Chairman FASCELL. Without objection, further reading of the resolution is dispensed with, printed in the record in full, open for amendment. Pending are the amendments adopted by the subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, and the Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York, Mr. Solomon. Mr. SOLOMON. I thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, of interest to the committee, although it has nothing to do with this resolution, I thought you might like to know that the purveyor of deadly terrorism, the Ayatollah Khomeini was just failed in his attempt to bring a resolution before the United Nations Security Council condemning the United States of America for protecting 357 of their servicemen on board the U.S.S. Vincennes. I thought it might be of interest. Mr. Chairman, this has no reflection on my good friend, Henry Hyde of Illinois, but I'm reminded of free and fair elections that took place in the United States of America in 1960. John F. Kennedy, whom I admired and I was a John F. Kennedy Democrat at the time, nearly stole that election in Chicago and other areas, if I recall. It just brings to mind why we need a resolution like this at all. Because, you know, Pakistan is one of the most reliable allies that America's ever had. I can't think of any one who has put themselves on the line as much as Pakistan has in the last ten years, in trying to protect the freedoms of the United States. So, I want to commend the sponsor of the legislation, and the members who amended the legislation, because they are good amendments. And although I do not like the resolution, because I don't think we ought to be indirectly pointing fingers at the country of Pakistan, our strong ally, I would make a suggestion that if we could change it, it might make a difference. I'm most concerned about paragraph 4 under the "Resolved" Section, which seemingly would make progress toward democracy in Pakistan the sole criteria for making foreign aid available to that country, a country which is a front line defender of freedom throughout this world. And given the hostile neighborhood that my friend, Henry Hyde, was talking about that Pakistan lives in, I think the language in the resolution is unnecessary; it's an unnecessary preoccupation on our part even to bring this up here today. I look at Afghanistan where a very shaky peace agreement is in place right now, I call the agreement shaky because it is shot so full of ambiguities that the Asia/Pacific Subcommittee found it impossible to report out a resolution endorsing it, and for good reason. The situation is so unstable that the flow of refugees into Pakistan today right now is actually increasing, not decreasing. Ask yourselves why. Then I look in the other direction towards India, the arms merchant of the entire region. Where is the resolution about the Indian arms build-up? I don't see any resolution coming before the Asia/Pacific Subcommittee or before this committee. Where is the resolution about India's wretched human rights record? And ethnic turmoil? Pick up the New York Times, the Washington Post, you'll read about it every single day. My point, Mr. Chairman, is this: If the resolution now before us is going to be an accurate reflection of reality, it's going to need a little work. And I would just ask if it would be possible to add some reference in paragraph 4 to strategic considerations. Strategic considerations that protect the national security of the United States of America. In other words, could some phrase be added that aid to Pakistan is given because of strategic considerations in the regions? I don't view these considerations as mutually exclusive with movement towards democracy, but I do believe we have to look at the region responsibly and realistically. And I do have an amendment at the desk which would insert in the appropriate slot, the phrase, "among other strategic considerations." To me, that says they've got to move towards democracy, but we also won't use that as the sole criterion. We'll use it among other criteria, the strategic considerations of the United States of America. Chairman FASCELL. The Chief of Staff will report the Solomon Amendment. Mr. BRADY. Amendment authored by Mr. Solomon, page 3, line 10, after the word, account, insert a comma and the words, "among other strategic considerations," followed by a comma. Chairman FASCELL. Is there further discussion? If not, the question is on agreeing to the amendment to the amendments. All those in favor, signify by saying, aye? [Chorus of ayes.] Chairman FASCELL. Opposed, no. [No response.] Chairman FASCELL. The ayes have it and the amendment to the amendments is agreed to. Mr. SOLARZ. Mr. Chairman. Chairman FASCELL. Mr. Solarz. Mr. SOLARZ. Do you have any other amendments? Chairman FASCELL. I want to get the amendments adopted. Do you want to stop me? Mr. SOLARZ. No. I didn't realize there were other amendments. The question now occurs on the amendments, as amended. [Chorus of ayes.] Chairman FASCELL. All those opposed, no. [No response.] Chairman FASCELL. The ayes have it. And the question recurs now on the resolution as amended. Mr. Solarz. Mr. SOLARZ. Just one small point for the record, Mr. Chairman. The fact is that this committee and the full house has adopted an infinite number of resolutions on specific countries. We've called for democracy in the Philippines, in South Korea. We've called for a greater respect for human rights in China, in Taiwan. There are all sorts of Latin American countries where we've adopted country-specific resolutions. We've done it in Africa. We've done it in Eastern Europe. There's nothing unusual about this. The simple fact is that the people of Pakistan want democracy. The political parties in Pakistan want democracy. It would clearly serve the interests of U.S.Pakistani relations if Pakistan became a democracy. I think we would be remiss in our responsibilities as the most powerful democracy in the world if we didn't in this kind of general fashion convey to our Pakistani friends our hope that they will move in this direction. Mr. HYDE. Would the gentleman yield, just briefly? Mr. SOLARZ. Certainly. Mr. HYDE. I just wonder if the gentleman might over the holidays ask his staff to take a look and provide me with references to resolutions where you've told a country, Mozambique, for example, or Liberia, one of those great democracies over there, whether you've suggested we condition our aid on whether they have free and fair elections and move to a democracy. Mr. SOLARZ. I would be happy to provide the gentleman with several examples of such resolutions. Mr. HYDE. Thank you. Chairman FASCELL. Well, I certainly admire this spirit of cooperation. And now that we've gotten that far, the question is on the adoption of the bill as amended. All those in favor signify by saying, aye. [Chorus of ayes.] Chairman FASCELL. All opposed, no? [Chorus of no's.] Chairman FASCELL. And the bill, the resolution is agreed to and appropriate steps will be taken to take it to the floor. And the committee stands adjourned, subject to the call of the Chair. [Whereupon, at 3:55 p.m., the committee was adjourned, subject to the call of the Chair.] CONSIDERATION OF MISCELLANEOUS BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS H.R. 5090, House Joint Resolution 602, Senate Concurrent Resolution 120, House Resolution 471, and House Resolution 514 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1988 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, DC. The committee met in open markup session, at 3:05 p.m., room 2172, Rayburn Building, Hon. Dante B. Fascell (chairman) presiding. Chairman FASCELL. The committee will please come to order. We meet this afternoon to consider several pieces of pending legislation. The first order of business is H.R. 5090, to implement the U.S.Canada Free Trade Agreement. The Chief of Staff will report the bill. Mr. BRADY. H.R. 5090, a bill to implement the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represenatives to the U.S. assembled. Šection 1. Short title and table of contents. Chairman FASCELL. Without objection further reading of the bill is dispensed with, printed in the record in full, and open for consideration. [H.R. 5090 follows:] (79) |