[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 472 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 472

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
    States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade 
                         agreement with Egypt.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 2011

    Mr. Dreier (for himself and Mr. Meeks) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
    States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free trade 
                         agreement with Egypt.

Whereas the Arab Spring has swept through Northern Africa and the Middle East, 
        creating the greatest opportunity in more than a generation for true 
        democratic development in the region;
Whereas the resulting upheaval also creates enormous potential for instability, 
        violence, and power vacuums that could be exploited by anti-democratic 
        or extremist forces;
Whereas a key factor that drove protestors into the streets was a lack of 
        economic opportunity;
Whereas demonstrations by the Egyptian people brought to an end the nearly 30-
        year authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011;
Whereas a referendum held the following month to amend the constitution and 
        limit the power of the presidency passed by 77 percent;
Whereas plans for subsequent parliamentary elections have been delayed on 
        multiple occasions;
Whereas frustration at the pace of reform has led thousands of Egyptians to 
        return to the streets;
Whereas jobs and living standards remain the primary concern for most Egyptians;
Whereas polling shows that 80 percent of Egyptians believe that the revolution 
        will improve their economic situation within one year;
Whereas the inherent instability of transitional periods makes economic growth 
        and rising living standards difficult to achieve in the short term;
Whereas if the economic aspirations of the Egyptian people are not realized, the 
        potential for anti-democratic or extremist forces to exploit the current 
        instability will only be magnified;
Whereas strong, sustained economic growth and development would provide the 
        necessary resources for Egypt to build democratic institutions and 
        solidify public support for democratic governance, as well as ensure 
        strong labor, environmental, and human rights protections;
Whereas engagement with Egypt through trade negotiations would encourage greater 
        reform and build its capacity to modernize and liberalize its economy, 
        as well as provide maximum leverage to facilitate the implementation of 
        strong labor, environmental, and human rights protections;
Whereas a vibrant, stable, and prosperous democracy in the Arab world's most 
        populous state is in the interest of the United States and would fuel 
        both economic and democratic development throughout the region;
Whereas Egypt is already an important trading partner for the United States, 
        accounting for over $9,000,000,000 in two-way trade in 2010 and 
        representing the fourth largest destination for United States corn and 
        wheat exports;
Whereas a key United States-Egypt trade initiative, the Qualifying Industrial 
        Zones, is already a success, with 507 companies operating in the zones, 
        shipping $1,000,000,000 of Egypt's $2,200,000,000 in annual exports to 
        the United States last year, employing 200,000 men and women, and 
        representing the single largest cooperative economic project between 
        Israel and Arab world; and
Whereas Egypt is a member of the World Trade Organization: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a free 
trade agreement with Egypt.
                                 <all>