Date: 2001-09-06
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues in the House to vote for this legislation. Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues in the House to vote for this legislation to establish a bilateral trade relationship with Vietnam. This legislation is the product of long negotiations between our governments. and builds on the trade relationship we have been developing over the past decade. Just a few weeks ago. this House again voted by an overwhelming vote against imposing trade restrictions on Vietnam. now. we should pass this BTA by just as overwhelming a vote. We all recognize the sensitivity of any legislation involving .Vietnam because of our nations past history. But we in the House have begun a healthy. expanding and maturing relationship with this country of nearly 80 million people. And this legislation is not about the past. it is about the future relations of our govemments and our economies. I have had the opportunity to visit Vietnam. to meet with government -leaders and private citizens. and to talk at length with our former ambassador. Pete Peterson. who has been one of the most passionate supporters of improved political and economic relations with Vietnam. Ambassador Peterson has devoted countless hours during his years of service to developing improved economic and political relationships between Washington and Hanoi. and between the American and Viethamese people. Our vote today is. in no small way. a testament to the success of his efforts and a credit to his hard work. Vietnam is a large and changing country. There are multinationals involved in production of oil and gas and the manufacture of sportswear. Vietnam is also a country where most people labor in rice paddies and start businesses with microloans of less than $100. It is a country of educated. industrious people that will continue to play a key role in the future of Southeast Asia. We should not cut ourselves off from that nation. but rather work closely to help it advance and to encourage moves towards a more open economy. We are building a new and positive relationship with Vietnam. which is the 12th largest population in the world and plays a key role in the political and economic security of Southeast Asia. Last year. the Congress enacted legislation I helped to write creating a program to promote higher education exchanges between our countries. We should continue to build on these efforts. because they are in the best interests of both nations. Some may wish to turn this debate into one over sensitive issues between the United States and Vietnam. That strategy is inappropriate here. and should be rejected. Vietnam. as illustrated by our annual JacksonVanik votes. has made great strides on immigration and is a full partner in the effort to locate remaining American soldiers missing in action. Negative and unjustified attacks on Vietnams efforts at cooperation can only injure future efforts. and have no place in this debate. However. let us note that this BTA does not end our review of Vietnams moves towards openness and transparency. We will still engage in annual reviews of its practices. Nor does this BTA or the memorandum of understanding concerning labor standards adequately address concerns I have. along with many others. about the need for a free labor movement in Vietnam that allows workers to organize and collectively bargain with their employers. As we move towards the next stages of trade agreements. we will continue to press for assurances that the working men and women of Vietnam will enjoy the basic rights to free association recognized by the International Labor Organization. Free trade unionism. improved environmental policies. expanded political and religious rights for all Vietnamese: these are. and should be. legitimate factors for securing improved and lasting trade relations with the United States and other democracies. We will continue to work with the Vietnamese to assure that these goals are achieved. Those are issues that remain to be discussed in the course of future negotiations. For today. we should move ahead and pass this Bilateral Trade Agreement which sets the stage for those future discussions. while helping to bring our countries and our people together.