E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 146 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2000 No. 9 Senate The Senate met at 12:01 p.m. and was Mr. SPECTER. I thank the distin- about two very important issues, one called to order by the President pro guished President pro tempore. of which will come before the Senate tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. f later on this year, and that is the trade agreement with China which has just SCHEDULE PRAYER been negotiated. We call that perma- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Mr. SPECTER. On behalf of our dis- nent normal trading relations. The Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: tinguished majority leader, Mr. Presi- other subject is the WTO, which is an Gracious God, we begin this new dent, I have been asked to make the ongoing situation on which we prob- week with a renewed commitment to following announcement. ably will not take any action—at least You. The words of Mother Teresa of Today, the Senate will be in a period negative action—this year, but it is Calcutta stimulate greater depth in of morning business until 2 p.m. Fol- something we always have to consider our prayer: ‘‘Here I am Lord, body, lowing morning business, the Senate because every day and every hour there heart, and soul. Grant that with Your will begin consideration of S. 1052, the are certain decisions and discussions love I may be big enough to reach the Mariana Islands legislation. As pre- going on at the World Trade Organiza- world and small enough to be at one viously announced, there will be no tion that affect the U.S. economy. with You.’’ votes during today’s session of the Sen- On China and the permanent trade We echo this sentiment, Father. As ate. Therefore, any votes ordered on relations vote we are going to have, it we begin this new week, astound us the Mariana Islands bill will be sched- is very important that we do this right again with the limitless resources You uled to occur on Tuesday. Also on and do it soon but not do it before we offer us to do Your work. Remind us Tuesday, the Senate is expected to have all the information we need. It is that Your power is released for leader- begin consideration of the nuclear also important to get China into the ship that follows Your priorities of waste bill. It is hoped that action on World Trade Organization. righteousness, justice, and mercy. May that legislation can be completed by We do not vote on China going into our constant question be: ‘‘Lord, what the end of the week. I thank my col- the World Trade Organization as a Sen- do You want us to do?’’ Keep us humble leagues for their attention. ate, but it seems to me it is very nec- with the conviction that we could not f essary that we establish China with breathe a breath, think a thought, ORDER OF PROCEDURE permanent normal trading relations write with clarity, nor speak with per- with the United States in order to set Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I now suasion without Your grace and gifts. the stage for China to be in the WTO. ask unanimous consent that I may be So we move into this new week with This is the first time China has permitted to speak in morning business deeper dependence on You and greater agreed to submit itself to international next and following that, my distin- dedication to give You the glory for all trade disciplines. That, in and of itself, guished colleague from Iowa, the senior that we are and have and are able to is a very historic and important devel- Senator, Mr. GRASSLEY, may be per- do. You are our Lord and our Saviour. opment. Clearly, China acts in its own mitted to speak in morning business Jehovah, our God. Amen. national interest and, of course, the for up to 8 minutes. f United States should act in its own na- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ROB- tional interest. That is why I say it is PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ERTS). Without objection, it is so or- most important to our national inter- The Honorable ARLEN SPECTER, a dered. est to agree to rules by which we can Senator from the State of Pennsyl- (The remarks of Mr. SPECTER per- conduct more open commerce with vania, led the Pledge of Allegiance, as taining to the introduction of S. Res. China. Common sense dictates that it follows: 253 are located in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and is a win-win situation for the United I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the States since we have few restrictions United States of America, and to the Repub- Joint Resolutions.’’) lic for which it stands, one nation under God, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dis- on imports of China’s products into the indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. tinguished Senator from Iowa is recog- United States. Basically, it is a no- f nized. brainer, as far as I am concerned, to ac- f cept their lowering barriers to our ex- RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING ports to that 1-billion-people Nation. MAJORITY LEADER PERMANENT NORMAL TRADING As far as the issue of human rights The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The RELATIONS WITH CHINA and national security—and they always Senator from Pennsylvania is recog- Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I come up when we discuss this issue nized. want to spend a few minutes talking with China—I believe the United States ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S345 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:48 Dec 04, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2000SENATE\S07FE0.REC S07FE0 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S346 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 7, 2000 is big enough, the United States is vote after all these steps in the process that were left on the table in Seattle or strong enough, we are sophisticated are completed. Senators, including this even on the question of whether to re- enough, and we are smart enough to Senator, of course, will want to care- start the negotiations on drafting a serve more than one vital national in- fully review—in fact we have the re- ministerial declaration. terest at the same time. sponsibility to make sure we carefully Instead, I think we will see, in Gene- In other words, we can be concerned review—the results of the protocol va, a period of quiet consultation and about human rights, we obviously have working party, which may be held in consensus building. Considering the to be concerned about our national se- March, and carefully look at all the de- disaster that took place in Seattle, curity because no other nation will be, tails before we schedule the permanent maybe it is easy to conclude that we do but we can also be concerned about our normal trading relations vote. need a period of quiet consultation, and commerce with other countries, par- As far as the Senate action on nor- particularly consensus building, be- ticularly the biggest country in the mal trading relations is concerned, I cause nothing happens in the WTO ex- world, a country that has reduced, expect that every aspect of the agree- cept by consensus. So if everybody wor- through this agreement, barriers for ment be transparent. That means ev- ries about America’s interests being our goods to go to their country; in erything besides the protocols—mean- compromised at the WTO, just remem- other words, setting the stage for a ing the written protocols, including ber, it is done by consensus. If the more level playing field because we al- side letters, oral or even wink-of-the- United States does not agree to it, it ready let a lot of Chinese goods into eye understandings—must be put on will not get done. this country. There are very few re- the table before the Senate so that Seattle, of course, was a huge shock strictions. each of the 100 Senators are aware of to the World Trade Organization and We can take our commerce into them. That is what I mean when I say the process. We must try to restore mind, we can take human rights and transparency. mutual confidence among all the par- national security into mind, and we do As Senators, we cannot make the ties. The negotiators will need some not have to compromise. We can and same mistake we made with the Cana- time, perhaps even a few months, to re- must have a national security policy dian Free Trade Agreement, of being fine their positions after the start of that protects our vital security inter- oblivious to the side letter, the agree- consultations. ests. When there is a breakdown that ment contents of which have been un- In summary, I see the next few weeks threatens our security, we must and fair to our wheat farmers ever since. and months in Geneva as a period will fix it. We can and must speak out Senators never knew about that until where we try to restore faith in the for the oppressed who cannot speak for about 5 or 6 years after the Canadian World Trade Organization and in each themselves, and we can and must ad- Free Trade Agreement was voted on by other and try to rebuild the ground- vance our interests in open markets the Senate.