[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 111 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1580]]


DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, AND JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 5, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4276) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and 
     State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes:

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to discuss an international 
organization funded by this bill--the Organization for Economic 
Cooperation and Development (OECD). As many of my colleagues know, the 
OECD was founded in 1961 as a successor to the Organization for 
European Economic Cooperation (OEEC). Since its inception, the OECD has 
never strayed too far from its core missions: to see that its member 
nations achieve the highest sustainable economic growth and employment, 
to contribute to sound economic expansion in Member as well as non-
member nations, and to contribute to the expansion of world trade on a 
multilateral, non-discriminatory basis.
  The OECD continues to do important economic work. For example, it is 
working on the Asian economic crisis. It is making an effort to help 
Russia get on the right economic track. The OECD is also the 
organization that developed the Anti-Bribery Convention now pending 
before Congress. OECD economic studies are considered crucial to 
understanding the functioning of the global economy. It is doing 
cutting edge work on regulatory and tax reform. And the OECD is taking 
the lead on understanding the impact that electronic commerce will have 
on global economic issues. In short, the OECD is as important today to 
its member nations as it was at its inception.
  Nonetheless, the OECD understands that in today's tough budgetary 
environment, they need to find ways to do more with less. The OECD is 
reforming on its own initiative. In fact, I believe it has shown real 
leadership in this area. As its internal reforms continue, I believe we 
should take a close look at how these reforms are being implemented, 
and perhaps even hold it up as example for other international 
organizations.
  I would also like to draw the Chairman's attention to the work of the 
OECD Development Center. Over the years, the OECD Development Center 
has served as a bridge between OCED nations and emerging economies 
around the world. The Center's reputation as an ``honest broker,'' 
along with its commitment to promoting market-opening reforms, makes it 
an excellent resource to policy makers in developed nations and 
developing countries alike.
  Mr. Chairman, the OECD and the OECD Development Center are important 
to U.S. international economic interests. I am hopeful that their 
important work will continue.

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