Text: Republican Senators Call For Early PNTR Vote
(Senators Craig Thomas/Gordon Smith urge vote on H.R. 4444)

The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, along with fellow Republican, Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon, is circulating a letter for Republican senators to sign that calls on Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (Republican of Mississippi) to schedule a vote on the House-passed legislation granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status.

The letter calls for a vote before the Senate's July 4 recess.

Senator Craig Thomas's (Republican of Wyoming) office said at least eight other Republican senators have signed on to the request.

The letter stresses the "significant economic and foreign policy ramifications for the United States" of the proposed PNTR legislation.

Following is the text:

(begin text)

The Honorable Trent Lott
Majority Leader, United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Lott:

We write to encourage the prompt consideration of HR 4444 - legislation which provides Permanent Normal Trade Relations to the People's Republic of China.

We know you share our view that this legislation has significant economic and foreign policy ramifications for the United States. Delay of this legislation, or linking its consideration to other non-germane Senate business, would not be in the national interests of the United States. The House of Representatives, by a strong bipartisan vote recently passed this legislation. The House included language that fully addresses the variety of issues that are associated with granting China normal trade relations. We believe that, once brought to the Senate floor, the House bill will move quickly, cleanly and with a strong bipartisan majority vote. It is our hope that the Senate can take legislation up before the July 4th recess.

Thank you for your consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

Senator Gordon H. Smith

Senator Craig Thomas

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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