[House Document 109-71]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





109th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 109-71

 
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE 
                               AGREEMENT

                               ----------                              

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

   CONSISTENT WITH THE TRADE ACT OF 2002, LEGISLATION/AND SUPPORTING 
 DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT




  November 17, 2005.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
         Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE 
                               AGREEMENT
                                     

109th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 
109-71

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE 
                               AGREEMENT

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              TRANSMITTING

   CONSISTENT WITH THE TRADE ACT OF 2002, LEGISLATION/AND SUPPORTING 
 DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT




  November 17, 2005.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
         Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
    I am pleased to transmit legislation and supporting 
documents to implement the United States-Bahrain Free Trade 
Agreement (the "Agreement"). This Agreement enhances our 
bilateral relationship with a strategic friend and ally in the 
Middle East region and will promote economic growth and 
prosperity in both nations.
    In negotiating this Agreement, my Administration was guided 
by the objectives set out in the Trade Act of 2002. The 
Agreement reflects my Administration's commitment to opening 
markets and expanding opportunities for American workers, 
farmers, ranchers, and businesses. The Agreement will open 
Bahrain's market for U.S. manufactured goods, agricultural 
products, and services. As soon as it enters into force, the 
Agreement will eliminate tariffs on all manufactured goods that 
the United States sells to Bahrain and immediately remove 
Bahrain's import duties on over 80 percent of U.S. agricultural 
products. The Agreement is also one of the most comprehensive 
ever negotiated to reduce barriers to trade in services and 
will create new opportunities for U.S. services firms.
    The Agreement contains procedures that will facilitate 
cooperation between the United States and Bahrain on 
environmental and labor matters. The labor chapter of the 
Agreement reinforces Bahrain's recent legislative actions to 
expand democracy and improve the protection of worker rights, 
including trade union rights. Provisions in the Agreement 
requiring effective enforcement of environmental laws will 
contribute to high levels of environmental protection.
    The approval of this Agreement will be another significant 
step towards creating a Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013. 
This Agreement offers the United States yet another opportunity 
to encourage economic reform in a moderate Muslim nation as we 
have done through our free trade agreements with Jordan and 
Morocco. Leaders in Bahrain are supporting the pursuit of 
social and economic reforms in the region, encouraging foreign 
investment connected to broad-based development, and providing 
better protection for women and workers. It is strongly in our 
national interest to embrace and encourage these reforms, and 
passing this legislation is a crucial step toward that end. 

                                                    George W. Bush.
    The White House, November 16, 2005.
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