The Clinton Administration and the Chinese regime should take no comfort from the outcome of this vote.
Regardless of the quantitative outcome, our vote is qualitatively stronger because we've increased the awareness in Congress and among the American people of the key issues like trade, proliferation, and religious and human rights.
This year's debate represented a breakthrough. A recent Louis Harris poll shows the American people are ahead of the Congress and oppose MFN for China 67% to 18%.
For all the millions spent by the China-Business lobby in support of MFN we continued to gain ground.
I want to thank my colleagues who stood firm against the lobbyists and the White House. If you only take into consideration the lobbying effort, this is a very difficult vote.
I want to thank the religious community, human rights activists, and labor for their support and coordinated effort to give volume to the voice of the American people.
This vote was rushed through because the lobbyists didn't want the American people to have their time with their Representatives in the upcoming district work period. Washington lobbyists succeeded in keeping this vote a beltway business deal.
The climate of the debate is different. This is a long-term fight. Today we raised the bar and sent a message to Beijing. Unlike China's authoritarian rulers who choose to forget the massacre in Tiananmen Square, we do not. We are emboldened by the sacrifice thousands have made to freedom and democracy in China, and live to fight another day.
Current Presss Releases
2010 |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996