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Morning News

China Trade Bill Passes House with Larger-than-Expected Majority, Heads for Senate

Aired May 25, 2000 - 9:05 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also in Washington this morning, supporters of permanent trade relations with China are turning their focus toward the U.S. Senate. That's where the China trade bill is heading for a possible vote next month. Yesterday, the House did pass that measure, but critics say that measure will cost American workers their jobs. President Clinton disagrees. He and others who back the bill insist that it will open China's vast markets to U.S. exports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: With more than a billion people China is the largest new market in the world. Our administration has negotiated an agreement which will open China's markets to American products made on American soil, everything from corn to chemicals to computers.

Today the House has affirmed that agreement. We will be exporting, however, more than our products. By this agreement, we will also export more of one of our most cherished values: economic freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: China called yesterday's vote a "wise" decision. In large measure, though, the vote was seen as a foreign policy victory for the president and a defeat for organized labor.

ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go right to Capitol Hill for some reaction. CNN national correspondent Bob Franken joins us.

Bob, what's the buzz inside the Beltway?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, you will recall that yesterday we were saying this was going to be close, and we certainly were wrong about that. But we were also saying that if it passes the House that it is going to be an easy ride through the Senate, and that may be a tiny bit wrong.

I think many people believe that the senators just don't want to be taken for granted, given the egos in the upper chamber. So now there are going to be some hearings. They are going to be conducted by Senator Jesse Helms, who is head of Foreign Relations, who likes to make trouble for this administration on international matters.

But if the script holds out, next month it will go to the Senate, and there is pretty much a free trade mentality over there. And if there is no complication, it should pass the Senate, and of course, then would be signed by President Clinton.

But there is, of course, the analysis now, and this is viewed as a victory for bipartisanship. President Clinton and the House Republican leaders getting together with big business, and a slap at the face at organized labor. Many, many months before the election, so there is no really strong feeling that organized labor is going to take it out on Democrats who didn't go along with them because organized labor has a very strong interest in keeping a Democratic White House and trying to regain a Democratic House of Representatives.

HALL: Obviously, a lot of last-minute lobbying. How is it that so many people ended up coming on board at the last minute, Bob?

FRANKEN: Well, this is kind of the normal way you whip, that is the term, that you persuade members in a tough vote to go along with you. You spend months, as they did, persuading them, going to their district. Big business spent lots and lots of money.

On the other side, organized labor would hammer very hard at the members they were trying to win over. And in the end, the powerful forces and the big bucks of big business, along with the power of President Clinton and the House Republicans leaders was too much for organized labor. They had too many favors they could grant, and there were able to, in fact, not only persuade a small majority to vote, but a large majority to vote for permanent normal trade relations with China.

HALL: And we will just have to see what kind of muscles are flexed in the Senate coming up. Bob Franken, reporting live from Washington. Thanks, Bob.

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