Harry Johnston: “I rise in strong opposition to the Burton amendment here. As a major superpower, the United States should be in the…”

“I rise in strong opposition to the Burton amendment here. As a major superpower, the United States should be in the forefront of support of democracy for this thriving free market economy in South Africa. The present South Africa initiative is a prime example of America's commitment to assist the incoming Government of South Africa in reconstruction and development. This package should be supported and, in fact, many believe, and I believe, it is not enough. The package in its current form only calls for about $120 million in additional expenditures over the next 3 years, and this is a modest amount in comparison to the billions of dollars that we are giving to the Middle East and Egypt and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Apartheid left a horrible legacy, and this brutal system has had a devastating effect on 35 million black South Africans. I admit, I say to the gentleman from Indiana, this country is rich. But the black South Africans are not rich. They are extremely poor.”