Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Thursday tried to force a Senate vote on a measure aimed at renaming the street where the Chinese embassy sits after a Nobel Laureate who is serving an 11-year sentence in China for subversion.
But Cruz was beaten back by Senate Democrats, who said the measure was being rushed to the floor without enough time for consideration.
Cruz’s resolution aims at registering U.S. disapproval of China’s decision to imprison activist Dr. Liu Xiaobo. Cruz said it’s modeled after a tactic President Ronald Reagan used decades earlier, when he renamed the street where the Soviet Union’s embassy sat after a Soviet Union activist who was banished and then jailed by his government.
Cruz spoke for several minutes about his proposal, and then asked unanimous consent that it be taken out of committee and passed immediately. But Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., objected.
“The consultations with others haven’t been made,” she said on the floor. “It was precipitously brought to the floor, and I can only infer that it’s got political implications because the president of China is due to arrive here tomorrow.”
“I don’t think that’s the way we should do business in the Senate,” she added. Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with President Obama on Friday.
Cruz reacted by saying it’s a “sad day” for the Senate when members can’t agree to draw attention to human rights abuses overseas, regardless of where they take place. He charged that Democrats were worried about embarrassing Xi when he arrives.
“I for one think as Americans, we should not be troubled by embarrassing communist oppressors,” he said.
Cruz also charged that the Obama administration has systematically undermined the fight for human rights.
“What we just saw on the Senate floor saddens me greatly,” he said. “I understand the Democrats feel partisan loyalty to the White House, and that this White House, Secretary Clinton said at the beginning of the administration, human rights are off the table.”
“America no longer stands for human rights, we will coddle up with oppressors if they make cheap calculators to sell in our stores,” he added.
Read Cruz’s resolution on China here:
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