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Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I am very glad the Senate has voted to invoke cloture and will finally get to the bill granting China permanent normal trade relations status. That bill will come up in September. That legislation has the strong support of at least three-quarters of the Members of this body, and it is deeply in our national interests. We should have rapidly disposed of it months ago. But later is better than never. I hope very much when we bring it up in September that we have a very large vote--at least three-quarters, as I earlier stated.
When we make that vote, it will be a profound choice. The question will be, Do we bring China into the orbit of the global trading community with its rule of law? Or do we choose to isolate and contain China, creating a 21st century version of a cold war in Asia?
China is not our enemy. China is not our friend. The issue for us is how to engage China, and this means engagement with no illusions--engagement with a purpose. How do we steer China's energies into productive, peaceful, and stable relationships within the region and globally? For just as we isolate China at our peril, we engage them to our advantage.
The incorporation of China into the WTO--and that includes granting them PNTR--is a national imperative for the United States of America.
I might add that when the debate comes up on PNTR in September, various Senators will offer amendments, as is their right, to that legislation. I think it is essential that we maintain the integrity of the House-passed bill. Many of those amendments that will be coming are very worthy amendments, and in another context they should pass. I would vote for them. But to maintain the integrity of the House-passed bill, I will strongly urge my colleagues to vote against amendments that are added on to the PNTR legislation, as worthy as they are, even though Senators certainly have a right to bring them up, because if those amendments were to pass, we would no longer be maintaining the integrity of the House-passed bill. But the bill would have to go back to conference, and that would, in my judgment, jeopardize passage of PNTR to such a great degree that we should take the extraordinary step of not passing those amendments.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kansas is recognized.
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise to address the body on an issue.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senator from Minnesota was to be recognized.
Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I rise to participate in the debate on the motion to proceed. But I have been doing work with my colleague, Senator BROWNBACK. I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to follow Senator BROWNBACK.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The Senator from Kansas is recognized.
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Mr. BROWNBACK. Thank you, very much, Mr. President. I thank my colleague from Minnesota for doing that.
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