William Helms: “we would not be here today were it not for the tireless efforts of Senator Don Nickles. Twenty-eight other Republican…”

“we would not be here today were it not for the tireless efforts of Senator Don Nickles. Twenty-eight other Republican and Democratic Senators who co-sponsored S. 1868 (which is essentially the pending substitute amendment) and, for that matter all Americans, owe Senator Nickles and his able staff a debt of gratitude. Now then, the pending amendment is a modification of S. 1868. I am a cosponsor of S. 1868, and while I will vote for the pending compromise language, I confess that it does not go far enough for my taste. To be sure, these compromises were forced upon the sponsors by a White House and State Department who fought us at every step and habitually moved the goal posts during negotiations. The Clinton Administration may prefer that we do nothing, but doing nothing isn't an option. As you know, Mr. President, the Foreign Relations Committee has taken the lead in several historic steps by the Senate in recent months to advance U.S. foreign policy interests--including passage of a far-reaching State Department reorganization and U.N. reform package and the NATO Expansion Treaty. Nevertheless, I believe it is obvious that neither initiative has stirred the hearts and souls of the folks back home in churches and synagogues to the same degree as the growing persistent torture and abuse of Christians, Jews and other religious minorities at the hands of intolerant foreign governments.”