All of the arguments in favor of making normal trade relations with the People's Republic of China permanent have been based on certain American companies' desire to sell their products to the Chinese. And in a free-enterprise, open market, democratic republic like ours, profit is a very good thing. However, if core American values -- such as freedom, basic human rights, religious expression and U.S. national security interests -- ever take a back seat to making money, we will no longer be "the shining city on a hill" that President Reagan talked about so often.

I voted NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China simply because I believe China is not making enough progress on human rights and basic freedoms. I am also concerned that we will be expediting the Chinese military buildup by several years. The ridiculous trade deficit between the U.S. and China is $70 BILLION per year. We know that China is using the huge sums of money it has gained in trade with the United States to build up its military, and China has already used those armed forces to threaten the United States. As the engraved quote in front of the National Archives in Washington reads: "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."