Copyright 2000 The National Journal, Inc.
The National Journal
April 8, 2000
SECTION: TRADE; Pg. 1128; Vol. 32, No. 15
LENGTH: 189 words
HEADLINE:
Hastert Sets Late-May Vote on China
BYLINE: Stephen
Norton/CongressDaily
BODY:
Now it's
official: Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., announced
on April 5 that the
House will vote during the week of May 22,
just before the Memorial Day
recess, on legislation granting
permanent normal trade relations status to
China. A vote in the
Senate, where easy passage is expected, will probably
come in
early June. With the House showdown set, members favoring passage
of PNTR for China hold a slim lead over opponents, but the
undecided contingent remains the largest, according to the latest
CongressDaily survey. The tally shows that 133 House members-100
Republicans and 33 Democrats-have declared they favor or lean in
favor
of PNTR. Opposed or leaning against the legislation are 130
members: 87 Democrats, 41 Republicans, and two independents. The
undecided category includes 143 members-a number that has
actually grown
since the publication of last week's results.
Twenty-nine members still have
not responded to the survey or
have declined to respond. As the battle for
votes intensified,
House Resources Committee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska,
said he
is leaning "no."
LOAD-DATE: April 19, 2000
