,,iii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #efg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september
 #ah1 #bjad ,mr4 ,mc,cain 7for himself1 
,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,corker1 ,mr4         
,whitehouse1 and ,mr4 ,cardin7 submitted
 the following resolution2 which was    
referred to the ,committee on ,foreign  
,relations  ,,resolution  ,expressing   
the sense of the ,senate regarding the  
possible easing of restrictions on the  
sale of lethal military equipment to the
 ,government of ,vietnam4  ,that it is  
the sense of the ,senate that-- 7#a7    
,vietnam is an important emerging       
partner with which the ,united ,states  
increasingly shares strategic and       
economic interests1 including improving 
bilateral and multilateral capacity for 
humanitarian assistance and disaster    
relief1 upholding the principles of     
freedom of navigation and peaceful      
resolution of international disputes1   
strengthening an open regional trading  
order1 and maintaining a favorable      

balance of power in the ,asia-,pacific  
region2  7#b7 the ,government of        
,vietnam has recently taken modest but  
encouraging steps to improve its human  
rights record1 including signing the    
,united ,nations ,convention ,against   
,torture and other ,cruel1 ,inhuman or  
,degrading ,treatment or ,punishment1   
adopted by the ,united ,nations ,general
 ,assembly ,december #aj1 #aihd1        
increasing registrations for places of  
worship1 taking greater action to combat
 human trafficking1 reviewing the       
,criminal ,code1 and beginning          
high-level engagement with the ,united  
,states and international human rights  
nongovernmental organizations2  7#c7 in 
light of growing challenges in the      
,asia-,pacific region and some steps by 
the ,government of ,vietnam to improve  
its human rights record1 the ,president 
should begin a process to ease the      
,united ,states prohibition on the sale 
of lethal military equipment to         
,vietnam1 which is maintained under     

executive authority and can be changed  
without legislative action1 but should  
not be changed without consultation with
 ,congress2  7#d7 easing the prohibition
 on the sale of lethal military         
equipment to ,vietnam at this time      
solely with regard to maritime and      
coastal defense would further ,united   
,states national security interests1 but
 steps beyond this to ease further the  
prohibition would require the           
,government of ,vietnam to take         
significant and sustained steps to      
protect human rights1 including releases
 of prisoners of conscience and legal   
reforms2  7#e7 the ,united ,states      
,government should continue to support  
civil society in ,vietnam1 including    
advocates for religious freedom1 press  
freedom1 and labor rights who seek to   
use peaceful means to build a strong and
 prosperous ,vietnam that respects human
 rights and the rule of law2 and  7#f7  
the ,united ,states ,government should  
continue to engage the ,government of   

,vietnam in a high-level dialogue and   
specify what steps on human rights would
 be necessary for the ,government of    
,vietnam to take in order to continue   
strengthening the bilateral             
relationship1 including to ease further 
the prohibition on the sale of lethal   
military equipment4