[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16712]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                                  PNTR

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I am very glad the Senate has voted to 
invoke cloture and will finally get to the bill granting China 
permanent normal trade relations status. That bill will come up in 
September. That legislation has the strong support of at least three-
quarters of the Members of this body, and it is deeply in our national 
interests. We should have rapidly disposed of it months ago. But later 
is better than never. I hope very much when we bring it up in September 
that we have a very large vote--at least three-quarters, as I earlier 
stated.
  When we make that vote, it will be a profound choice. The question 
will be, Do we bring China into the orbit of the global trading 
community with its rule of law? Or do we choose to isolate and contain 
China, creating a 21st century version of a cold war in Asia?
  China is not our enemy. China is not our friend. The issue for us is 
how to engage China, and this means engagement with no illusions--
engagement with a purpose. How do we steer China's energies into 
productive, peaceful, and stable relationships within the region and 
globally? For just as we isolate China at our peril, we engage them to 
our advantage.
  The incorporation of China into the WTO--and that includes granting 
them PNTR--is a national imperative for the United States of America.
  I might add that when the debate comes up on PNTR in September, 
various Senators will offer amendments, as is their right, to that 
legislation. I think it is essential that we maintain the integrity of 
the House-passed bill. Many of those amendments that will be coming are 
very worthy amendments, and in another context they should pass. I 
would vote for them. But to maintain the integrity of the House-passed 
bill, I will strongly urge my colleagues to vote against amendments 
that are added on to the PNTR legislation, as worthy as they are, even 
though Senators certainly have a right to bring them up, because if 
those amendments were to pass, we would no longer be maintaining the 
integrity of the House-passed bill. But the bill would have to go back 
to conference, and that would, in my judgment, jeopardize passage of 
PNTR to such a great degree that we should take the extraordinary step 
of not passing those amendments.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas is recognized.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to address the body on an issue.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senator from 
Minnesota was to be recognized.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I rise to participate in the debate on 
the motion to proceed. But I have been doing work with my colleague, 
Senator Brownback. I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to follow 
Senator Brownback.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Kansas is recognized.
  Mr. BROWNBACK. Thank you, very much, Mr. President. I thank my 
colleague from Minnesota for doing that.

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