Calvin Dooley: “I am joining with what I think is one of America's greatest Vietnam war heroes, a former colleague and our present…”

“I am joining with what I think is one of America's greatest Vietnam war heroes, a former colleague and our present ambassador to Vietnam, in asking all my colleagues to vote in opposition to this bill. The reason for it, I think, is clear. We have Vietnam now the 12th largest country in the world in terms of population. Almost 70 percent of those residents of Vietnam are under the age of 25, the vast majority of which were born after the Vietnam war. I think, clearly, this country has demonstrated, by a policy of economic and social and cultural engagement, we have been able to have the greatest impact in improving the quality of lives of those countries in which we reach out to. We make the greatest difference advancing human rights, the greatest difference in advancing the issue of religious freedom, the greatest impact in advancing the concept of democracy when we choose to economically and culturally and socially engage with a country. That is what it is all about, when we continue with the waiver for Jackson-Vanik. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this motion.”