Pete Stark: “I suggest for those of us who live in such grandeur and have the most productive Nation in the world, why not risk? Why…”

“I suggest for those of us who live in such grandeur and have the most productive Nation in the world, why not risk? Why not risk ending slave labor? Why not? Because the other side will say that we cannot offend Boeing who wants to sell jets to China, and Motorola their cell phones. Why do we not risk stopping the murder of female babies? No way. Wal-Mart needs those cheap T-shirts and sneakers. Or why not encourage religious freedom? Forget it. Agriculture needs to sell grain and cotton to China, those small family farmers like Archer and Daniels and Midland. Why did it work in South Africa? They tell us we were not alone in South Africa. We were all alone when we voted the Helms-Burton bill, were we not? And why is it that Cuba is treated real tough and China is not? Maybe it is because Cuba did not make big political contributions to Clinton-Gore and other campaigns. Maybe that is why. And maybe that, Mr. Speaker, is why we are seeing human decency sell out to big money. If Members believe that they can stand up for human decency, and if Members believe that this country is strong enough to compete with anyone based on its human values, then they will vote for this resolution and send a message to China that may get them to change.”