Katie Porter: “China is one of the world's major human rights abusers. It ranks right up there with Nigeria, Burma, Turkey, and the…”

“China is one of the world's major human rights abusers. It ranks right up there with Nigeria, Burma, Turkey, and the Sudan. There is no doubt whatsoever about this. Each year we debate MFN, we vent our anger and frustration with China and we send messages. I have consistently, Mr. Speaker, voted to cut off MFN. But nothing ever happens. And nothing will happen this year. The MFN approach is a legislative and policy dead end. If MFN were eliminated, surely it would cut off American influence in China. It might well slow the pace of economic freedom in China that ultimately, I believe, will lead to political freedom. And clearly it would hurt the common people of Hong Kong who have lived in freedom and under the rule of law and face an uncertain future under Chinese sovereignty. Mr. Speaker, we must move beyond the MFN exercise to a positive agenda for the values we believe in for all people. The gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier] and I have joined together with a number of our colleagues and will introduce later this week the China Human Rights and Democracy Act of 1997.”