will take your questions and comments live. at 1:30 p.m., a look back at presidential speeches commemorating the day. >> traveling in europe this week, president obama pledged to boost u.s. military deployment. this comes after russia's intervention in ukraine. tomorrow morning, the president will speak at a ceremony in poland marking the anniversary of the first elections. live coverage at 5:30 a.m. eastern. queen elizabeth will travel from buckingham palace to parliament for the state opening of the british parliament. she would've -- deliver a speech on that government priorities for the coming year. this week is the 25th anniversary of the tiananmen square protests.

coming up, we will give you some of the reaction from the u.s. government in the days following the chinese government crackdown on demonstrators. we will start with remarks from bush a-- george h.w. couple of days after the chinese troops marched on protesters killing hundreds and arresting thousands. president bush announced several measures including a suspension of the chinese military. >> during the past few days, elements of the chinese army have been brutally suppressing popular and peaceful demonstrations in china. there has been widespread and continuing violence, many casualties and many deaths. we deplore the decision to use force and i now call in the chinese leadership publicly as i have in public channels to avoid violence and to return to their

previous policy of restraint. the demonstrators in tiananmen square were advocating basic human rights, including the freeze -- freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of association. these are goals we support around the world. that are freedoms enshrined in both the u.s. constitution and the chinese constitution. throughout the world, we stand with those who seek greater freedom and democracy. this is a strongly felt review of my administration, of our congress, and the most important the american people. mutualnt weeks, we urged restraint, nonviolence, and dialogue. instead, there has been a violent and bloody attack on the demonstrators. the united states cannot condone the violent attacks and cannot ignore the consequences for our relationship with china which has been built on a foundation

of broad support by the american people. this is not the time for an emotional response, but for a reasoned, careful action that takes into account both our long-term interests in recognition of the complex internal situation in china. is turmoil within the ranks of the political leadership as well as of the liberationpeople's army in now is the time to look beyond the moment to important and enduring aspects of this vital relationship for the united states. the budding of democracy which we have seen in recent weeks bodes much than the relationship we have developed since 1972. it is important at this time to act in a way that will encourage the further development and the deepening of the positive elements of that relationship. the process of democratization. it would be a tragedy for all if

china were to pull back to its pre-1972 era of isolation and repression. mindful of these complexities and yet as a necessity to thengly in clearly show condemnation of their events, i am ordering the following actions -- a of all government to government sales and commercial exports of weapons. suspension of visits between u.s. and chinese military leaders. sympathetic review of request by chinese students in the united states to extend their stay. the offer of humanitarian and medical assistance through the red cross to those injured during the assault and review of other aspects of our bilateral relationships as event in china continue to unfold. the process of democratization of communist societies will not be a smooth one. we must react to setbacks in a way which stimulates rather than stifles progress towards open

and representative systems. fewll be glad to take a questions before our cabinet meeting which starts in a few minutes. tom? said. president, you have democracy cannot be put back in the bottle for china. you have said before that the actions of the past weekend -- do you still believe that and are there further steps the united states can take like economic sanctions? >> i still believe that. i still believe the forces of democracy are so powerful. asn you see them as recently this morning, i single student standing in front of a tank. then, i might add, seeing the tank driver exercising restraint. i'm convinced the forces of democracy are going to overcome these unfortunate events in tiananmen square. on the commercial side, i do not

want to hurt the chinese people. i happen to believe the commercial contacts have led in essence to this quest for more freedom. i think as people have incentive, thesen move to democracy becomes more. what we have done is suspended certain things in the military side. my concern is with those in the military who are using force. yet, when i see some exercising restraint and see the big is it -- divisions that exist within i think we need to move along the lines. i think it is important to keep saying to those elements in the chinese military restraint, continue to show the restraint.

i understand there are deep divisions inside the army. we are putting the emphasis on that side of it. helen? >> why do you think they moved in the way they did and why did you wait so long? >> i don't think we waited so long. i made very clear in a personal communication my views on this. we talk to the ambassador last night. we have been in touch constantly with the chinese officials. i don't feel we have waited long when you have a force of this nature. and when you have events of this nature unfolding. we are the united states and they are china. what i want to do is to continue to urge freedom, democracy, respect, nonviolence. and, with great admiration in my heart for the student. i do not think we waited long. >> the chinese government waited a long time, more than we expected.

what do you think -- >> i am glad you read that point. we were and have been continuing to urge restraint. they did show restraint when he was here. this is very chinese the way he expressed it. the army loves the chinese people. they showed restraint for a long time and i cannot begin to fathom exactly what led to the even to use force because as recently as a couple of days evidence that the military were under orders not to use force. i think we have to wait until that unfolds. best assessment of the political situation there. which leaders are up, which are down. say. is too obscure to

i would remind you of the history. ,n the cultural revolution days the right hadnd was put out. in 1976, he was put out again. then he came back in and to his moved china towards openness, towards democracy, towards reform. suddenly, we see a reversal and i don't think there is anybody in this country that can answer your question with authority at this point. it does not work that way. >> he was behind the move -- other reports is that he is in the hospital. >> we don't know for sure on either end. i spoke to the ambassador on that last night and we cannot confirm one way or another. >> you spoke of the need for the u.s. to maintain relations with china. given the brutality of thes

attacks, can the u.s. ever return to business as usual with the current regime? want to see a total break in this relationship. i will not encourage a total break in the relationship. this relationship our ambassador provide some of the best listening post we have in china. he is thoroughly experienced so make others make proposals. see us stay involved and continue to work for restraint and for human rights

and for democracy. down the road, we have enormous, natalie -- commonality interests. i stop short of suggesting that what we ought to do was break relations with china. i would like to encourage them to continue their change. a couple of weeks ago, students continue to stand by. what message do you want for them? fore support their quest democracy, for reform, and for freedom. there should be no doubt about that. then, in sending this message to the military, i would encourage them to go back to the posture of a few days ago that did show restraint and that didn't recognize the rights of the people and that did that minimize that the army loves the people.

there are examples of that. i cannot dictate to the students what they should do from halfway around the world. we support the quest for democracy and reform. i just have to repeat that. >> i would like to ask you about the other development in iran. what is your assessment of who is in charge and what opportunities the changes in iran korea for the u.s.? >> we are not sure yet. the will having been read by his son. again, in the society of that nature, i would repeat what i said. there is a way for relationship with the united states to improve and that is for a release of the american hostages. i cannot give you an answer on that one. no expert can either.

overture?plan any is there any other opening towards iran? >> no. they know what they need to do. they have been a terrorist state. as soon as we see some move away from oppression and extremism of that nature, we will review our relationship. we are working our way back. >> on the question of economic sanctions -- did you consider economic sanctions? what we do of the violence escalates? >> i reserve the right to take a whole new look at things of the violence escalates. i indicated to you why i think the suspension of certain military relationships is better than moving against the economic side. >> do you feel the chinese leadership cares what the united states does or thinks right now? >> i think they are in the sense

of contradiction themselves right now. china has historic lee been less than totally interested in what other countries think about their performance. you have to look at the middle kingdom syndrome. you look back in history when outsiders, including the united states, were viewed as "barbarians." historically, china with its immense pride and cultural background and enormous history of conflict, internal and asked external, has been fairly independent. i have the feeling china wants to be a more acceptable in the family of nations. i think any observer would agree that indeed they have moved in that direction. i would like to encourage them to move further in that direction by recognizing the rights of these young people and

by rebuking any use of force. americans do not understand the chinese. how do you account for the excessive violence? that they would drive armored carriers into people. how do you explain that? because hard to explain there was that restraint that was properly being showed for a while on the part of the military. challenge to come in and restore what i'm sure they've been told they are ordered to a situation which i expect they were told was an archaic. i cannot explain it. i can explain it unless they were under orders and then you get into the argument about what orders you follow? i condemn it. i don't try to explain it. let me take these next two rows.

>> would you be able to accommodate congress for sanctions? many lawmakers believe you were slow condemn -- to condemn china. >> i told you what i'm going to do. i set the foreign-policy objectives and actions taken by the executive branch. i am nothey know that only having a keen personal interest in china but i understand it reasonably well. i will reiterate to the leaders of my conviction that this is not a time for anything other than a prudent reasoned response. it is a time to assert our commitment to democracy. emphasize the strength that we give to democracy in situations of this nature. i come back to the front line question here.

may go ak this change couple steps forward and may take a couple steps back but it is on the move. the genie will not be put back in the bottle. i am trying to take steps that will encourage a peaceful change and yet recognize the fact that china does have great pride in its own history. my recommendations are based on my knowledge of chinese history. i would argue with those to want to do something more flamboyant because i happen to feel this relationship is vital to the united states of america and so was our adherence to democracy and our encouragement for those who are willing to hold high the banner of democracy. yes? >> do you think the events in china can have a chilling effect on democratic reforms occurring in other communist countries,

particularly in the soviet union and eastern europe? when they look at that in china. >> i think the move we are seeing in a tenure of today and the soviet union are going to go forward. i think people are watching more givenorror and saying how this movement to democracy can the chinese leadership react in the way they have. a sign tois may be others around the world that people are heroic when it comes to their commitment to democratic change. i would just urge the chinese leaders to recognize that. last wrotrow here. >> there are reports of the chinese military -- they brought sending-- how does these military relationship

encourage any kind of change? can you explain what that is? >> i explained it because i want to keep it on the military side. i have expressed here rhetorically the indignation we feel. i recognize the history of china moving into its own middle kingdom syndrome as it is done in various times and it's past. i i want to encourage the things that helps the chinese people. i think now the suspension is going to send a strong signal. i am not saying it is going to cure the short-range problem in china. any outsidee country can cure the short-range . i think it is very important that chinese leaders know it is not going to be business as usual. i think it is important that the army knows that we want to see restraint and this is the best way to signal that. any others?

about theked divisions within the chinese army. thereh your advisors fear could be a civil conflict between army commanders? to speculate on that. there are differences clearly within the army in terms of use of force. otherwise they wouldn't be doing what david pointed out is happening. units coming in from outside. it is not incidentally timmons where -- tiananmen square that this problem exists. wenzhou.shanghai, they brought the troops in from outside because the beijing troops apparently demonstrated a great sense of activity -- sensitivity to the cause of the young people.

disciplined as they were, they opted for the side of democracy. toertainly don't want speculate on something i don't -- i cannot reach that conclusion. >> some of the soldiers units burn their own trucks. did you receive the same types of the -- same type of intelligence? >> i don't believe the intelligence said that. there are reports that it is very difficult for some of these in the military who are much more sympathetic to the openness, to the demonstrators. i go back to the original question here that tom asked. i think with the change that is taking place so far, we are

beyond a cultural revolution response. i think the depths of the ceiling -- feeling towards democracy is so great that you cannot put the genie back in the bottle and return to total repression. what we're seeing is a manifestation of that in the divisions within the pla. i certainly want to stop short of predicting a civil war between units of the people's liberation army. thank you all very much. >> what did you think of the election? >> i think it was very interesting. i haven't seen the final results, but communist bureaucrats beware. it was quite a move moving towards freedom and democracy. long-termallows, national correspondent joins us. you wrote a great deal about china over the years as we mark

the 25th anniversary of the chinese government crackdown at tiananmen square. tell us how the government reacted to that crackdown. >> i think the initial reaction was measured for personal reasons on the president's part. he had been the first u.s. representative in beijing as relations normalized. i think the u.s. government had gotten clear signals from the chinese that they were taking this very seriously as a matter of internal politics. they were essentially cautioning the united states against doing anything too intrusive or reacting to strongly. >> we heard from chris smith who said a lot about this and characterized that reaction by president bush as tepid. how do you see it? history, youep of

can understand why the first president bush responded the way he did. he had a personal stake with many of the chinese leaders at that time. it was only 10 years into the normalization that began under president carter. there was a sense the united states had to register its displeasure without entirely rupturing relations with china because people then and now recognized there is only so much even the united states can do to shift the internal populations of the government in china. the u.s. had various kinds of embargoes, resolutions condemning the chinese, they try to organize protests but it didn't go further than that because i think the calculation was what finally to the u.s. do? the chinese government was going to ignore. >> in terms of longer term how did the tiananmen massacre change u.s. policy towards china in the long-term if at all? we are showing viewers video of c-span back in 1988.

>> it is more than asterisk. a permit a factor in how the chinese is viewed. through the time of richard nixon and president obama, the u.s. government and businesses have said it is better to engage china than try to exclude china. china is going to develop and it is better if the united states is part of that. the united states is recognizes governmentes the very brutally squashed it. i think the knowledge of that and where the governments' priorities lie has been a permanent factor on how the rest of the world views relations. >> the number killed in cinnamon square -- tiananmen square is still unaccounted for. what are the best numbers you have? there are plausible estimates

that range from a couple hundred to a couple thousand. i've spoken to eyewitnesses both chinese and foreign who have widely different reports. we will probably never know for sure but it was a large-scale killing of chinese citizens by chinese military. whether it is a couple hundred or a couple thousand, it is a very significant episode. >> we have seen mass protests in the middle east, ukraine, and elsewhere. how does the government response to these events impair to the response in the 1980's to tiananmen square? >> i think the only real comparison is with the vents in the former soviet union and the former set -- soviet union of ukraine because in today's , the u.s. recognizes that on the one hand there are events that feel they must commiondemn.

there was a decades long sweep of history and complicated relations and another power that is not entirely within our ability to control. my view having lived in china for numbers of years is the united states cannot dictate with the chinese government is going to do. i think that is a similar correlation when it comes to russia and ukraine. in the case of syria, i think there is a different calculation of what is the right sort of commitment for the u.s. or other countries to make. is a nationalws correspondent for the event a joining us to look for the 25th anniversary of tiananmen square. thank you for being here. >> my pleasure. >> senate leaders took to the floor just days after the tiananmen square massacre to contend the killing of the protesters. we will hear from george mitchell from maine and minority leader bob dole of kansas. this was held june 6, 1989. this week marks the 25th

anniversary of the tiananmen square protests. >> is the president, the people the world over watched for admiration as millions of chinese people led by a group of brave young students staged the largest peaceful demonstration in all of human history. the people the world over watched with disbelief and days asver the past few the chinese people's liberation army brutally suppressed the demonstration killing, wounding, and beating their unarmed fellow citizens. this cruel suppression has been the chinese government answer to the modest demands of the chinese people for a voice in their own future. the chinese people have provided a dramatic demonstration of the

human desire for freedom. it is a universal desire not limited in time, place, or people. it is a desire for which thousands of courageous chinese students and workers, men and women have over the past few days than willing to die. which tanks,e bullets, bayonets, and clubs cannot and will not crush. the courage of the chinese students has inspired the world and galvanized their nation behind their calls for democracy and reform. freedomverywhere want and economic opportunities. communism has failed to provide either. the tanks in tiananmen square stand as mute but moving testimony of the moral bankruptcy of the government

that can maintain itself in power only by killing its own people. of 89-0,, by a vote the senate approved a resolution urging the government of the people's republic of china to take all necessary steps to establish a just and democratic society with a free and open political system that would protect the essential human rights of all the chinese people. time, we ask the secretary of state to communicate to the chinese leadership that official violence or repression directed at peaceful demonstrators seeking democracy and workers rights would seriously damage relations with the united states. the chinese government's answer has been at the imposition of martial law and the murder of thousands of unarmed peaceful demonstrators. such callous this regard to

human rights and basic freedoms which are the foundations of our own society and which the american people strongly support can only have an adverse effect on relations between the two countries. the united states cannot and should not attempt to dictate the course of internal events in china, but we can and should state clearly and other critically -- of the quick -- unequivocally support for those of a placing their lives in the line in support of democracy and freedom in china. we can and should demand that the leaders in china respect the rights of their people and be responsive to legitimate democratic desires of the people of china. we can and should send a clear signal to the chinese people that the united states stands for and in support of freedom here, there, and everywhere.

the president has called on the chinese leadership to avoid further violence and to exercise restraint. he has expressed american condemnation of the brutal repression which is been unleashed on the chinese people by suspending all government sale and commercial exports of taking certainnd other actions, including offers of humanitarian and medical assistance to civilians injured in the people's liberation army's recent unprovoked attacks. i join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in supporting the president's response to the tragic events unfolding in china. i commend him for speaking out on behalf of the people who are fighting and dying for their rannaym from the ty of a totalitarian government. due to the drafting course of

events, i hope additional steps showbe taken to further the serious concern we have regarding the violence and bloodshed they are inflicting on the chinese people. mr. president, distinguished republican leader, senator dole and i are working anether on reaching agreement to offer a resolution suggesting certain other additional actions that should be taken at this time. they are threefold. first that the 40,000 chinese students currently studying in the united states should immediately be granted permission to extend their stay in the united states until the government of china seizes its persecution of students in china. that all applications to the overseas private investment corporation and the export import bank, the finance trade with china should be reviewed

carefully in the light of existing legal requirements for adequate human rights treatment. third, that the president should immediately begin consultation with our major allies to determine collectively whether additional sanctions are necessary. i will urge my colleagues to support this resolution. mr. president, it is my hope and intention to be able to offer this resolution later today as soon as the senate completes action on the supplemental appropriations bill to encourage a debate and discussion among senators on that subject and to have an overwhelming, and hopefully unanimous vote of approval for such a resolution to send a strong signal to the government of china that united states senate condemns the andons they have taken

strongly urges the exercise of restraint in dealing with the peaceful demonstrations now occurring there. i yield to the leader. republican leader is recognized. >> mr. president, i have listened with interest and share his view. we are working on a nonpartisan, bipartisan whenever leadership resolution and i think it will be supported by a number of senators who were at the white house meeting yesterday. before relations committee, armed services committee, and

others. it is in our interest to speak with one voice. i think the president was exactly right. i think supporting the president and indicating other areas -- we have additional concerns and all kinds of options. i had my staff put together a list of options, things we might do. the number of options -- and if the matter continues, those can be ratcheted up. we can add things or do things. lears time there is a c understanding we are united on this issue. we are concerned about human life. yes, we are concerned about our relationship with china. it is a recognition that we don't really know what is happening in beijing or other cities in china. we don't know a lot of reports,

a lot of rumors. there are all kinds of rumors. army fighting army. we are not certain of that, but i would hope there is not any radical efforts to do certain things we might regret. i am certain if we follow the leadership we will be speaking with one voice and acting in concert with the president of the united states. in the past 72 hours, we've been witnessed savage repression of human rights. backward towards a butyl -- brutal disdain towards human life. political turmoil. inone in the city, no one the inner circle of the good -- of the chinese government, no one knows where it will land. end. the chinese government's actions today have been unjustified and -- and inexcusable.

the civilized world is appalled by what we have witnessed and we have the right and obligation to speak out. as majority leader indicated, we are determined the senate will speak out today just as the president did yesterday. the damage to relations between our two nations has already been serious. the potential for far more profound damage is very real. the american people have seen and heard what has happened in beijing these past days. the american people will not tolerate business as usual with a regime that mows down its own citizens in the streets of its capital. the american government cannot conduct normal relations with a regime which believes itself free to act that way. at the president said yesterday, we have a vital interest with the prc. we have a profound and commitment to human freedom and dignity. the chinese government must understand that. while we have no desire to shoot ourselves in the foot, we are

not going to turn our backs on people who want only to be free. the president has spoken strongly and wisely. he has sent a clear and major message. i am convinced it is the right message true to our our deals and consistent with our interests. i am convinced that congress and the american people will overwhelm we support what the president has done and will agree with what he so far has not done. we have to keep the options open. things may happen, things may change. we get more information, more facts, additional action may be necessary. let the chinese authorities understand this. the spasm of blood and brutality must end now. they must accept their own people at the end of the state and not the enemy. they can resume their path towards reform in progress. on that basis, we can resume relationship that has served our

countries. i would urge that after week late thisction afternoon that we will have a debate, a discussion, and we will come together on a resolution that will pass overwhelmingly. we will send a clear message supporting the president, supporting the american people. if you watch television, the --sident said he ihas not tanks coming at that one man is an inspiration. it is one i hope the chinese leaders, whoever they may be today, understand. they should understand that we are not going to back away. we are not trying to disrupt relations. i agree with the senator majority leader reference to

students in this country. the protection of their rights and interests. there are number of things we can do as far as the prc is concerned with investments and credits and a whole host of things and options. i am certain the it ministration has an even longer list. the senator listed options he was looking at yesterday. i would suggest all kinds of things can be done. we will all come up with different ideas. the bottom line is today we should speak with one voice supporting the president, supporting the people of the united states to express our outrage. i yield the balance of my time. >> under the previous order, there will now be a. period for transaction not to

exceed the hour of 10:30 p.m. the senator from oklahoma is recognized. >> i thank the chair. i think the distinguished democratic and republican leaders that have just spoken. and the words they have spoken. the emphasis data placed on the needs for a country to speak at this particular moment united with one voice in a bar parsons. --bipartisan spirit. only we seek -- speak with a single voice can the united states have maximum impact. when we speak with many voices, when we are confused, when we send different singles from different areas of our own government, when we have too many people trying to speak for this country all at once and speaking in different ways, the message simply does not get through. i have been watching the dispatches from china. i've been reading the intelligence reports.

it is my responsibility. that situation there remains a very, very uncertain. there is a clear division of opinion among the top military leadership going all the way down to the unit level. no one knows how that will sort itself out. there are strong differences of opinion among the top leadership of the country even into the bureau itself. which faction will ultimately triumph at this moment is unknown. therefore, we must act in a very careful and measured way. it is my view that a moment like this the person who should speak for the united states of america to assure that we do speak clearly, to assure that what ever we say as a nation is based upon the best information that we can possibly get is the president of the united states, our commander-in-chief.

i am very pleased at the leadership that has been given to the senate this morning by senator mitchell and senator dole who are working together to come forward with a consensus resolution. working with the white house and the president and the preparation of this particular resolution. this senator simply will serve notice right now that i do not intend to vote for any provision that would be inconsistent with or express any lack of support for what the president of the united states is doing. that would be a terrible mistake at this moment. all of us in this country have been moved by white with -- from what we've seen. who could not be touched by the courage and the spirit and the immense dignity with which young people in china have been pushing for democracy? which they have been risking their very lives and some of them tragically laying down

their lives. in seeking what human beings all around the world seek most. spiritual value of democracy and freedom to develop their potential to the fullest. our president has been hard china -- has been our ambassador to china. he is not only our president, he is an expert in this particular area of policy. the action he has taken is absolutely appropriate. we have sent a strong signal that we deplore the use of force. we deplore the mindless and needless killing of these brave young people. we have stopped the sale of military equipment. we have terminated contact with the military representatives of the chinese government. at the same time at this moment, it is important that we keep our

ambassador in beijing so that we can in beijing be heard. so that we can have a clear channel of communication with the leaders of the various factions that are contending for power as they debate among themselves the policies that should be followed. it is important and we withhold further action until we see how the situation unfolds. the president has sent a clear signal on behalf of the american people of our freewheeling -- feeling of revolt and at what has gone on in terms of the blood loss. he has spent a strong signal, the continued action along these lines could imperil the close that has developed between ourselves and the current government of china. at the same time, he is left the door open to those that are working for change and reform to

say that this is an important relationship and one we hope will continue in the future because we hope their efforts will succeed. he has left the channels of communications open at a time in which it is very important for us to communicate. i think it is very important for us today to do two things in the congress. the deep express admiration of the american people for the courage of those in china who have risked their lives in the cause of democracy. repulsion ats our the use of force against these brave young people. it is extremely important that we express our support for the actions taken by the president of the united states. that we established the endce that

the united states was beat with a single voice in the congress has the ability to provide important bipartisan support for the president of the united states in situations that demand it. politics must stop at the water's edge. we must be united as we face the situation like that. my hope is what evolves today in the course of the debate in the senate and the house will prove that we are capable of that kind of bipartisan unity. >> the senator from missouri is recognized. eatrtened say how hard i i am from what i have heard. the senator and i have been working for about two years now to tried to reestablish the

bipartisan foreign-policy for this country. we have pointed out over and 'ser again this evening irresistible impulse for the congress to want to weigh in on every foreign-policy issue with microscopic detail. we have pointed out that when that happens the country does not speak with one voice. it tends to be a message of confusion. into cap any of confusion to the rest of the world. now we have a major event in china. repulsion at what is happening in china. the beating of students, the use of military weaponry against unarmed civilians. 100%ld venture to say that of the people of the united states and 100% of members of congress are united in their

repulsion of what is going on within china. the question is whether we are going to speak in unity. whether we are going to speak with one voice against the happenings in china or whether we are going to do what we so often do in some -- in washington and that is dissolve into a game of one upmanship, of fine-tuning of resolutions, offering a variety of proposals. senator dole said in his remarks that there is a long list of options that is available. while all of us agree in our general view of what is happening in china, my guess is aat if 100 people look at long list of options, we would come up with about a 100 reviews of what options should be used. we can debate forever on the floor of the senate those options.

we could come up with packages and we can come up with lists 45 weybe by a vote of 55, can decide that one alternative is better than another alternative. that should not be the position of the congress of the united states. we should support the president at this time. we should make an effort to reach a consensus. that is why i welcome the statement by the majority leader that there is going to be an effort to put together a leadership resolution. hopefully, a resolution that is drafted in close consultation with the administration. mr. president, we are one mind. united states would like to act as if we are like one mind. let us support the unit -- the president of the united states in addressing this major issue of foreign policy.

>> the chair recognizes the senator from indiana. >> the images this weekend of china's chaotic suffering leaves many of us with the kind of helpless outrage. we are witnessing the work of, a desperate attempt by certain elements of failed aging leadership to retain power. the work of those whose only claim of power was by force and suppression of individual freedom. we have seen the avenue of eternal peace littered with the corpses of political protesters. we have watched students on barricades crushed under the tanks. we have saw soldiers fire on those who attempted to gather and treat the wounded. we learned that the bodies of some students were covered by troops with gasoline and then set a flame to destroy the evidence of this infamous

oppression. now putsse red cross the estimates of dead in the thousands. victims of certain leaders who have sold their own people for the pins of momentary power. somehow given china's apparent moderation of the past three years, we convinced ourselves that the totalitarian violence was a long forgotten madness. the veneer recent cooperation only serves to heighten the effect of his villainy. president bush's response yesterday was appropriate. aerica cannot send weapons to regime that then turns them on their own on armed citizens. i'm convinced that in the coming days we will find other ways to support the chinese people in their trial. i am heartened by the discussion this morning by the majority leader, minority leader and others in terms of our resolve to move again until he forward as a body to support the chinese people.

even as we are sobered by chinese suffering, there was a deeper cause suffering herdsman -- for encouragement. the first tremor of fear. see today recalls words spoken nearly 400 years ago. while england waited in 1588 for a spanish invasion, queen elizabeth reviewed her vastly outnumbered army and addressed them with three words -- let tyrants fear. this morning they do fear all over the world. in poland and hungary, china and czechoslovakia, tyrants fear. they fear the passionate intensity of the young, conscious of that they served an unfolding purpose. they fear the heart experience of the old and bitter divide decades of brutality. they fear most of all when men burdened by oppression stand upright and shout their

defiance. the chantedove all refrains of freedom. there was a time when socialism was a division of forced equality and secular ideology which was ringed with a halo of inevitability. it marched from nation to nation beating on the strength of a promised utopia. these claims have turned to ashes as socialism has failed amid mounds of innocent dead. its promised to move the world but only managed to stain it with blood. today the place of that discredited creed has been taken by the promise of justice. it is freedom that occupies the imagination of passionate reformers. it is liberty that shapes the visions of the disaffected and china is a model. their treads in blood but the way to find force can no longer out balance the on estimated sum of human pain. the memory of past wounds and their anguish appeals to

principal ensure that there will be no return to docile suffering. we cannot see how delivery will come or when it will come but nothing is more certain for frieden has an inevitability of its own and inevitability rooted not in the midst of an unseen dialect the niagara -- highest hopes of common men. chinese freedom will not be stillborn. tanks and troops is not the final measure of light. counsel reality make despair but we trust in the prominence that give strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. we hear the echoing ring of the voices -- let tyrants fear. with the sound of freedom ring. >> the house of representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution condemning the chinese government just days after the tiananmen square massacre. members on both side of the

aisle spoke in support of actions taken by then-president george h.w. bush. here is part of that house the date from june 6, 1989. this week marks the 25th anniversary of the tiananmen square protests. >> what we take care of and these amendments as i say are recent events on which this house needs to speak. daresay, mr. speaker, can i ask unanimous consent at this time? everybody to extend and revise their remarks on this -- on these amendment we are considering now? >> without objection. ini say again that i daresay all of the dark history of man

regardless of which side of the lookingglass one is that each of us either has in of blots has learned .hat stain humanity us would that each of have a candidate for man's man.ttest inhumanity to i am always amazed, mr. speaker, in the consideration of matters of human rights on which this country fortunately has always spoken out so strongly. in a philosophical sense, man

has so much difficulty with the problem of being human and humane. confrontedtantly with ask of inhumanity -- acts of inhumanity. candidateow what my would be for an event that would be more repugnant, revolting, or would be met with greater repulsion. that meeting people of who were country assembled peacefully to ask for nothing more than dialogue and

reasonable extensions of freedom already been granted in terms of the right of assembly or the right to speak or participation in the political system. then, to have the authorities in unprovokednd by actions. >> your time has expired. >> i yield myself to more minutes. inw which there was the indiscriminate slaughtering of civilians firing into crowds, running over people with tanks. thatnot think of any act requires and needs greater condemnation.

the amendments that we are considering here today expressed those feelings. they go further than that. we support fully the president in his we support fully, the president in his reaction to what has occurred. and we demonstrate that we the people of the united states are speaking with a unified voice on our reaction. out and hope that this matter can be resolved. isn't, we might very well have to proceed with further activities in response to what is clearly an inhuman act. esther chairman, mr. speaker.

let us hope that the progress that has been made up until just recently in china would have continued. see what had occurred and what was possible. it is now just as inconceivable to me that the flush of that excitement brought on by the authorities and the people's republic themselves has now sunken into an abyss of inhuman action. tragic, wed and so commend the courage of those that stood up to this kind of repression. >> the time of the derailment has expired.

the gem and from michigan. >> i yield myself as much time as i may consume. i'm happy to rise in support of the amendment that we are offering to this resolution. anyone who has sat before a television must now know that there are two main one on china. with this resolution, we are putting the u.s. congress squarely on the side of the chinese people. the transition from communism to democracy will not be smooth in all places at all times but it does not have to be as brutal as the unfolding drama in beijing. byrica cannot stand idly while thousands of chinese people are risking their lives in the streets. that is why the actions president bush announced yesterday are so important, mr. speaker. that is why what we do today is also important.

it is simply not correct to say that the united states will have no influence on what is going on in china. the more i listen to the chinese students being interviewed on television both here in america and on the streets of beijing, the more i realize what a powerful influence america's political freedoms are having. there are 35,000 chinese students studying in america right now. twice that number have studied here and return home. america has clearly captured the imaginations of a whole generation of chinese. it should speak with one voice. this is not the time for wildcat policymaking. the elements within the army and government officials and chinese people are clearly listening to voices from the outside world.

situation,oving president bush has chosen wisely among the options responding to china, it is the extension of weapons sales that america cannot ignore the brutal action. the decision to maintain means that we will keep the lines of communication open, whatever leverage we have to influence moderation within the chinese government. is, in my opinion, the best way to handle this problem. however, events transpire and the u.s. government should be talking with one authoritative voice. a goodnt bush has made start in developing a wide policy response. this evolution demonstrates to the chinese leadership that america is united in its opposition to their brutal methods and also

demonstrates to the chinese students that america is fully on the side of their struggle for human rights and political freedom. this resolution calls on the chinese leadership to demonstrate their commitment to the process they began in their move to democracy. i urge the adoption of this resolution. sir, i would like to yield with unanimous consent to the gentleman from nebraska. >> i rise in strong support of this resolution of which i am an original cosponsor. --sk free management unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. >> the gem in from florida. >> i yield five minutes to the distinguished gentleman from pennsylvania, chairman of the subcommittee on human rights.

>> i think the distinguished chairman for yielding to me. i strongly support and am a co-author of this resolution. aware of theow deplorable situation in china. congress must denounce the actions of the chinese government and support the democratic aspiration of the chinese people. what occurred on saturday in with unprovoked and vicious military attacks on peaceful demonstrators and innocent bystanders. condemns init strongest possible terms, the slaughter that took lace. the chinese government killed hundreds if not thousands of their own people. i don't think we will ever have a full account. what is happening in china is hard to comprehend and even worse to imagine the extremes the chinese government is capable of going to in order to

suppress a pro-democracy movement. there is no mistaking the resolve with which the chinese government set out to annihilate the demonstrators. didpeople's liberation army not go to tenement square to shoot to warn. kill.ent to shoot to it is reported the pla made no attempt to disperse the crowd by using tear gas but rather marston to the square -- marched into the square shooting and crushing anyone in the way. a pro-democracy protesters sought recognition as a patriotic body and called for what has already been deemed important by the chinese government for the future of china and its people. all the students were asking for were political reforms that would keep pace with their economic reforms and an open dialogue with the government.

the premier could have easily made a statement supporting the principles of the students demand. this rigid totalitarianism does not bode well for china. new situation is not good for our relationship with china. i don't see how we can continue to give our hard earned technological know-how to a government such as the people's republic of china as they have shown themselves to be today. i am sure many of us thought , with the implementation of devastating campaigns of repression leading the people of china, it appears that this element to chinese rule had become obsolete. clearly, we were wrong. chinais no stability in and there never really was. i applaud president bush for suspending government to government military sales to china as well as the commercial

export of weapons. the president's response clearly puts the united states on the side of democracy and against government repression. it should now be clear that the murder of its people is not perceived as only an internal matter. the taking of human life is never just an internal matter and it never will be business as usual between our two countries. the u.s. must demand the chinese government act with restraint and refrain from detaining and prosecuting demonstrators. the past, learned in our protesters were imprisoned without the benefit of due process and still sit in china's prison 10 years later. i cannot say strongly enough that i hope that this tragedy will not be exacerbated by imprisonment and other sanctions against the chinese people. there have been alarming reports that the bodies of those that were killed quickly were taken

from the square and cremated in order to conceal the death count and the true extent of the carnage that took place. if this is true, the families of the victims will never know the fate of their loved ones and will further underscore the heinous nature of the chinese regime. ofrge the quick adoption this resolution so we can make our position known to the chinese government and to the chinese people. i would like to commend the chairman and congressmen for their consideration of this resolution. i would also like to express my for their valuable contributions to this resolution. >> i am very happy to yield four minutes to the gentleman from iowa. speaker, the bravery of the students of china has utterly destroyed the democracy,

province, and aspirations of the privileged few. it underlines that the only basis for government is the consent of the governed. legitimacy is what is it stake in china today. of, by, and for the people cannot be a government that turns on the people. the people's army defends the country's borders from outside invaders. it does not shoot unarmed civilians. it is impressive how we appear to be on the cusp of one of the great turning points in history. communism is in richard reid and freedom is roofing stronger. incredibly, the kurdish of oppressed people appears to be proving stronger than the coercion of an oppressor state.

sometimes from an american perspective, we have to make difficult choices between real concerns,geopolitical and morality and philosophy. when president bush made it clear that our military relations would be suspended, he chose philosophy and morality. he was correct because when the government troops open fire on innocent civilians when they toppled the statue of liberty, the replica of it, america had no choice except to take a stand. or pride and unity this we do with the greatest respect for the people of china. i yield back the balance of my time. >> i yield five minutes to the distinguished gentleman from new york. chairman of the subcommittee on asia pacific. >> i think the distinguished chairman for yielding. the amendment before us this

afternoon, first of all, it expresses the profound sympathy of the congress for the victims of the violence in beijing. condemns thegly decisions on the part of the authorities in the people's republic of china to use machine guns and ban at -- they and bayonettes. and the steps that had already been taken by president bush to all additional american arms sales for the people's republic of china. on the grounds that it would be utterly impassable for our country to continue supporting a military establishment. hesitated to

murder and massacre its own people. finally, the amendment also thes it very clear that if butchering in beijing should states inthe united consultation with our allies should attempt to impose additional appropriate measures designed to make it clear to the leadership in beijing that the united states and its friends and allies around the world will not continue to do business as usual with a government which does not hesitate to murder and massacre its own people. and what are some of those additional steps which we might take? we could, first of all,

temporarily recall our ambassador to beijing for consultations here in washington. i know under present circumstances, the president thinks that would be a mistake. but i think it should be clear that no one is suggesting that if the situation should require it, that we sever diplomatic relations with the people's republic. no one is talking about closing down our embassy. no one has proposed to would withdraw all of our diplomats. even if the ambassador is summoned back to washington, we would still have other diplomats who were there. they could convey whatever the plum at it messages we needed to make. but if it becomes necessary to temporarily recall our ambassador, it would send a very strong signal of the deep dismay with which we view the course of

events now unfolding in china. there are other steps of a more concrete nature. suspend, for example, all additional sales of high technology equipment to the prc. could induceif we our allies, it would impose a heavy price on the people's republic of china. and the mere threat of such an action will hopefully induce some measure of restraint on the leadership in beijing which they have not hereto fore displayed. as my good friend from new york suggested a little earlier today from the foreign affairs anyittee, to stand guarantees to american firms attempting to establish

enterprises in the people's republic of china and the time af, that appears to be a sensible step to take. and if we chose to instruct their representatives in the multilateral development banks to use their voice and their vote against any additional loans to the people's republic of china, this is demonstrative of the kinds of steps we would make and of which we may have to take if the killings in china continue. we do not look forward with equanimity to have to take such measures. but they may be morally necessary and politically prudent if the situation continues to deteriorate. in aearly have a stake good relationship with china but we also have an interest in reaffirming fundamental american values.

credibly -- the time of the gentleman has expired. >> i have run out of time. i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. >> without objection. >> i yield three minutes to the distinguished gentleman from new york. >> i think the gentleman for yielding and ask consent to revise and extend my remarks. i want to commend the joe men from nebraska, a ranking minority member and the distinguished gentleman from member,ania and ranking mr. leach. thisringing before us timely resolution. i am pleased to rise in strong support commending the extraordinary courage of students, citizens, and the

people's republic of china. most vividly depicted by the loan student who confronted the advancing tanks in tiananmen square and the students who directed the statue of liberty in that square. these brave chinese students have demonstrated their profound respect for human rights, freedom of expression, workers and in aiscipline, nonviolent and peaceful manner. outoutrageous crime carried by a portion of the people's liberation army has disgusted and angered all decent people. accounts of the slaughter are still emerging. one particular description is that of soldiers killing young women fleeing for their lives appropriately sets forth the value that the state hater ship -- that this dictatorship places

on human life. especially when political ideologues are in charge. i think it is incumbent on theress to condemn excessive and indiscriminate use of force by civil authorities and the people's republic of china against its own citizenry. our nations executive and legislative branches are united in calling for a swift resolution to the political crisis in china without any further violence. the chinese government must be motivated to enter into a dialogue with the protesters to demonstrate a willingness to consider put all reform consistent with democracy throughout the world. as well as governments throughout the world supporting

the president's measured and strong response to the chinese authorities repression and atrocities. the congress and the people of our nation wish to express their unequivocal support to the actions of the chinese demonstrators with sincere hope that their quest for democracy may not go unrecognized. speaker, i yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from new york. >> i think the distinguished chairman for yielding to me. huge demonstration in nonviolent protests over the last several weeks have proven that the people of china have a passion for democracy that is strong and widespread. even the slaughter cannot squelch that passion. now that the spirit of democracy has taken to the streets of

china, even tanks and armored personnel carriers would not be insulate the oppressive chinese government from the will of the people. we add our voices to the outcries of the international community and the massacre of hundreds if not thousands of innocent civilians and i am privileged to be a cosponsor. government decision requires a strong response to the united states. the violence must and and the legitimate demands of the democracy movement must be addressed. i am pleased to support the actions of president bush. i know that none of us believe either his actions or this resolution will suffice as a full expression of the moral outrage of the american people. called for andis i am certain will be forthcoming. the sacrifice of the chinese

people demand greater action. i yield back the bounce of my time. i yield two minutes to the distinguished gentleman from new jersey. >> mr. speaker, it is with deep concern of the loss of life that forse with strong support bill 136. he house goes on record deploring the acts of repression and premeditated murder irca traded on the citizens of china by the people's liberation army. as it has in the past, they have demonstrated to the world that the health and well-being of the individual is of no consequence the city the interest of the state. have little value and don't count for much.

>> may have much to account. they continue to demonstrate that callousness towards women and children and the one child per couple policy to achieve its objectives. they demonstrated disregard for people's lives and their contemptible treatment of the people of tibet, now abandoning any semblance or appearance of restraint. they had been slaughtering the pro-democracy citizens in beijing. soldiers looks on as are fatigued. students incracy tenement square deserve our support, respect, solidarity, and our prayers. they demand a response of diplomatic and economic. i think it is wholly appropriate

kids be awarded the nobel peace prize. >> mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the distinguished german from california. >> the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. >> i congratulate him and the other leaders of this committee on a bipartisan basis for expeditiously bringing this resolution to the floor. the exhilarating expressions of support and democracy in china have inspired the world. the horrors we have witnessed in china in the last few days have shocked the world. peacefull crackdown on demonstrators deserves the harshest condemnation and i believe will prove the undoing of this regime. i urge my colleagues not to forget that this latest atrocity comes on the heels of a similar military suppression of demonstrations in tibet.

tibet has been under martial law since march when chinese troops fired indiscriminately into crowds of civilians, drag people to be beaten and arrested. many are still in police custody to face the risk of torture and long times of detention without charge. these are a welcome first step in response to the savage human rights abuses occurring in china , i believe we must be prepared to take much stronger action to respond to the regime's atrocities. our delicate reluctance to endanger u.s. chinese relations must take a backseat to our horror over what has transpired in tibet and beijing and cities throughout china. all the more because we have had a close relationship with the people's republic, we should make clear our condemnation of chinese human rights abuses.

sponsors for bringing this resolution so quickly to the floor and i would urge them to continue to investigate the possibility of taking still stronger action to express our profound disagreement with the policies of the chinese government and responding to peaceful calls of democratic reform. >> i yield two minutes to the gentleman from california. >> mr. speaker, i have spoken less frequently this half of the 101st congress that all of my 11 years here. but i anticipate with new leadership and new action and hopefully a bipartisan foreign-policy, finally, that will change. this congress has never been the same since the second section -- session of 1968 that began with the assassination and murder of bobby kennedy and then martin

luther king in this house lost his bipartisan approach to foreign-policy. war asrs of the vietnam the new president mentioned in his inaugural address, what is happening in china is the reason we were in indochina. here whol the members found the communist government in nicaragua acceptable will take note that this very week, daniel ortega and the government in hanoi approved the slaughter of thousands of students in the streets of china. sitting in the speaker's chair is one of the most distinguished vietnam veterans in this house. i would ask the distinguished german from pennsylvania if he recalls the past that he wore in vietnam. it was the wall of china being pierced by the sword of truth.

what we see a folding before us now is what pope pius the 11th called the intrinsic in here and evil of communism and whether it or angola or moscow or beijing, what we see is the murder of innocent people by a corrupt communist regime that has lost its way. surprised always so when communists who do not believe in any kind of a supreme --ng or god kill people >> the time of the gentleman has expired. >> i yield german one additional minute. >> the human beings are nothing but walking talking i made, worker ants to be treated as such and when people get in their way, to kill them because there is no immortal soul, no intern at he or supreme creator.

what we see this week should change this house intrinsically and fundamentally. we should never again have these debates over communist governments anywhere in the world. our oldest member passed away in the last few days. can anyone forget his last stirring speech on this house for in reference to ortega? wish he was still on the floor. the uno in his final line was that got him a standing ovation? he said, get those communists out of their referring to central america. >> we will never see peace in moscow or china. have a unified foreign-policy for the rest of this great congress. yield to the german from texas for unanimous consent.

i rise in support of the chairman's resolution and ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the gentleman is recognized. distinguished chairman for yielding time and rise in vigorous support of this legislation. particularly, i would like to and thethe chairman outstanding leadership and eloquent statements. last night, i met with more than five -- 50 chinese students to discuss the massacre. all the students understandably expressed grief and outrage. to meet be necessary with them one-on-one to realize the extent and depth of their grief and outrage. in their eyes, it caused the regime to lose legitimacy. the carnage has destroyed the

trust and belief of the very people that determine that nation's future. every student there expressed extreme hostility to the oppressive regime including the marxist that some still say he is a communist but not one in support of this regime. the is regardless of immediate future for long-range stability of this regime. despite the tragedy, the support from democracy remains unabated. the students consider the u.s. their major hope and are looking for us to do much more. things can only get worse in the long run. i commend president bush for his decision to and military sales. however, this crisis is not resolved and more must be done. at my request and with cooperation, this includes language urging immediate cooperation with food and medical assistance efforts.

it is imperative that efforts by the red cross and other agencies to treat the injured he supported to the fullest extent. i am not hopeful the government to beijing will allow this assistance, but they definitely should. it should be concern for the international community. >> the gentleman's time has expired. >> i yield two minutes to the general and from california. >> the gentleman from california is recognized. without objection. i think my friend from michigan, the distinguished and ig minority member underscore something that i said earlier this morning when i had just a few hours before observing the election in poland. that is the tragedy that took place in tiananmen square had a ripple effect on the election in poland.

people to wantsh to vote even more than they already did. they couldn't help but feel an affinity with the young people that tragically suffered in beijing. criticalpeaker, it is that we do everything that we can to encourage the democratic process around the world because as i have said many times, the united states of america is the last bastion of freedom and this body is respected throughout the world. and this body is critically important and i commend the distinguished chairman of the committee and my friend from michigan for bringing this forward. i yield the last two minutes to the distinguished german from the gentleman is recognized for two minutes.

>> as a member of the foreign affairs committee, i extend my complete support for the ourdment and kabul meant chairman for offering it. i watched the events as millions of other americans did the last few days with amazement, watching the television and listening to the reports. ago, no oneor two could have imagined this sort of thing could have happened and here it is. and what it does show is people's yearning for freedom and democracy could never be suppressed. i think we take pride as americans that our government leads the way and our country leads the way in freedom and democracy. representing new york city and the surrounding area, i am proud of her time i go see the statue of liberty. and what i saw in tandem and democracy knew that

could never be stopped anywhere in the world and even not in the people's republic of china. it is very good that this united states government has tried for many years to foster closer ties with the chinese people. think it is time now that we express our disgust and revulsion at what the so-called people's liberation army has been doing to their own people. i am very happy president bush decided to cut all military sales to china, but i think we need to do more. we need to recall our ambassador. we need to keep these chinese students in america here until there is the feeling that they can go home and we need to stop all supplies and show the government and the people's republic of china that we will not stand for one massacre of their own people.

i am proud to rise in support of this amendment and i am proud that the u.s. house of representatives is taking the lead. >> in the distinguished gentleman from california. >> i think the chairman for yielding to me. i rise in support of the resolution and request unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. >> i yield three minutes to the distinguished gentleman from illinois, mr. porter. >> i thank the distinguished chairman for yielding. >> without objection. meta-speaker, china is to receive hong kong under an agreement with the great britain in 1997.

when the communist leaders crushed the aspirations of the for democracy, free expression, and human rights in tiananmen square, they did more than murder their own people. they sent a message to the world. how it is to live under totalitarian communism and it was a needed reminder to the people of the world and most of us exactly how communism works. a message, madam speaker, understood most strongly perhaps in the united states or even in western europe or elsewhere around the world, it was a message heard most strongly of all in hong kong. stock market there dropped 22% of its value immediately. and people increased their efforts to leave hong kong as quickly as they possibly could

and they are leaving by the tens of thousands. hong kong is an economic miracle and an example of the work of capitalism as perhaps no other place on earth with a per capita earning 28 times as high as mainland china. china may in fact receive hong 1997 according to the agreement with great britain, but madam speaker, it will be an empty purse. the people of hong kong and the people of entrepreneurial abilities will all be gone. because theye left understand better than any other people in the world the difference between totalitarianism and freedom and they will have voted with their feet and they will be elsewhere and the united states ought to be smart enough to know that these are exactly the kind of people that we need

here in our own country. and we ought to have a special quota for people from hong kong to come to the united states to escape the murderous tyranny of chinese communism and we would welcome those people with open arms. -- they willch us also add immeasurably to american society and our own ,eliefs in the rule of law human freedom, and democracy. the students of china did their best. the murderers of the chinese leadership crushed their aspirations. the people of hong kong understand what happened better than other people in the world. benjamin from florida.

>> the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i thank the gentleman for his leadership today and for yielding to me. and gentlemen of america, this is a special time in the history of man. we are on the threshold of a new era in world history. there was a time when totalitarian government could murder 35 million or 40 million in the free world would not speak out. aspirations of a free people are demanding independence. poland, in china, and hungary, estonia, latvia, lithuania. and i have never been more proud to be an american or a member of the house of representatives than at this moment when we stand on the side of liberty and freedom and say that as we look to the next decade and as we look to the soviet union and the

communist governments around the globe and see the desire of the human spirit to be free, the confrontation is now coming. will he be allowed to express themselves in the manner in which god created men and women to live freely? or will they be crushed by the guns of tyranny as we have seen in the revolution of 1917, as we 1956n 1945, and hungary in , or czechoslovakia in 1968. >> i yield the gentleman an additional minute. >> i believe over the next 10 years we will see precisely this confrontation. we will see the desire of human spirits to be free, to have democracy, to be able to speak and assemble freely, and we will see the tired iron boot of communism try to prevent it.

i believe the march of history is on the side of freedom and i believe they will be successful. but it will take the continued and dedicated leadership of such leaders that we have here today. gilman from michigan. at the chairman of the party from florida. leadership in the house of representatives to say that each time this confrontation comes, it will come again. it will come in poland and lithuania. it will come in hungary or the soviet union. willecision must be made, these people be allowed to have democracy? be freey be allowed to or will guns shoot them in place as it did in georgia six weeks ago, as it did in beijing yesterday? >> magellan gilman's time has again expired. the gentleman from florida. the gentleman from michigan.

>> i yield back the balance of my time. >> let me just say that in the foreign affairs committee room, right after the vote on these amendments, there will be a briefing for members on the situation in the peoples republic of china given by ranking officials of the state department. i move the previous question. >> without objection the previous question is ordered and the question is on the motion of the gentleman from florida. all those in favor, say i? all opposed, say no. in the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it. i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present. i asked for the gays and nays. >> a quorum is not present and the yeas and nays are required. members will vote by electronic device.

>> house leaders condemned the execution of those that participated in tandem and tiananmen square. >> it is not often the house of representatives has a unanimous vote on anything. votes for the resolution condemning the actions of the chinese government and there were no votes against it. we had a march to the chinese embassy the other day and there were both republicans and democrats on that march. which, i think, again demonstrated the depth and level of feeling that exists in the congress and therefore the united states about the actions gone on in china the last few weeks.

and especially the brutal executions that are going on the last few days in continuing. we cannot determine what happens in china. we don't have the ability to do that. we do have the ability to express as clearly as we can the united feeling of the people of the united states about what is happening in china and we hope and we pray as we said to the chinese ambassador that our can have anconveyed impact on what happens in that country. lot of question about should we do this or that in terms of sanctions. momentaryl have disagreement about the right things to do. but we today and every day from here on out want it known that there is absolute unity in this country of feeling about what is happening in china and what we

hope will happen in days ahead. people to stop give people due process and give people clemency and get their country back to the situation where democracy can rain. we had a very wonderful cooperation with the ranking member, the ranking republican member of the foreign affairs committee putting together this resolution and i am very happy he is here today and i welcome his statement. >> briefly, i would like to say that i think this was the work of the majority leader and working with the minority, a bipartisan approach. the message here is that the congress is united with the administration and protesting what is going on in china today. want a stay of execution in the individuals tried over there.

i think that is the most important thing that republicans and democrats are side-by-side. >> i just want to say that it is good to be part of this bipartisanship. when we walked through the rain and so on to get there, one of the first things that the ambassador said was, i see there is hardly any republicans here. number one, that wasn't true. there were republicans there. also, china is watching us very carefully on what we are saying and if we are speaking with one voice and i think what we did today is historic and critical. we are together. republicans and democrats alike. one mistake it that we condemn the killings and we want

them stopped. >> nancy pelosi has also been very active. >> i also want to commend you for introducing this resolution and mr. broomfield for his cooperation. it made me very proud to be on the house for and see the unanimity of which the resolution was received. congresswoman boxer and i represent a city that has a larger population of asians than any other place outside of asia. a larger population of chinese. he speak on behalf of them and everyone that cares about freedom. that is to say that this situation is intolerable. the massacre was a shocking to us as it was everyone in the world. and the repression was scary and there is much more than what we can hear about our constituents. but the denial is the most frustrating. every opportunity we get be it

on the floor of congress come a which is the most important opportunity we have, or marching to the embassy as members as well and being led by the majority leader to go in and see the ambassador and tell him as forcefully as we can do the human rights of the people in china are not an internal matter , they are a concern to people all over the world and especially to members of congress here and that we will only draw strength from every death that they perpetrate. i was particularly pleased because the majority leader asked the ambassador to endorse the suggestion i had that if they are not afraid of the truth , they shouldn't be afraid of the delegation coming from congress to visit china and see for ourselves what is going on there. the ambassador said he would consider it. most of the time was spent denouncing the sentences of deaths of the students and also

pleading with him for a stay of execution. and hopefully we will hear back from the ambassador that we will be able to visit there and find hope for putting a stop to what is going on there. >> does this mean that we will not be getting a suspension on china at this time ec? anwe are working on amendment to the foreign aid bill that will have provisions in it that will move us, further messager delivering a to the government of china. whether it will include msn i am unclear at this point. i think it is important that we express our feelings as clearly as we can. i think if that is done properly, the government of china will take the proper

implications from it. it is obvious what is being said not only in the united states but france, britain, and other countries around the world that the chinese leaders must understand that if they continue these executions, they are going to isolate themselves from the entire world. that may not persuade them. i hope it does but it may not persuade them to change. in theve been interested economic development of their country. we had hundreds of meetings about the economic future of their country. they are deeply interested. they will continue the executions. >> i serve on the banking committee at the international subcommittee there and we're dealing with the multinational development banks and the world bank. and you know the administration

made a mistake -- made a statement about that yesterday. i think it is important that we take opportunity we have to say that they have drawn themselves outside the circle of civilized -- iior and how can china think the statement has to be a stronger one that would include things like you're not as worthy a trading partner even then the soviet union. end, we cannot say the response was any last because they have a vast market over there. i don't criticize the president for not saying enough. because of -- the president has been a stalwart leaders speaking out.

get this across that i think what the president has done so far as been a very measured response. if we are going to have any the congress has to work with the administration. they work hard for a number of years to build a relationship and what has happened over there has really turned off a lot of us but we hope it is not turned off permanently. we hope we can rebuild the relationship but it will take some time. we have to be careful that we don't get out ahead of the administration and what they are trying to do. there is no question that if there is a further deterioration , the administration is going to weigh other options. that is how tough we can be on you. we have to keep in mind what will stop the killing in china.

we can be worry about how we disagree with someone. we have to keep in mind what stops the killing in china. in that context, we will have some disagreement as we go along. and whether or not a particular thing we are asked to have done is the right thing to do. that overwhelms the message we're are trying to send the chinese government. out of hisuestion mouth was, why is there only one republican here? theably feeling that if republicans weren't going to press them, maybe there wasn't unanimity in our country. there happens to be three republicans in the group and many others that want to come that could not come.

i think it is abundantly clear today with the chinese government and it will be over the next few days, that every country in the world including england and many others are moving toward sanctions, movements, actions which expressed displeasure and outrage at what is happening in china. >> are their commitments that you can tell us about now? >> first of all, we are going to have the chairman that will be working with our ranking members , working out a comprehensive bill on china. to alln't gotten down the amendments offered but we will work in a bipartisan effort to come up with a unified position like a leader and

myself have done on this particular issue today. >> senator john mccain joined former republican senators to talk about a new veterans health-care bill. that is next on c-span. ont will give you an update the republican primary race. and later, senate majority leader harry reid and senate minority leader mitch mcconnell on the campaign finance system. traveling in europe this week, talked aboutma military deployments throughout europe. tomorrow morning, the president will be at a ceremony in poland. here on c-span. queen elizabeth will travel for

parliament.itish she will deliver the speech on government priorities for the coming year. >> on a lonely windswept point, and the air is soft. but 40 years ago, the air was dense with smoke. at dawn on the morning of the sixth of june 1944, 225 rangers -- their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion. they were told some of the mightiest of these guns were here and trained on the beaches

to stop the allied advance. the rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. and the american rangers began to climb. watch this year's commemoration for the world war ii memorial in washington. that is followed by greg simons who will discuss his new book, "neptune." he will take your questions and comments live. at 1:30 p.m., and look back to presidential speeches commemorating the day. all on saturday on c-span3. republicans introduced legislation to try to address long wait lists. at be a medical centers the legislation is sponsored by senators john mccain, jeff flake, and tom coburn.