September 13, 2000 2:30pm EDT SENATE DEBATES CHINA TRADE BILL After months of delay, the Senate debates legislation granting permanent normalized trade relations to China.

Online NewsHour Special Report: The China Trade Debate Q&A: PNTR Debate: * Free Trade * Human Rights * Labor Dec. 1, 1999: A discussion on China, trade and democracy Nov. 18, 1999: An interview with U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky Nov. 15, 1999: A discussion on the U.S.-China Trade deal. July 30, 1999: Beijing cracks down on the meditation group Falun Gong.   AFL-CIO Cato Institute Human Rights Watch International Brotherhood of Teamsters United States-China Business Council White House China Trade Relations Working Group

After much delay, the Senate is expected to vote early next week on legislation granting permanent normalized trade relations (PNTR) to China. The outlook for the trade agreement, which was proposed by President Clinton, is rosy, with lawmakers rejecting most amendments designed to scuttle the landmark measure. Among the rejected amendments is a proposal from Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) to require Beijing to disclose information about state subsidies. The Senate also voted 68-29 to reject an amendment by Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) asking China to stop selling products made by prison laborers. A final significant obstacle to passage of the bill was removed from consideration. Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) had proposed an amendment imposing sanctions on Chinese and other foreign companies that manufacture and sell nuclear or chemical weapons. The amendment, which encountered violent opposition from pro-trade business groups and the White House, posed the greatest threat to the trade bill's final passage. Supporters of the nonproliferation measure argued that the amendment was necessary in order to stop nations like North Korea, Libya, Pakistan, and Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. "The world today is a very dangerous place, populated with tyrants and despots hostile to the United States," said Senator Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), an amendment supporter. "At every turn in the road we discover that Communist China is supplying all of these countries with technology which ultimately can be used to kill Americans." The squabble over China's role in the production and sale of weapons of mass destruction had delayed what was expected to be easy passage for Congress' landmark trade bill. PNTR opponents had hoped that disagreement over the nonproliferation amendment would block passage and send the bill back to a sharply divided House of Representatives. The House could probably not muster enough votes to pass an amended bill in a second round of voting. The White House and pro-trade business groups warned that passing the arms amendment could anger the Chinese and delay PNTR for a full year. Final passage of the trade bill is now almost assured as early as Friday or as late as Tuesday. Results of a Reuters poll show that, of the 100-member Senate, 69 lawmakers support or would likely support PNTR. That is enough to override a filibuster and guarantee passage. Once the president signs the bill into law, it will end the yearly review of China's trade status and guarantee Chinese products low-tariff access to the U.S. market. PNTR is opposed by human rights and labor groups and supported by many industries eager to tap into the enormous Chinese market.