[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15791]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 15791]]

                       INTELLIGENCE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I thank the majority leader and the 
minority leader for trying to work out these complicated matters. There 
is, understandably, some interrelationship. I think it is well known 
that we are looking for a way to get a vote on the important issue of 
proliferation. It should not be considered to be a trade issue. It is 
an issue separate and apart. Many of us believe it is extremely timely 
because of the trade issue, and that while we need to extend our trade 
relationship with China, at the same time, we need to demonstrate to 
them and to the world that they must do something to improve their 
habits in terms of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Every 
day, we see in some media outlet a further indication that the Chinese 
are intent upon continuing their proliferation habits, as long as we 
support Taiwan and as long as we perceive a national defense system.
  I hope the objection is not based upon the desire by the Democratic 
leader to prevent a vote from happening on the issue of China's 
proliferation. Just as the majority leader and the Democratic leader 
have been working together, so have the staffs been working together 
across the aisle to try to bridge some of the differences on this bill. 
We have made changes to the bill to accommodate some of the concerns. 
This bill will not affect agriculture; this bill will not affect 
business, except in those narrow circumstances when a business may be 
dealing directly with a known and determined foreign proliferator. At 
that point, it is not too high a price to ask our American businesses 
not to deal with those kinds of companies. That is what this is about.
  So now that the majority leader has set a date for a vote on PNTR, I 
certainly hope we will be able to rapidly reach a date prior to that 
when we can vote on the important issue of proliferation of weapons of 
mass destruction. Although trade, being as important as it is, it pales 
in comparison with the national security of this Nation.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.

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