On the recordMay 17, 2010
I commend my good friends, Senator Cardin and Senator Lugar from Indiana, once again. He has taken a leadership role. I am struck by the fact that just a little while ago we adopted the Cornyn amendment. The Cornyn amendment puts restraints on the IMF's ability to accept that in some very poor countries they are going to have to repay their IMF obligations. That amendment needs some work. But having adopted that amendment almost unanimously it is now critically important we adopt this amendment, in my view, because it complements, in a sense, the Cornyn amendment. Many of these people living in poor countries have little ability--despite being mineral and resource rich--to accumulate the wealth so they can avoid having to have IMF assistance to bail them out or give them assistance during difficult times. If we are truly interested in the language of the Cornyn amendment, then we must complement it, in my view, by accepting the Cardin-Lugar amendment because it goes beyond just the Congo.
