Senate Resolution - 05.21.02

 

Senator Grassley Introduces Non-Binding Amendment Expressing Support for President's Russia Policies Before Summit

Grassley Amendment
Senator Grassley's Statement
Reuters Coverage

Read more about Jackson-Vanik

Read more about U.S.-Russia relations

---

Grassley Amendment

107th Congress
May 21, 2000

SA 3474. Mr. GRASSLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3446 proposed by Mr. BROWNBACK to the amendment SA 3401 proposed by Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. GRASSLEY) to the bill (H.R. 3009) to extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, to grant additional trade benefits under that Act, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

    At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE UNITED STATES-RUSSIAN FEDERATION SUMMIT MEETING, MAY 2002.

(a) FINDINGS.--The Senate finds that--

    (1) President George W. Bush will visit the Russian Federation May 23-25, 2002, to meet with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir V. Putin;

    (2) the President and President Putin, and the United States and Russian governments, continue to cooperate closely in the fight against international terrorism;

    (3) the President seeks Russian cooperation in containing the war-making capabilities of Iraq, including that country's ongoing program to develop and deploy weapons of mass destruction;

    (4) during his visit, the President expects to sign a treaty to significantly reduce American and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons by 2012;

    (5) the President and his NATO partners have further institutionalized United States-Russian security cooperation through establishment of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council, which meets for the first time on May 28, 2002, in Rome, Italy;

    (6) during his visit, the President will continue to address religious freedom and human rights concerns through open and candid discussions with President Putin, with leading Russian activists, and with representatives of Russia's revitalized and diverse Jewish community; and

    (7) recognizing Russia's progress on religious freedom and a broad range of other mechanisms to address remaining concerns, the President has asked the Congress to terminate application to Russian of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 (commonly known as the ``Jackson-Vanik Amendment'') and authorize the extension of normal trade relations to the products of Russia.

(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.--The Senate--

    (1) supports the President's efforts to deepen the friendship between the American and Russian peoples;

    (2) further supports the policy objectives of the President mentioned in this section with respect to the Russian Federation;

    (3) supports terminating the application of title IV of the Trade Act of 1974 to Russia in an appropriate and timely manner; and

    (4) looks forward to learning the results of the President's discussions with President Putin and other representatives of the Russian government and Russian society.

return to top

---

Senator Grassley's Statement

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, before I talk about my approach and my feelings on this whole issue of our relationship with the former Soviet Union countries, I commend Senator Brownback for the very thoughtful approach that he has on these issues, and the attention he has given this foreign policy consideration, as well as foreign trade-connected issues of the former Soviet Union.

I understand his interest in seeing normal trade relations extended to Russia, central Asia, and the south Caucasus.

The Democracy and Freedom Through Trade Act introduced today may be an appropriate vehicle to do just that. I certainly think this issue deserves a hearing. But I am not sure it is appropriate for this bill. Instead, I offer this sense-of-the-Senate amendment on the upcoming U.S.-Russian Federation Summit. It expresses a sense of the Senate in support of our President's efforts to strengthen our relations with Russia. The amendment itself seeks to build upon that relationship by expressing the Senate's support for restoring permanent normal trade relations with Russia.

Given the upcoming meeting between President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, this resolution is a timely opportunity for the Senate to express its support for recent developments between our two countries, and also to express encouragement for these two Presidents when they meet later this week.

Since September 11, a new partnership has grown between the United States and Russia as a result of our close cooperation and common efforts in the fight against international terrorism.

This enhanced relationship recently produced a new strategic framework between Russia and the United States to significantly reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons by the year 2012.

In addition, the United States and Russia, along with our NATO partners, have further institutionalized the U.S.-Russian security cooperation through the establishment of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council. That Council meets for the first time May 28 of this year in Rome. It is clear that historic progress is being made between the United States and Russia, and that even more forward movement would be beneficial for both countries. I hope that movement continues.

I am not oblivious to the fact that there have been decades of tension between our countries. And I don't think we can be so naive as to think that there are not problems down the road. But it surely is important, particularly when there are opportunities such as the last few months to grow our relationship based upon those opportunities. Since there is this opportunity for benefit to both countries, I believe the time has come for Congress to seriously consider the elimination of Jackson-Vanik requirements with regard to Russia, and, thus, begin debate on the extension of normal trade relations.

President Bush has recently asked Congress to restore permanent normal trade relation status for Russia based on this policy of free and unfettered immigration. However, there are important issues that must be addressed during this discussion that go beyond just the issue of the Helsinki accords as it dealt with the subject of immigration. For example, there are some outstanding trade issues that need to be addressed. Among these are recent problems dealing with the U.S. poultry exports to Russia.

We also need to see greater progress on religious freedom and human rights, and the concerns of many people within Russia and also people outside of Russia who have concerns that Russia have more religious freedom.

I am pleased that President Bush has stated his commitment to work with Russia to help freedom and tolerance become fully protected in Russian law and Russian life.

President Bush has also stated his commitment to work with Russia to advance free immigration, safeguard religious liberty, and enforce legal protections for ethnic and religious minorities.

I am surely hopeful that President Bush will further address these concerns openly and candidly in his discussions with President Putin during his upcoming visit.

So I believe the best hope for a positive future between our two countries is to develop an understanding of, and appreciation for, each culture, with both personal and business relationships. The development of commerce, international trade, and the sharing of ideas will further advance economic and political stability for both Americans and Russians.

I have said so many times on the floor of the Senate--particularly when trade issues are before this body, and even sometimes when trade issues are not before this body--that we political leaders and diplomats should not be so smug as to think that the only way we are going to have peaceful relations between us--between the United States and some other country--is if political leaders and diplomats do it.

In fact, I have expressed the view that our efforts are kind of a spit in the ocean compared to the efforts that can be made through commerce. That is why I have stated that this trade promotion authority bill is so important to world peace, to the development of relationships, because as we break down the barriers of trade, as we enhance opportunities for commerce, individual businesspeople in one community doing business in another country, and vice versa, we are going to build relationships that will enhance opportunities for peace much greater than what political leaders can do, not denigrating the efforts of political leaders in the process.

This is particularly true as we look forward to doing away with Jackson-Vanik vis-à-vis Russia, as we look forward to Russia coming into the World Trade Organization, very much as we have looked at improving our relationship with China, with China now being a member of the World Trade Organization.

So what the Senator from Kansas is doing may be a small step by political leaders, but it is an important small step. I just think his doing it on this trade promotion bill is not the ideal place to do it. So that is why I have offered this second-degree amendment.

I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution which, in turn, supports President Bush's policy objectives with respect to the Russian Federation and calls for the termination, in an appropriate and timely manner, of the application of Jackson-Vanik provisions to Russia.

When it comes to the issue of this substitute that is before us, I hope we can get it adopted in a consensus way because this is one opportunity for us to show support for the President. Whether we are Republicans or Democrats, we have to admit that when it comes to enhancing our relationships with Russia, it has to be done through our head of state, through our chief diplomat, our Chief Executive, the President of the United States.

We should do everything we can to support the President at the time of his trip to Europe, to Moscow and St. Petersburg to further refine our relationships with the President of the Russian Federation and, in turn, with the Russian people.

return to top

---

US Senate eyes normal trade relations with Russia

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Reuters) - On the eve of President George W. Bush's visit to Moscow, the U.S. Senate signaled its willingness to waive a Cold War-era restriction on trade with Russia – but not just yet.

The Senate adopted a nonbinding resolution calling for the United States to establish permanent normal trade relations with Russia “in an appropriate and timely fashion.”

The measure was adopted on voice vote during debate on a bill to expand Bush's ability to negotiate new trade pacts.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, a Delaware Democrat, said he could not support waiving three-decade-old “Jackson-Vanik” trade restrictions until Russia fully lifts an ban on U.S. poultry imports.

“I can either be Russia's best friend or worst enemy,” said Biden, whose state is a major poultry producer. “They keep fooling around like this, they're going to have me as their worst enemy.”

Biden complained that Russian import licensing requirements have had the effect of maintaining the import ban even though Russian officials say it has been lifted.

Russia, which imported $640 million worth of U.S. poultry products last year, banned imports from March 10 to April 15, citing health concerns about antibiotics in feed and salmonella. The move came shortly after the United States slapped tariffs on foreign steel, including Russian shipments.

The resolution approved by the Senate was a watered-down version of legislation offered by Sen. Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican.

His original amendment would have allowed Bush to permanently waive the Jackson-Vanik provisions, which require Moscow to demonstrate it allows free emigration to qualify for normal trade relations.

Congress passed Jackson-Vanik in 1974 to hold U.S.-Soviet trade hostage to progress by Moscow in allowing Russian Jews and other religious minorities to emigrate freely.

Bush had urged Congress to graduate Moscow from the Jackson-Vanik provision before his summit this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The issue is to some degree symbolic, since Moscow has been in compliance with Jackson-Vanik since 1994.

The poultry issue blocked action on Jackson-Vanik in the U.S. House of Representatives, where key lawmakers had expressed sympathy for removing the measure.

However, Senate Finance Committee Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, may be an even bigger obstacle to congressional action on the issue.

Baucus, whose committee has jurisdiction over trade issues, has balked at removing Jackson-Vanik until Russia has reached agreement with the United States on the terms of its entry into the World Trade Organization.

He indicated on Wednesday that would remain the case even if U.S.-Russia poultry trade fully resumes.

return to top