Follow @ontheissuesorg

Bob Dole on Foreign Policy Former Republican Senator (KS)

1994: Supported $25B Mexico bailout

The risks were considerable, but I had confidence in Mexico's new president, Ernesto Zedillo. Besides, we simply couldn't let Mexico fall without trying to help. In addition to the economic problems it would cause both for us and for the Mexicans, we would be sending a terrible signal of selfishness and shortsightedness throughout Latin America.

I called the congressional leaders to the White House, explained the situation, and asked for their support. All of them pledged it, including Bob Dole.

Congress would not pass the bill so we ended up providing the money to Mexico out of the Exchange Stabilization Fund.

1993: Post-Cold War Russia aid avoided post-WWI errors

Although a public poll said that 75% of the American people were opposed to giving Russia more money, and we were already in a hard fight for the economic plan, I felt we had no choice but to press ahead. American had spent trillions of dollars in defense to win the Cold War; we couldn't risk reversal over less that $2 billion and a bad poll. To the surprise of my staff, the congressional leaders, including the Republicans, agreed with me. At a meeting I convened to push the plan, Senator Joe Biden, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, strongly endorsed the aid package. Bob Dole came around on the argument that we didn't want to foul up the post-Cold War era the way the victors in World War I had done. Their shortsightedness contributed mightily to World War II, in which Dole had served so heroically.

Defund UN Office of Research and Information Collection

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the "International organizations and programs account" of the Department of State for the expenses in operating the United Nations' Office of Research and Information Collection.

$50M for vaccinations in developing countries

• Title I: Promoting Immunization and Oral Rehydration in Developing Countries: $50 million to develop new vaccines to make them more appropriate for use in developing countries; and provide the necessary resources to achieve universal access to childhood immunization by 1990.
• Title II: Promoting Democracy in Haiti: earmark funds from the:
  1. Economic Support Fund
  2. development assistance funds
  3. Food for Peace programs; and
  4. Inter-American Foundation.
• Title III: Protecting Tropical Forests and Biological Diversity in Developing Countries: high priority on conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests; helping to end destructive agricultural practices, and denying any assistance for certain activities harmful to the forests.

Voted YES on Strengthening of the trade embargo against Cuba.

Voted NO on ending Vietnam embargo.