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“THE NOMINATION OF DR. HENRY FOSTER” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S3860-S3861 on March 14, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE NOMINATION OF DR. HENRY FOSTER
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I understand that the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee has received all the necessary paperwork from the administration for Dr. Henry Foster's nomination for U.S. Surgeon General. I rise today to encourage the committee to move Dr. Foster's nomination expeditiously, and I look forward to his receiving a full and fair hearing.
Unlike some of my colleagues, I am very excited about Dr. Foster's nomination. Dr. Foster is an ob/gyn. I appreciate, and want to stress, the importance and relevance of his practice area. For far too long, women's health concerns have been neglected by our Government.
Women's health is critical to very family--every man, woman, and child--in this Nation. As a woman, and the mother of a son and a daughter, I find the selection of Dr. Foster reassuring. It is especially important at this time that President Clinton chose to nominate a physician who has dedicated his life to maternal and child health.
Dr. Foster is one of the country's leading experts on preventing teen pregnancy and drug abuse, as well as reducing infant mortality.
Dr. Foster is a very decent and dedicated physician who has been unfairly maligned. I hope my colleagues and the American public will hear the stories of some of the many people whose lives Dr. Foster has touched.
I hope they get a more complete picture of Dr. Foster and the work he has done.
For example, Dr. Foster worked tirelessly to help bring Christopher Hight into this world. Jeannette Hight and her husband Charles almost lost their baby twice during her pregnancy, but Dr. Foster helped nurse her through these crises.
Earlier this year, Jeannette and Charles Hight wrote to Dr. Foster:
Without you, there would not be a Christopher Hight. Your talents and work have brought joy to our lives. You will be proud to know that your extraordinary efforts resulted in us having a son who is excelling at Rice University in architecture. His teachers, who are nationally renown, have told us that he has very special talents. No matter what happens, we are with you. We will always remember your special dedication, caring nature and skills.
Cliff and Wilda Denton from Moses Lake in my home State of Washington wrote the following to Dr. Foster:
I can say in all humility, without you we could have lost our only daughter and first born grandson. Wilma was so very ill and dehydrated. All I had to do was call you. You would nourish her back to normal. This was thirty some years ago. When you were a doctor in the Air Force at Larson Air Force Base, her husband was away fighting a war.
That's when we got acquainted with you. After the birth and both were well and healthy, I wrote you a letter, thanking you for all your good care. You told me I was the first person (white that is) to ever give you a compliment. Greg is now over thirty years old.
We were so impressed when we visited you a few years ago and found you had dedicated your entire life to humanity . .
. I feel confident you will be confirmed. . . .
Mr. President, these are just a few examples for Dr. Foster's great work. He has delivered many thousands of babies, and he has saved hundreds of lives.
Some of our colleagues would have the U.S. Senate exclude Dr. Foster from consideration because he has performed abortions. I disagree. Abortion should not be the determining factor in the selection of a Surgeon General. Abortion is a legal procedure, and every woman in this Nation has a constitutional right to choose whether and when to bear a child.
Whether Dr. Foster has performed 1 abortion or 1,000 abortions, he should not be disqualified from consideration.
I believe that the majority in this Nation will not allow an extremist minority to criminalize abortion through the Surgeon General nomination process. Furthermore, I believe the women in this Nation will not stand for perfunctory disqualification of candidates based on their practice areas, especially when the physician involved has dedicated his life to women's health.
Mr. President, why is no one concerned about the exact number of babies Dr. Foster has delivered in the course of his practice? Why is no one inquiring into exactly how many lives he has saved?
I am curious how many teenagers have benefited from his I Have A Future Program? I wonder how many unintended pregnancies he has prevented?
How many young people has he empowered and inspired?
Why is this man being attacked so viciously when he has dedicated his life to our well-being? Finally, how can a U.S. Senator vow to filibuster Dr. Foster's nomination before the doctor has even had a hearing?
Mr. President, I had to speak on Dr. Foster's behalf today because I cannot stand by and watch his nomination be railroaded. Senator Kassebaum has promised Dr. Foster a hearing and I believe she is committed to following through. Luckily, not everyone is rushing to prejudge this nominee.
Every day that goes by without a U.S. Surgeon General in place who can provide strong leadership for our Nation's future--is a day in which American lives can be changed.
Mr. President, having a Surgeon General in place who can speak to women's health issues is imperative. I urge the committee to move quickly on Dr. Foster's nomination. And, I look forward to consideration of Dr. Foster's nomination by the full Senate.
I yield the floor.
[[Page S3861]] IN SUPPORT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA--SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION 9
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Alaska, Senator Murkowski, in submitting a concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that President Lee Teng-Hui of the Republic of China on Taiwan [ROC] should be allowed a private visit to the United States.
This concurrent resolution makes an important statement in the future direction of United States/Republic of China relations. The State Department's refusal last year to allow President Lee, a freely elected leader from a democratic nation, an overnight layover in Hawaii during his trip to Costa Rica, was very unfortunate. It is hoped that, with the passage of this legislation, the indiscretion that occurred last year will not be repeated. And, Mr. President, it is important to note that this bill expresses support for a private visit to the United States.
Last May I had an opportunity to visit the Republic of China on Taiwan. It was a wonderful experience forging new friendships and strengthening the many ties between the Republic of China and my home State, Idaho. I was very much impressed by the public officials with whom I met and enjoyed the engaging conversations about the politics in the Republic of China and the recent elections.
During my meeting with President Lee Teng-Hui, I learned of his genuine interest in seeing his country play a larger international role, which is a goal befitting Taiwan's economic power and place within the international community. President Lee urged all nations, especially the United States, to give their support to Taiwan's campaign to return to the United Nations. It is my hope that this goal will someday be realized. In addition, President Lee expressed a very sincere desire to travel privately to the United States. I shared with him an invitation extended by one of my constituents, who was concerned about the incident in Hawaii. In addition, I expressed my hope that he would be able to visit Idaho.
Mr. President, Idaho and the Republic of China have enjoyed the mutual benefits of a long and close relationship. During my visit last year I had the pleasure of joining then Governor of Idaho Cecil Andrus and Governor James Soong of the Taiwan provincial government to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between Idaho and the Taiwan Province. Through this friendship my State has greatly benefited by expanding trade, cultural, and educational exchanges. Idaho exports to the Republic of China range from agricultural and wood products to electronics. In addition, the growth in trade has
been enhanced by the placement of an Idaho trade office in the world trade center, in Taipei. Eddie Yen, the gentleman that operates the office for the Idaho Department of Commerce has been an asset to our State and has played an essential role in furthering the Expansion of Idaho's trade to Taiwan.
The United States also benefits from a stable relationship with the Republic of China on Taiwan. After extensive internal review, there has been recent progress toward upgrading the relations between the United States and Taiwan, which was good news from the Clinton administration. The administration has agreed to help Taiwan enter certain international organizations, especially those that deal primarily with trade and commerce. I applaud and encourage that endeavor.
The Clinton administration has also agreed to allow the Republic of China to change the name of its offices in the United States from the Coordination Council for North American Affairs, to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office. These modest improvements in relations between our two countries are certainly a step in the right direction. It is hoped that we will see this pattern of improvement continued.
The concurrent resolution submitted by Senator Murkowski is yet another step in the right direction. Mr. President, I hope that remaining issues or obstacles can be resolved so that President Lee Teng-Hui can be allowed to visit the United States. It is my understanding that a number of my colleagues have extended invitations to President Lee and other leaders from Taipei, to visit Capitol Hill. I know for a fact that President Lee has much insight to share with us, especially on East Asian affairs, and, Mr. President, since the Republic of China on Taiwan is a tremendous example of economic prosperity and democratic freedom for developing nations around the world, we would undoubtedly benefit from the insights of a leader such as President Lee Teng-Hui, who has played a central role in the achievements of the Republic of China on Taiwan.
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