Russia trade, rights bill approved

WAShINGTON — A Russian trade and human rights bill cleared Congress and headed for President Barack Obama’s signature Thursday, opening new export opportunities for American businesses but antagonizing relations with Russia over its treatment of dissidents.

The Moscow government, while welcoming better trade relations, threatened retaliation over a section of the bill that would punish Russian officials who allegedly commit human rights violations.

A Russian parliament official suggested sanctions could be imposed on U.S. officials accused of rights violations in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere while the Foreign Ministry said the legislation “will have a negative impact on bilateral cooperation” and responsibility for that will “completely lie with the United States.”

Sen. John McCain, RAriz., a main sponsor of the human rights measure with Sen. Ben Cardin, DMd., contended it would help the Russian people by “sending a signal to Vladimir Putin and the Russian plutocracy that these kinds of abuses of human rights will not be tolerated.”

The 92-4 vote Thursday by the Senate to establish permanent normal trade relations with Russia followed an equally convincing vote in the House last month. Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed of Vermont and Carl Levin of Michigan, along with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders of the Libery Union Party, cast the nay votes. The bill eliminates a long-obsolete 1974 provision, called the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, that tied trade relations with the former Soviet Union to the emigration of Jews and other Soviet minorities.

But acting to eliminate the 1974 provision and making normal relations permanent became a necessity when Russia entered the World Trade Organization on Aug. 22.