Tina Smith: “I do not know that you can say emphatically and without any doubt that Vietnam is ready to embrace the rule of law. I…”

“I do not know that you can say emphatically and without any doubt that Vietnam is ready to embrace the rule of law. I think, if I understand this amendment and I understand the debate here, it is more likely that we are trying to encourage them through these dollars to embrace the rule of law and to make it easier for companies who do business there to do so under some legal system. That would be my interpretation of it. I do not think Vietnam has embraced the rule of law and said we will embrace the rule of law if you provide us this $1.5 million. My point is, I say to my friend, the issue here is really: Have they made the decision and is it fair for us to put $1.5 million in aid in there when we have this money that is already owed us? Why make an exception? That is the issue.”