SENATE—Wednesday, September 6, 2000
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September 6, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE 17041 SENATE—Wednesday, September 6, 2000 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was appropriations bill, Senator DASCHLE, pean competitors will be able to do called to order by the President pro or his designee, will be recognized to business in China in ways that will be tempore (Mr. THURMOND). offer a motion to strike the language unavailable to us and at the expense of relating to the Missouri River. There our exporters, our farmers, our manu- PRAYER will be up to 3 hours of debate on the facturers, our financial service compa- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John amendment prior to a vote in relation nies, our Internet companies. Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: to the motion; therefore, votes could During the Senate debate this Almighty God, we commit this day occur into the evening. month, we will hear a lot about other to You. By Your grace, You have I thank my colleagues for their at- issues, with Senators offering a pleth- brought us to the beginning of another tention. ora of amendments. The list will prob- day. There is so much to do today: f ably include human rights, worker votes to cast, speeches to give, and rights, religious freedom, prison labor, loose ends to be tied. In the rush of RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME Taiwan security, arms proliferation, things, it is so easy to live with flat The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. AL- and export of American jobs, among ‘‘horizontalism,’’ dependent only on LARD). Under the previous order, lead- others. our own strength and focused on what ership time is reserved. Most, if not all, of these subjects are others can do for us or with us. Today, f important. They should be of concern we lift up our eyes to behold Your to the United States Senate, and to all glory, our hearts to be filled with Your TO AUTHORIZE EXTENSION OF Americans. A number of issues that go love, joy, and peace, and our bodies to NONDISCRIMINATORY TREAT- beyond the strict granting of PNTR to be replenished. MENT TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUB- China, such as human rights, moni- Fill the wells of our souls with Your LIC OF CHINA—MOTION TO PRO- toring and enforcement of Chinese strength and our intellects with fresh CEED commitments at the WTO, promotion inspiration. We know that trying to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under of the rule of law, and Taiwan’s acces- work for You will wear us out, but al- the previous order, the Senate now re- sion to the WTO, are included in the lowing You to work through us will sumes postcloture debate on H.R. 4444, bill we are considering. Other issues, keep us fit and vital. which the clerk will report. such as proliferation and Taiwan secu- Now, here are our minds, enlighten The assistant legislative clerk read rity, are best dealt with apart from them; here are our souls, empower as follows: this legislation. them; here are our wills, quicken them; A motion to proceed to the bill (H.R. 4444) I share many of the concerns that here are our bodies, infuse them with to authorize extension of nondiscriminatory some of my Senate colleagues will ex- energy. You are our Lord and Saviour. treatment (normal trade relations treat- press over the coming days. But we are Amen. ment) to the People’s Republic of China, and not voting on whether China is our to establish a framework for relations with friend. We are not voting about wheth- f the United States and the People’s Republic er China should be an ally of the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE of China. United States. And we are not voting The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- about whether China should be a de- The Honorable WAYNE ALLARD, a ator from Montana. mocracy or not. Senator from the State of Colorado, led Mr. BAUCUS. I yield to my friend To repeat, we are voting about the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: from Minnesota for purposes of making whether American workers, farmers, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the a unanimous consent request. and businesses will benefit from a dec- United States of America, and to the Repub- Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ade-long negotiation, or whether we lic for which it stands, one nation under God, ask unanimous consent I be allowed to will allow our competitors in Japan indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. follow the Senator from Montana in and Europe to benefit while Americans f this debate. do not. RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without That said, there are also broader im- MAJORITY LEADER objection, it is so ordered. plications involved in the Senate vote The Senator from Montana. on PNTR. Let me mention a few. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, as we First, a rejection of PNTR will be able Senator from Colorado is recog- begin the debate about whether to seen by China as an American policy nized. grant China Permanent Normal Trade decision to isolate them, to impair f Relations status, PNTR, we need to re- their growth and development, and to mind ourselves what the Senate vote is prevent China from emerging as a SCHEDULE all about and what it is not about. great regional power. That is how they Mr. ALLARD. Mr. President, today We are voting on whether American will see it. Our intention should be to the Senate will resume postcloture de- companies, American farmers, Amer- incorporate China into the global trad- bate on the motion to proceed to the ican workers, and American consumers ing system, to get them to follow the China PNTR legislation. It is hoped an will be able to take advantage of the same rules that we all use in inter- agreement can be reached to begin de- new market opportunities afforded by national trade, and to make them ac- bate on the substance of the bill during changes that China will make over the countable to an international institu- today’s session of the Senate. The Sen- next 5 years once it becomes a member tion for their trade policies and trade ate will also continue debate on the en- of the World Trade Organization, the actions. The more China is integrated ergy and water appropriations bill dur- WTO. If we grant PNTR, China will into the global system, the more re- ing this evening’s session. The Schu- have to give Americans all the benefits sponsibly they will act. It is that sim- mer amendment regarding an energy that we, and other WTO members, suc- ple. commission is the pending amendment. cessfully negotiated after an arduous 13 Second, a rejection of PNTR will By previous consent, during today’s years. If we fail to grant China PNTR likely lead to an indefinite delay in consideration of the energy and water status, then our Japanese and Euro- Taiwan’s accession to the WTO. On the ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Aug 04 2004 12:31 Nov 26, 2004 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR00\S06SE0.000 S06SE0 17042 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE September 6, 2000 other hand, passage of PNTR will re- monly assumed the Senate is going to rights, nothing about religious free- sult in Taiwan’s accession. What will pass PNTR. For most, this is a fore- dom, nothing on labor rights, and noth- happen after both China and Taiwan gone conclusion, but I think this is an ing on the environment. accede to—that is, are members of—the extremely important debate and, as a It has been said that the United WTO? matter of fact, one of the reasons I am States could not demand such things They will participate together, along very proud to be a Senator from Min- because we have conceded nothing in with all other WTO members, in meet- nesota is that, unlike the House of our deal with China. That is far from ings ranging from detailed technical Representatives where it was really the truth. With PNTR, the United sessions to Ministerials. There will be difficult to have an extensive debate, States gives up our annual review of countless opportunities for interaction. we will have that debate in the Senate. China most-favored-nation trading Under the WTO’s most-favored-nation I will have a number of amendments I privileges, as well as our bilateral rule, they will have to provide each will bring to the floor. They will be trade remedies. other the same benefits that they substantive. I think my colleagues will MFN review has not been used as ef- grant to other members. believe they are thoughtful, and we fectively as it should be, I grant that, Taiwan’s current policy limiting di- will have up-or-down votes. but it is about the only leverage we rect transportation, communication, I also echo the remarks of my col- have left to speak up for human rights, and investment with the mainland will league from Montana when he says we and when we as a nation do not speak likely be found to violate WTO rules. should be very clear about what this up for human rights in other countries, Both will be able to use the WTO dis- debate is about and what it is not we diminish ourselves. Just ask Wei pute settlement mechanism against about. This debate is not about wheth- Jingsheng, who I hope will receive the the other.