[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 5, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H9998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         PROTECT AMERICA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND SLOW DOWN FAST TRACK

  (Mr. BOYD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, in the last few weeks I have grown 
increasingly concerned about the World Trade Organization's impact on 
our sovereignty. The WTO allows a panel of trade experts to rule that 
Federal and State laws are barriers to trade. If we do not take action 
to comply with the WTO's ruling, other nations then can level punitive 
tariffs against us.
  While many have glossed this over, Congress has already changed one 
law to avoid these sanctions. The WTO has cases pending against several 
State and Federal laws. In Florida, we require foreign agricultural 
producers who ship crops into our State to pay for inspections when 
their produce enters our ports. These inspections protect locally grown 
crops from exposure to foreign-based infestations, which could 
devastate a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry.
  While the State law does not violate any Federal statute, it is 
currently being challenged in the WTO. I would urge my colleagues to 
take a close look at the WTO before voting on fast track. Protect our 
sovereignty and slow down fast track.

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