Human Rights Reports on 
China and Vietnam to recognize that they have failed to meet any 
recognized standards with respect to human rights. Moreover, there are 
a myriad of other national security and foreign policy issues 
concerning our current relationship with Beijing and Hanoi--from 
wholesale espionage of our nuclear secrets to POW/MIA accounting--which 
warrant support for my resolutions. We should not be putting profit 
over principle. These waivers from the President should be overturned 
by the Congress, using the procedures provided for by law. Thank you, 
Mr. President.

                          ____________________