Sam Gejdenson: “Mr. Speaker, while it is just morning in India, it is rather late in the evening here, so I will be brief. A few folks…”

“Mr. Speaker, while it is just morning in India, it is rather late in the evening here, so I will be brief. A few folks watching at home include my son, Ari, who stayed up to hear this debate. And I am sorry to see the chairman engage in some gratuitous assaults on the administration, because, indeed, it is President Clinton who lead the recent trip to India and really welding together these two great democracies. And while Congress and many of the people in government, executive and legislative, had not recognized for a long time the important bond between India and the United States and Connecticut with the leadership of Chet Bowles, twice ambassador to India, the Congressman from my district, when I was a young man and a governor of the State of Connecticut, he understood even then how important this relationship between the United States and India was. The present ambassador at work for Chester Bowles is doing a fine job there, as the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) pointed out. This Thursday we will have an address by the Prime Minister of India, an address that will be greeted in this House by near bipartisan support and approval. As we have ended the confrontation with the old Soviet Union, the natural bonds between our two democracies continue to build a stronger and stronger relationship. The United States is India's largest trading partner.”