Dana Rohrabacher: “Mr. Speaker, I have introduced House Joint Resolution 55, a resolution disapproving the extension of the President's…”

“Mr. Speaker, I have introduced House Joint Resolution 55, a resolution disapproving the extension of the President's waiver for the corrupt communist regime in Vietnam on the Jackson-Vanik provision of the Trade Act of 1974. During the past 12 months, despite previous Presidential waivers, the communist regime in Vietnam has actually increased its brutal repression, especially against religious leaders and other members of the clergy; it has increased its repression of those who are advocating democracy; and it has increased its repression against ethnic tribal minorities. When we take a look, especially at that last category, today, as we speak, the Montagnards, who were great allies of the United States of America, who risked their lives in order to save thousands of Americans, are under severe attack by the government of Vietnam. Yet we sit here and extend to them, again, a waiver on their conduct? I do not think so. This Member of Congress spent some time with the Montagnards in 1967. I was in a small camp near Pleiku, Vietnam, and I found the Montagnard people, although they are very short people, to be some of the most courageous people in the world. Yet they cast their lot with us, and we abandoned them at that time at the end of the war. In 1967, probably some of those Montagnards were responsible for my life.”