Chuck Hagel: “I rise to support Senator Lugar's amendment. I am an original cosponsor of that amendment. I am an original cosponsor of…”

“I rise to support Senator Lugar's amendment. I am an original cosponsor of that amendment. I am an original cosponsor of the Lugar amendment because I believe the Lugar amendment applies some common sense and some relevancy to the issue of sanctions. I know that we have a bipartisan task force on sanctions. I think most of this body supports the efforts of that task force, but I don't see any conflict in what Senator Lugar is proposing today, and what Senator Dodd and others will propose later, with the task force assignment. It is interesting to note that since 1993 we have imposed 65 unilateral sanctions on 35 nations. We have some responsibility to give some focus and some understanding to our trade policy, which is part of our foreign policy, which is connected to our national security, which is connected to our economy and jobs and growth and productivity. I fail to appreciate why this is not relevant, why this is not important. This is not getting in the way of the task force. The task force, as I understand it, is to help frame up this issue. This amendment would not undo any existing sanctions. This amendment would establish a process for a more rational consideration of future use of sanctions. Sanctions surely must remain a tool of foreign policy, but sanctions are not foreign policy. Sanctions are only effective when they are multilateral. The world is dynamic. The world is changing. Trade is spherical. It moves.”