Ed Royce: “this is not a debate about trade or investment. American companies, I think we all know, are free to trade with and…”

“this is not a debate about trade or investment. American companies, I think we all know, are free to trade with and invest in Vietnam. We all wish them well in that. This resolution does nothing to change that. What this resolution does is to say, now is not the time to send in government agencies, OPIC and the Eximbank, which is the practical effect of this waiver, and give us more leverage to fight for the many interests we have in Vietnam. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Since we began normalizing relations with Vietnam, we have extended more and more to the Vietnamese government. As of today, we have given it recognition. We have opened an embassy in Hanoi. We have sent an ambassador to work out the many real interests we have in Vietnam. Today we are looking at letting a Jackson-Vanik waiver to go by and opening the door for OPIC and Eximbank funding, a subsidy to Vietnam. These gradual changes in our policy I thought were to be done with a sense of expectation of the Vietnamese government.”