Missouri’s Congressional delegation tilts toward opening trade to China. The delegation votes 5-to-4 in favor of the bill to grant normal trade relations with China. The US House voted 237-to-197 in favor of the bill. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt of St. Louis says the debate on the bill discloses what makes America great; freedoms of expression, religion and political speech. And he says the fact that China denies such freedoms leads him to oppose the bill. The four Republicans in Missouri’s Congressional delegation voted in favor. Four of the five Democrats voted against. The only Democrat to vote in favor was West-Central Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton.
