David Cay Johnston: “I rise in support of the Cohen amendment. I was part of a group that perfected an amendment and put out a ``Dear…”

“I rise in support of the Cohen amendment. I was part of a group that perfected an amendment and put out a ``Dear Colleague'' letter. It was similar in many respects to the Cohen amendment. It had some significant differences, and we had a broad support I believe for that amendment. But, Mr. President, we have determined--Senator Nickles and I, and other supporters of this amendment--that the differences between the Johnston-Nickles amendment and the Cohen amendment were not sufficient so as to divide our forces. And we believe that essentially this amendment incorporates what we think is the central thrust of our amendment. So, therefore, we support it, and I urge my colleagues to do so. Mr. President, this is a difficult question. No one defends the SLORC, the group that is running Myanmar, or Burma. It is true they are a bad regime. They are not an Iran in the sense that they do not practice state terrorism. They are not a Nazi Germany in the sense that they engage in genocide. But they are plenty bad, Mr. President, and we do not defend them. The question is: Would it be effective to do what Senator McConnell has proposed? Would it be effective? Would it help achieve the end? Mr. President, I think it would do precisely and exactly the opposite. Mr. President, to cut off American participation in Burma--not foreign participation but American participation--would be exactly the wrong thing.”