House
Approves Sanctions on Vietnam
By THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS
Filed at 7:58
p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) --
The House voted Monday to restrict U.S. aid to Vietnam if that country fails
to improve what lawmakers said was a deplorable human rights record.
``Vietnam needs to
come out of the dark ages of repression, brutality and abuse and embrace
freedom, the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights,'' said Rep.
Chris Smith, R-N.J., sponsor of the legislation that passed 323-45.
Under the measure,
U.S. nonhumanitarian aid to Vietnam would be capped at levels of the current
fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, unless the president certified substantial
progress by Vietnam in releasing political and religious prisoners and
respecting religious freedom. Certification would be renewable annually.
Total U.S. aid to
Vietnam in 2004 is almost $40 million, with money going to projects including
removal of land mines left from the Vietnam War, disaster relief and food and
health programs.
The bill also
approved money for nongovernmental organizations that promote democracy in
Vietnam and for work toward overcoming Vietnamese jamming of Radio Free Asia.
The House approved a
similar Vietnam human rights bill in 2001, coinciding with passage of
legislation promoting trade with the communist nation. The Senate never voted
on the human rights bill.
Rep. Lane Evans,
D-Ill., said he opposed Smith's bill because it ``will only embolden
hard-liners within Vietnam.''
He said Vietnam has
cooperated fully toward recovering soldiers' remains from the war and is
working hard to protect intellectual property rights better. He noted
President Bush also named Vietnam last month as a focus country for the U.S.
HIV/AIDS initiative. These efforts, he said, ``would be endangered by the
shift in relations under this legislation.''
Smith said money to
fight AIDS in Vietnam would not be reduced by the legislation.
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The bill is H.R.
1587.