Phil Crane

Mr. CRANE

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 58 and in support of Vietnam's Jackson-Vanik waiver. Over the past decade, the United States has taken gradual steps to normalize our bilateral regulations with Vietnam. This process has borne tangible results on the full range of issues in our bilateral agenda, including increased accounting of our missing in action, increased trade and investment opportunities for U.S. firms and workers, and substantial progress toward resolution of the remaining emigration cases. Last week, the administration reached a bilateral trade agreement in principle with the Vietnamese that will serve as the basis for a reciprocal extension of normal trade relations once it is finalized and approved by Congress. The agreement in principle contains provisions on market access in goods, trade, and services, intellectual property protection, and investment, which are necessary for U.S. firms to compete in the Vietnamese market, the 12th most populous in the world. The Vietnamese pledge to lift import quotas and bans, reduce key tariffs, protect intellectual property rights, ensure transparency in rules and regulations, and ease restrictions on financial services, telecommunications, and distribution. Because Vietnam and the United States have not yet finalized and approved a bilateral agreement, the effects of the Jackson-Vanik waiver at this time is quite limited. The waiver enables U.S. exporters doing business with Vietnam to have access to U.S. trade financing programs, provided that Vietnam meets the relevant program criteria. The significance of Vietnam's waiver is that it permits us to stay engaged with the Vietnamese and to pursue further reforms. Vietnam is not an easy place to do business; however, our engagement enables us to influence the pace and direction of Vietnamese reform. I will insert in the Record a letter I received for more than 150 U.S. companies and trade associations supporting Vietnam's Jackson- Vanik waivers, an important step in the ability of the U.S. business community to compete in the Vietnamese market. Terminating Vietnam's waiver will give Vietnam an excuse to halt further reforms. Do not take away our ability to pressure the Vietnamese for progress on issues of importance to the United States. I urge a ``no'' vote on H.J. Res. 58. Mr. Speaker, the letter I referred to is as follows: July 23, 1999. Hon. Philip Crane, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Crane: As members of the American business and agricultural community, we strongly support action to normalize trade relations with Vietnam. Renewal of the Jackson-Vanik waiver is a key step in this direction. We strongly oppose H.J. Res. 58, which would overturn the waiver. Renewal of the Jackson-Vanik waiver will ensure that U.S. companies and farmers selling to Vietnam will maintain access to critical U.S. export promotion programs, such as those of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and agricultural credit programs. Furthermore, overturning the Jackson-Vanik waiver could derail current bilateral trade negotiations at a critical time. The talks, which have been ongoing for three years, could be successfully completed in a matter of a few weeks. The U.S. Trade Representative is seeking commitments from Vietnam on market access for goods, agricultural products, services and investment, and the protection of intellectual property rights. The final agreement will thus bring Vietnamese law closer to international norms, thereby helping U.S. companies and farmers to tap the long-term potential of Vietnam, the second most populous country in Southeast Asia. The American business and agricultural community will work hard for congressional approval of a trade agreement that provides meaningful access to Vietnam's markets. The American business and agricultural community believes that a policy of economic normalization with Vietnam is in our national interest. We urge you to support the renewal of the Jackson-Vanik waiver as an important step in this process. We also stand ready to work with Congress toward passage of a trade agreement that opens Vietnamese markets to U.S. goods, agricultural products, services and investment. Sincerely, ABB; Ablondi, Foster, Sobin, Davidow; ACE International; AEA International SOS; Aetna International, Inc.; AgriSource Co. Ltd.; American Apparel Manufactures Association; American Chamber of Commerce in Australia; American Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong, China; American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong; American Chamber of Commerce in Korea; American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines; American Chamber of Commerce Vietnam; American Council of Life Insurance; American Electronics Association; American Express Company; American Farm Bureau Federation; American International Group, Inc.; American-Vietamese Management Consortium, Inc.; Amstan Sanitaryware, Inc., ARCO; Arthur Anderson Vietnam; Asia-Pacific Council of American Chamber of Commerce; Associated General Contractors of America; Association for Manufacturing Technology; ATKearney; Banker and McKenzie, Vietnam; BBDO Advertising Agency; Bechtel; Black and Veatch; Bridgecreek Group; Brown & Root; California Chamber of Commerce; Caltex; Camp Dresser & McKee International, Inc. Cargill; Caterpillar, Inc., Centrifugal Casting Machine Co., Inc.; Chamber of Commerce of the Princeton Area; Checkpoint Systems, Asia Pacific; Chevron Corporation; Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce Citigroup; Coalition for Employment through Exports, Inc.; Commerce Advisory Partners; Condor Consulting; Connell Brothers Company, Ltd.; Coudert Brothers, Vietnam; Craft Corporation; Crown Worldwide Ltd.; DAI-Asia; Deacons Graham & James; Delco Chamber of Commerce; Delta Equipment and Construction Company; Direct Selling Association; Eastman Kodak Co.; East-West Trade and Investment, Inc.; Electronic Industries Alliance; Eli Lilly (Asia) Inc.; Ellicott International; Emergency Committee for American Trade; Environmental-Services Inc.; ERM Hong Kong Ltd.; Exact Software; Fashion Garments Ltd.; FDX Corporation; Fertilizer Institute; Firmenich Inc.; Foster Wheeler Corporation; Freehill Hollingdale & Page; Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce; Freshfields Vietnam; General Electric Company; Habersham County Chamber of Commerce; Halliburton Company. Hewlett-Packard Company; Hills and Co.; Humphrey International Healthcare Inc.; IAMBIC, Ltd.; IBC Corporation; IBM; Illinois State Chamber of Commerce; Indochina Asset Management Ltd.; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Interior Architects, Inc.; John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company; Johnson & Johnson; Joseph Simon & Sons; Kansas Chamber of Commerce & Industry; KHM Inc.; Leo Burnett/M&T Vietnam; LiG Products Ltd.; Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce; Louis Dreyfus Corp.; Luk, Inc.; McDermott Incorporated; Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; Mobil Corporation; Motion Picture Association of America; Motorola; National Association of Manufacturers; National Foreign Trade Council; National Institute for World Trade; National Oilseed Processors Association; National Retail Federation; Netrak Logistics & Consultants; New Jersey Chamber of Commerce; New York Life International; Nike; Norpac Food Sales; North American Export Grain Association, Inc.; Ohsman & Sons Company, Inc.; Oracle; Otis-Lilama Elevator Company, Ltd.; Pacific Architects and Engineers, Inc.; Pacific Ventures Inc.; Pacific View Partners, Inc.; Parsons Corporation; PASCO Scientific; PepsiCo Inc.; Pioneer Hi-Bred International; Polaris Co., Ltd. HCMC; Pricewaterhousecoopers Vietnam Ltd.; Procter and Gamble Company; Projects International, Inc.; Quaker Fabric Corporation; Raytheon; Rotex; RRC Schneider Electric; Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma, Inc.; Russin & Vecchi; S.C. Johnson & Son; Samuels International Associates, Inc.; SciClone Pharmaceuticals International; Small Business Exporters Association; S-Tec Corporation; Telecommunications Industry Association; Telemobile Inc.; Texaco Inc.; The Boeing Company; The Chamber/Southwest Louisiana; Tileke & Gibbins Consultants Ltd.; U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel; U.S. Chamber of Commerce; U.S. Committee Pacific Basin Economic Council-PBEC US; U.S. Council for International Business; U.S. Trading & Investment Company; U.S.-ASEAN Business Council; U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council ; Unisys Corporation; United Parcel Service; United Technologies Corporation; Unocal; Valve Manufacturers Association; Vietnam Auditing Company; Vietnam Venture Group, Inc.; Vinifera Wine Growers Association;Warnaco Inc.; Wharton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), though we disagree perhaps at times.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield one-half of my time to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) in opposition to the joint resolution and that he be permitted to yield further blocks of time.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of the House, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 58) disapproving the extension of the waiver authority contained in section 402(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to Vietnam, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on House Joint Resolution 58.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I reclaim my time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANE

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank the chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, the chairman of the full Appropriations Committee and all of my colleagues who serve on those two bodies for the excellent work they have done in crafting the Energy and Water Appropriations measure for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000. Not only is the bill, as reported, fiscally responsible, but for the most part its priorities make sense--as does its treatment of wetlands and the environment. Permit me to elaborate. As it came to the House Floor, the FY2000 Energy and Water Appropriations (H.R. 2605) bill called for $880 million less in spending than the total amount appropriated for energy and water programs in FY1999. Even if one subtracts out the emergency appropriations for those functions in FY1999, the bill is still $215 million below last year's spending level. More impressive yet, the sum of the spending provided for in the committee-reported version of this bill is, according to the committee report, more than $300 million below the amount appropriated in FY1995. What better way to make good on our commitment to a balanced federal budget that locks away Social Security surpluses and reduces our national debt, than to adopt a measure such as this. Certain critics of H.R. 2605 demur, citing several provisions of the bill that deal with the wetlands permitting process. Their fear is that these provisions will hasten the demise of America's wetlands and, for that reason, they have labeled them ``anti-environmental'' riders. I beg to differ. Not only do the provisions in question treat all parties interested in wetlands determinations more fairly, but the critics are overlooking another item in the bill that will promote the creation and restoration of wetlands and help us better understand the role they can play in controlling flooding. That item is the appropriation of the last $1.75 million needed to complete the Des Plaines River Wetlands Demonstration Project (DPRWDP) in northern Illinois. I make particular mention of the project, not just because it is located in the district I am privileged to represent in Congress, but because it has already provided us with invaluable information about the way wetlands work and how they can contribute to such things as habitat preservation and flood control. When the DPRWDP is finished, not only will additional research information be available, but so too will be a ``how-to'' guide that will help other areas of the country restore wetlands for environmental and flood control purposes. That, in turn, will aid in the accomplishment of the very objective that critics of the wetlands permitting provisions of H.R. 2605 have in mind: the preservation and restoration of wetlands areas around the country. Having been a supporter of the DPRWDP for over a decade now, I am proud of its accomplishments, excited about its potential and pleased by its inclusion in this bill. Like many other items funded by H.R. 2605, the DPRWDP promises to save American taxpayers many more dollars than it will cost. Not only that, but it should ease the minds of those who are concerned about the future of America's wetlands. The DPRWDP is, in short, a win-win proposition. Within the context of an overall bill that is one of the most fiscally responsible appropriations measures in recent memory, it promotes environmental responsibility as well. That being the case, I urge my colleagues to look at the DPRWDP as one more reason to support the FY2000 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. with the DPWFDP included, H.R. 2065 is a measure to which most everyone should be able to give their enthusiastic backing.

Mr. CRANE

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul). (Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Toomey).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me wrap up by expressing my total commitment to the traditional bipartisan support we have given toward advancing normal trade relations with China, and I am talking about all of our presidents, President Ford, President Carter, President Reagan, President Bush, President Clinton, all of them; and most recently, in addition, 17 former secretaries of State, Defense and national security advisers, all of whom endorse the wise, prudent policy we have pursued of continuing normal trade relations with China. Normal trade relations supports U.S. jobs. In addition to that, it maintains our ability to create a positive change in China, paves the way for further trade liberalization, and preserves our security interests. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 57.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle), our colleague on the Committee on Ways and Means. (Mr. NUSSLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), our distinguished colleague on the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Barrett). (Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Salmon).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts). (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose).

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), my neighbor. (Mrs. BIGGERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen). (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleague from Virginia to consult with the Reverend Billy Graham and Pat Robertson. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson).