Jeff Bingaman: “earlier today, the Senate voted to grant permanent normal trade relations to Russia by a vote of 92 to 4, and I strongly…”

“earlier today, the Senate voted to grant permanent normal trade relations to Russia by a vote of 92 to 4, and I strongly supported that bill. To extend PNTR to Russia, we had to repeal an out-of-date policy that was adopted during the Cold War; that is, the Jackson-Vanik amendment. I wish to speak briefly on the Senate floor this afternoon about another out-of-date policy of the Cold War that I believe should be ended; that is, the trade embargo on Cuba. I have spoken about this many times in the past. Along with Senator Pell, Senator Dodd, and many others, I argued against the Helms-Burton Act in 1996. For the past 50 years, our country's policy toward Cuba has been essentially stagnant. The core element of our foreign policy--which is the embargo--was authorized in a proclamation signed by President Kennedy on February 3, 1962; that is, 51 years ago. At that time, President Kennedy justified the embargo by citing the `` . . . subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism with which the Government of Cuba is publicly aligned. . . . '' He also stated his willingness to ``. . . take all necessary actions to promote national and hemispheric security by isolating the present Government of Cuba and thereby reducing the threat posed by its alignment with the communist powers.'' It is an understatement to say President Kennedy's rationale is from a different era. The Cold War is over. The ``subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism'' has been turned back.…”