Orrin Hatch: “it is fitting that, as we conclude the 105th Congress, we can add to our long list of accomplishments the passage of the…”

“it is fitting that, as we conclude the 105th Congress, we can add to our long list of accomplishments the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. This bill has been in the works throughout this Congress and is a fine example of the legislative results we can achieve through long, thoughtful study and debate. I would like to compliment the numerous members and their staffs who have worked on this bill since its inception. Senator Specter introduced the first version of this bill last year. Senator Lugar and Senator Lieberman worked diligently to develop that initial draft. And Senator Nickles took the final drafts and brought the bill to the version we will vote on today. Numerous compromises were made, but the lasting product of this body rarely passes without such compromising, and again I wish to compliment all the senators who so assiduously developed the bill I expect will pass overwhelmingly this morning. There is a conceptual problem whenever we seek to apply serious diplomatic and economic sanctions to worldwide problems. On the one hand, you risk over 70 cases of unintended consequences. I use that number because recent estimates are that at least 70 nations violate, abuse or proscribe outright religious freedom.”