[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 71 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E935]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TENNESSEE SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 720

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2000

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a copy of Tennessee 
Senate Joint Resolution 720 which urges the U.S. Congress to vote 
against Permanent Normal Trade Relations. The Joint Resolution was 
introduced by the late Senator Pete Springer and Senator Roscoe Dixon.

                      SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 720

       A Resolution to urge Congress to vote against any proposal 
     to grant permanent normal trade relations status to the 
     People's Republic of China and to urge the President and 
     Congress to oppose China's membership in the World Trade 
     Organization.
       Whereas, the People's Republic of China has taken steps to 
     become a member of the World Trade Organization, a position 
     that would give China recognition and status as an equal, 
     legitimate partner with other countries in world trade; and
       Whereas, since 1992, China has entered into four bilateral 
     trade agreements with the United States in which China has 
     agreed to give U.S. businesses better access to its markets 
     and not to discriminate against U. S. products; and
       Whereas, China has violated the provisions of each of these 
     agreements including the 1992 Memoranda of Understanding on 
     Prison Labor and Market Access, the 1994 Bilateral Agreement 
     on Textiles, and the 1996 Bilateral Agreement on Intellectual 
     Property Rights; and
       Whereas, China's record on human rights is poor; those who 
     attempt to engage in legitimate political opposition are 
     often imprisoned or harassed, and those holding political 
     views that differ from those of the regime or profess 
     religious views are oppressed; and
       Whereas, China ignores the rights of its workers and 
     imprisons those who seek to improve labor conditions in the 
     country; and
       Whereas, China's enormous military establishment and its 
     injudicious use of threats and provocation make it a threat 
     in the eyes of its neighbors; and
       Whereas, advocates of China's membership in the World Trade 
     Organization promote the view that China's vast potential 
     market would be further opened to trade; the more likely 
     scenario is that China's exports of cheap textiles, pirated 
     technology and other products produced by grossly underpaid 
     labor wi11 flood our markets at the expense of American 
     wages, jobs and trade balance; and
       Whereas, the record of the People's Republic of China in 
     human rights and in failing to live up to trade agreements 
     should not be validated by supporting its admission into the 
     World Trade Organization; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the senate of the one hundred first general 
     assembly of the State of Tennessee, the House of 
     Representatives concurring, That the General Assembly 
     respectfully requests that Congress vote against any proposal 
     to grant permanent normal trade relations status to the The 
     People's Republic of China, which is a precursor to the 
     granting of World Trade Organization membership, and take all 
     other actions within their power to deny membership in the 
     World Trade Organization to the People's Republic of China. 
     Be it further
       Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
     transmitted to the Honorable William Jefferson Clinton, 
     President of the United States; to the President of the 
     Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 
     Congress of the United States; and to each member of the 
     Tennessee Congressional Delegation.

     

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