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Mark Kennedy on Foreign Policy
Former Republican Representative (MN-6, 2001-2007)
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Use diplomacy and China to pressure North Korea on nukes
Q: Do we use military action to stop North Korea’s nuclear program?KENNEDY: We need to continue to ratchet up the diplomatic efforts. We also need to continue to push China. They have far more influence over North Korea.
Q: Pres. Bush said, “We will
not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea.” Do we hold him to his commitment?
KENNEDY: But he also said that we want to have a peaceful and diplomatic solution. So we have to push every channel we can to achieve it in a peaceful and diplomatic way,
not taking anything off the table.
Q: If Bush leaves office with nuclear devices in North Korea, will it have been a failed policy?
KENNEDY: We need to take every step we can to prevent that from happening.
Q: If the North Koreans ignore the
sanctions, what do we do?
KLOBUCHAR: We have to keep ratcheting things up. Keeping the military option on the table is key, but sanctions are the first step, Unlike how we handled Iraq or where it was “Go it alone,” we have to work with our allies.
Source: 2006 MN Senate debate, on Meet the Press
Oct 15, 2006
China needs to act responsibly on human rights
[With China] we are dealing with a country that has clearly grown significantly, but is coming to terms with what that power means. They’ve sold a lot to us, but they need to understand when it comes to allowing access to their market, they need to let
America compete where we have strength. They need to act responsibly when it comes to human rights. I’ve been pushing those types of things with officials in the Chinese government.
Source: MN 2006 Senate debates - MPR interview
Jun 2, 2005
Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China.
To authorize measures to deter arms transfers by foreign countries to the People's Republic of China, A YES vote would grant the President the ability to place sanctions on any individual or country that violates the arms embargo, including: - Denial of participation in cooperative research and development
- Prohibition of ownership and control of any business registered as a manufacturer or exporter of defense articles or services
- Removal of all licenses relative to dual-use goods or technology
- Prohibition of participation of any foreign military sales
Reference: East Asia Security Act;
Bill HR 3100
; vote number 2005-374
on Jul 14, 2005
Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding.
To reform the United Nations, by limiting the US contribution to the UN by up to one-half by the year 2007, if the following reforms are not made:- Requires the creation of an Independent Oversight Board with the authority to evaluate all operations of the UN
- Instructs the UN to implement procedures to protect whistle-blowers, individuals who reveal wrongdoings within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority
- Obliges the creation of a uniform code of conduct for all UN officials
- Requires the shifting of the funding mechanisms of certain organizational programs from the regular assessed UN budget to voluntarily funded programs
- Compels the US President to influence the Secretary General of the UN to waive diplomatic immunity for UN officials under investigation or charged with serious criminal offences
- Creates a certification of UN cooperation to provide documentary evidence to member states investigating the Oil-for-Food program
Reference: United Nations Reform Act;
Bill HR 2745
; vote number 2005-282
on Jun 17, 2005
Voted NO on keeping Cuba travel ban until political prisoners released.
Stop enforcing travel restrictions on US citizens to Cuba, only after the president has certified that Cuba has released all political prisoners, and extradited all individuals sought by the US on charges of air piracy, drug trafficking and murder.
Bill HR 2590
; vote number 2001-270
on Jul 25, 2001
Voted YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored.
Vote to adopt an amendment that would require that the United States be restored to its seat on the UN Human Rights Commission before the payment of $244 million in funds already designated to pay UN back dues.
Reference: Amendment sponsored by Hyde, R-IL;
Bill HR 1646
; vote number 2001-107
on May 10, 2001
Page last updated: Mar 10, 2011