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The Administration strongly opposes H.J.Res. 101, which would disapprove the
extension of a waiver of the Jackson-Vanik freedom of emigration requirements
with respect to Vietnam. On June 3, President Bush determined that continuation
of the Jackson-Vanik waiver would substantially promote the freedom of
emigration objectives of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. The United States has
extended a Jackson-Vanik waiver to Vietnam for the past four years. The
Administration urges the Congress to defeat H.J.Res. 101 for the reasons
explained below.
The Administration has worked with Vietnam over the last decade to normalize
incrementally our bilateral political, economic, and consular relationships.
Our increasing involvement has secured Vietnamese cooperation and engagement on
a range of important U.S. policy goals, including freedom of emigration. Since
1980, over 500,000 Vietnamese have emigrated as refugees or immigrants to the
United States and only a small number of refugee applicants remain to be
processed.
We believe that continued U.S. engagement also gives hope of achieving the
fullest possible accounting of POW/MIAs from the Vietnam War, and producing
gains in respect for human rights as well. In addition, U.S. engagement is
helping to promote the development of a more prosperous Vietnam and to integrate
it into world markets and regional organizations, which, in turn, helps
contribute to regional stability.
As the thirteenth most populous country in the world, Vietnam is an important
potential market for U.S. business. Last December the U.S. and Vietnam entered
into a bilateral trade agreement that has helped fuel a rapid expansion in trade
between our two countries. The Jackson-Vanik waiver, which enables the
extension of Normal Trade Relations status for Vietnam and full implementation
of the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral trade agreement, has permitted U.S. businesses to
take advantage of business opportunities opened by the bilateral trade
agreement. Moreover, the waiver also enables the extension of U.S. Government
programs supporting U.S. exports to and investments in Vietnam, which U.S.
businesses are able to take advantage of to further their interests in Vietnam.
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