William Helms: “As has been made clear, this amendment is a version of a bill offered last week by Senators McConnell, Biden, and…”

“As has been made clear, this amendment is a version of a bill offered last week by Senators McConnell, Biden, and others. At that time, Senators felt pressure to lift sanctions on India and Pakistan, thereby precluding U.S. companies from participating in a significant wheat tender. I understood the urgency, and I therefore supported my colleagues. On the question of sanctions in general, and sanctions on India and Pakistan in particular, however, several points need to be emphasized. The sanctions task force appointed by the majority and minority leaders, as of last week's sanctions relief bill, had met twice at a staff level. No one saw the proposed bill language, which, as originally written, would have lifted not only economic, but also military and dual use sanctions on India and Pakistan for a period of nine months. Mr. President, I believe the majority leader was serious in his desire to constitute a group of Senators who, after due deliberation, would make recommendations on sanctions. That did not happen. Instead, we have rushed forward, willy nilly, with bills and amendments that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not considered. Indeed, last week we were presented with language that even the members of the sanctions task force had not considered. It is my firm belief that at any given time we have one Commander in Chief and one Secretary of State.”