Senate votes PNTR for Red China

On September 19, by a vote of 83 to 15, the Senate approved the bill (HR 4444) granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status to the People's Republic of China. Under current law, the President is required to renew China's normal trade relations status (previously called Most Favored Nation status annually, and Congress has the right to disapprove of the extension. This bill would not only end the annual review, but it would also authorize funds for new human rights commissions and Radio Free China.

The small opposition to the bill included the Senate's strongest conservatives and staunchest liberals. Because the bill was sure to pass, opponents' main hope was to amend the measure, making PNTR status contingent on improvements in human rights or religious liberty. But since amending the bill would have forced a conference committee to reach a compromise and required both chambers to reconsider the measure, possibly killing its chances to pass this term, proponents, including the leadership, successfully defeated all amendments. (See Senate vote above and rollcalls last week, pages 26 and 27.)

The bill's proponents argued that PNTR would lead China to open its doors to liberty and democracy Opponents claimed that the bill was being pushed through by business interests who want to sell goods to China at the expense of human rights and U.S. national security.

Sen. Paul Wellstone (D.-Minn.) said, "I believe we will deeply regret... the way in which we have taken all the human rights, religious freedom, right to organize, all of those concerns, and we have put them in parentheses and in brads ets as if they don't exist and are not important."

Sen. Richard Durbin (D.-Ill.) said, "Trade is the future. Make no mistake about it: Trade can open up the exchange of ideas-ideas like democracy, freedom of speech, freedom to worship, and freedom of association. China stands on the brink of becoming the most important trading partner the U.S. has ever seen and the U.S. Senate will go on record in support of this important step in international trade and foreign policy."

A "yes" vote was a vote to grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations status. A "no" vote was a vote against the bill.

FOR THE BILL: 83

REPUBLICANS FOR (46): Abraham, Allard, Ashcroft, Bennett, Bond, Brownback, Burns, Chafee, Cochran, Collins, Craig, Crapo, DeWine, Domenici, Enzi, Fitzgerald, Frist, Gorton, Gramm (Tex.), Grams (Minn.), Grassley, Gregg, Hagel, Hatch, Hutchison (Tex.), Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Mack, McCain, McConnell, Murkowski, Dickles, Roberts, Roth, Santorum, Sessions, Shelby, Smith (Ore.), Snowe, Stevens, Thomas, Thompson, Thurmond, Voinovich and Warner.

DEMOCRATS FOR (37): Baucus, Bayh, Biden, Bingaman, Boxer, Breaux, Bryan, Cleland, Conrad, Daschle, Dodd, Dagan, Durbin, Edwards, Feinstein, Graham (Fla.), Harkin, Inouye, Johnson, Kennedy, Kerrey (Neb.), Kerry (Mass., Kohl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Leahy, Levin, Lincoln, Miller, Moynihan, Murray, Reed (R.1), Robb, Rockefeller, Schumer, Torricelli and Wyden.

AGAINST THE BILL: 15

REPUBLICANS AGAINST (8): Gunning, Campbell, Helms, Hutchinson (Ark.), Inhofe, Jeffords, Smith (N.H.) and Specter

DEMOCRATS AGAINST (7) Byrd, Feingold, Hue, Mikulski, Reid (Nev.), Sarbanes and Wellstone.

NOT VOTING (2): Akaka and Lieberman..

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