Speech #980243517

President. when I speak of leverage I do not mean to usurp or upset our foreign policy direction with respect to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam nor do I contemplate any act of a hostile character. I merely suggest that we demonstrate a commitment to humanitarian assistance for the people of that nation and then permit that nations leadership to show the world the nature of its own morality. My bill proposes that there be established in the Treasury of the United States the Vietnam Humanitarian Remittances Fund. consisting solely of moneys paid in by Vietnamese refugees who wish to send such sums to their relatives abroad. Upon application the Secretary of the Treasury shall issue notes drawn on amounts held in the fund which are payable to designated individual recipients in Vietnam. No note thus issued may be redeemed out of the Treasury unless it is accompanied by a declaration signed by both the recipient and a responsible official of the State Bank of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam which attests to the amount of funds actually received by the designated recipient. that the recipient has actual use of all of the funds which were sent. that no duress was employed in soliciting the funds or in obtaining the recipients signature. and the lack of any special taxation or denial of human rights imposed on the recipient in connection with the redemption of the note.