Jesse Helms

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I will not use all that time. I will reserve some. When the Senator from Connecticut is willing, we will yield back what remains of our time. Mr. President, Senator Dodd's amendment proposes to delete from the pending bill any guidance and recommendations to the President from the Congress of the United States as to what constitutes a transition or democratic government in Cuba. I am a little surprised at the thrust of the amendment. But I respect the Senator, although I disagree with him. The administration has maintained that the President should retain flexibility to deal with the situation in [[Page S 15318]] Cuba once a transition begins. So the beginning trouble with this amendment is that it is in conflict not only with the bill itself but with the administration itself. As the Libertad bill was drafted, we took the administration's concerns into account, and we agreed that any parameters not be ``overly rigid,'' to quote from an administration statement on the House bill. But we also agreed that Congress should speak as to what constitutes sufficient change in Cuba to merit any support or aid from the United States. So the result is that the pending bill gives the President of the United States, whomever he may be, a great deal of latitude in making the determination required before--before--any United States aid can begin to flow to a new Cuban Government. I am not aware that the administration has any problems with the way the pending legislation is drafted. But let me be clear about what is in the Libertad bill. The only specific requirement, Mr. President, that a transition government must meet before United States aid is released is that the Government has legalized political activity, released all political prisoners and allowed for access to Cuban prisons by international human rights organizations. It also stipulates that the Cuban Government must have dissolved the state security and secret police apparatus, and agreed to hold elections within 2 years of taking power and has publicly committed, and is taking steps, to resolve American property claims. The pending bill contains several additional factors that the President is asked--not required, but asked--to take into account when determining whether a transition or democratic government is in power in Cuba. Mr. President, Congress offers this type of guidance to the President all the time on various matters. This is not out of the ordinary, nor is it some legislative straitjacket. So that is why I have a little bit of difficulty understanding how anybody could oppose asking, before we give away the United States taxpayers' dollars, that a Cuban Government allow political activity, free political prisoners, dissolve the secret police, and agree to take care of American citizens' property claims. I must ask, what is wrong with that? As for the property requirements, the President can waive them if he determines that it is in the vital national interest of the United States to do so. This is consistent with existing restrictions on aid to Cuba in section 620(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act. Now, I find it ironic that Senators would come to the floor, expressing concerns about the Libertad bill, ostensibly in the name of certified property claimants, and then turn around and want to strike a provision that reaffirms the need for Cuba to remedy past wrongs. Whose interest is really being protected by removing this Libertad section? It doesn't appear to be the interests of the property claimants. It is clearly within Congress' power to set out conditions on providing aid to other nations--we do it all the time. However, the Libertad bill acknowledges that the President will need flexibility in responding to Cuba's political evolution. The language in the Libertad bill represents a balance between these interests and should be retained, and that is why I will move to table the Senator's amendment. Mr. President, I reserve the remainder of my time, pending Senator Dodd's discussion of his other amendment. I am advised, Mr. President, that Senator Dodd has no further comment on his amendments. Is it fair for me to assume that he yields back the remainder of his time? If staff would please inquire of Senator Dodd. Mr. President, while we are waiting, on occasions like this, when important legislation is being considered, I wonder what the reaction of those who come to visit the Senate is with respect to so few Senators being on the floor. The answer to that is that Senators are tied up in committee meetings all over this complex. I, myself, had to get away from a committee meeting to be here to manage this bill and to discuss Senator Dodd's amendment. So I say to our guests that not only do we welcome them, but we beg their understanding that Senators are working; they are just not working here at the moment. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum, the time not being charged to either side.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, in order to save a little time, my distinguished colleague from North Carolina desires to address the Senate, and he understands that Senator Simon is on his way to discuss his pending amendment. I ask that the Senator from North Carolina [Mr. Faircloth] be recognized for the purpose of addressing the Senate.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. HELMS. Now, Mr. President, that leaves Senator Simon's amendment on which a time agreement is already in place.

Mr. HELMS. I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for me to ask for the yeas and nays en bloc.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I want the Chair to correct me if I am wrong, but there will be one vote on the two Dodd amendments; is that correct?

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I have been advised--Senator Dodd has conveyed to me his desire that his remaining time be yielded back if I yield mine back. I so do.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate resumes consideration of the Simon amendment, which it has just done, No. 2934, under the previous 20-minute time limitation, that following the expiration of that debate, the Senate then proceeded to a vote on or in relation to the Simon amendment, No. 2934; and, further, immediately following that vote, there be 4 minutes of debate, equally divided in the usual form, on the Dodd amendments 2906 and 2908, en bloc; and following that debate, the Senate vote on or in relation to the Dodd amendments, 2906 and 2908, en bloc; and, further, that following that vote, there be 10 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form, to be immediately followed by a vote on the substitute amendment, to be followed by a vote on passage of H.R. 927, as amended, all without any other intervening debate or action.

Mr. HELMS. I thank the Senator from Illinois. Mr. SIMON addressed the Chair.

Mr. HELMS. Will the distinguished Senator yield about 30 seconds for a little housekeeping item?

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I said earlier this morning when Senator Simon and I were on the floor together that this amendment has prompted the widest political legislative extremes in history: The State Department and Jesse Helms agree it is a very bad amendment. I believe the distinguished Senator from Florida [Mr. Graham] will move to table. This amendment undercuts the embargo that has been in effect for eight Presidents. It does not help the Cuban people. Tourism will not change Castro. In fact, it will merely contribute to Castro's economic status a little bit. I hope that the Senate will vote to table the amendment. I say that with all due respect to my friend and neighbor, Paul Simon. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. HELMS. I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished Senator from New Jersey.

Mr. HELMS. In that connection, let me read one paragraph from a letter dated today by Congressman Menendez to the distinguished minority leader, Mr. Daschle: Dear Mr. Daschle. As the author of title II of the Helms- Burton Libertad legislation and the only Cuban American Democrat in the Congress, I am writing to urge you to vote against the Dodd amendments which seek to gut title II of the legislation. I yield the remainder of my time to the distinguished Senator from Florida. Mr. GRAHAM addressed the Chair.

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. HELMS. What is the time situation, Mr. President?

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, I am honored to present to the Senate the President of Estonia, the distinguished Lennart Meri.

Mr. HELMS

Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair. I thank the Senator.

Mr. HELMS. Very well.

Mr. HELMS. I ask unanimous consent that the time agreement be 40 minutes equally divided--on the two amendments?

Mr. HELMS. Forty minutes equally?