[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 69 (Thursday, May 13, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5306-S5307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE RESOLUTION 101--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON 
                    AGRICULTURAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

  Mr. FITZGERALD (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. 
Ashcroft) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Finance:

                              S. Res. 101

       Whereas the United States is the world's largest exporter 
     of agricultural commodities and products;
       Whereas 96 percent of the world's consumers live outside 
     the United States;
       Whereas the profitability of the United States agricultural 
     sector is dependent on a healthy export market; and
       Whereas the next round of multilateral trade negotiations 
     is scheduled to begin on November 30, 1999: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate supports and strongly encourages 
     the President to adopt the following trade negotiating 
     objectives:
       (1) The initiation of a comprehensive round of multilateral 
     trade negotiations that--
       (A) covers all goods and services;
       (B) continues to reform agricultural and food trade policy;
       (C) promotes global food security through open trade; and
       (D) increases trade liberalization in agriculture and food.
       (2) The simultaneous conclusion of the negotiations for all 
     sectors.
       (3) The adoption of the framework established under the 
     Uruguay Round Agreements for the agricultural negotiations 
     conducted in 1999 to ensure that there are no product or 
     policy exceptions.
       (4) The establishment of a 3-year goal for the conclusion 
     of the negotiations by December 2002.
       (5) The elimination of all export subsidies and tightening 
     of rules for circumvention of export subsidies.
       (6) The elimination of all nontariff barriers to trade.
       (7) The transition of domestic agricultural support 
     programs to a form decoupled from agricultural production, as 
     the United States has already done under the Agricultural 
     Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.).
       (8) The commercially meaningful reduction or elimination of 
     bound and applied tariffs, and the mutual elimination of 
     restrictive tariff barriers, on an accelerated basis.
       (9) The improved administration of tariff rate quotas.
       (10)(A) The elimination of state trading enterprises; or
       (B) the adoption of policies that ensure operational 
     transparency, the end of discriminatory pricing practices, 
     and competition for state trading enterprises.
       (11) The maintenance of sound science and risk assessment 
     for sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
       (12) The assurance of market access for biotechnology 
     products, with the regulation

[[Page S5307]]

     of the products based solely on sound science.
       (13) The accelerated resolution of trade disputes and 
     prompt enforcement of dispute panels of the World Trade 
     Organization.
       (14) The provision of food security for importing nations 
     by ensuring access to supplies through a commitment by World 
     Trade Organization member countries not to restrict or 
     prohibit the export of agricultural products.
       (15) The resolution of labor and environmental issues in a 
     manner that facilitates, rather than restricts, agricultural 
     trade.
       (16) The establishment of World Trade Organization rules 
     that will allow developing countries to graduate, using 
     objective economic criteria, to full participation in, and 
     obligations under, the World Trade Organization.

 Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, I rise today along with my 
colleagues, Senators Grassley, Roberts, and Ashcroft, to submit a 
resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the next round 
of agricultural trade negotiations. As a member of the Senate 
Agriculture Committee, I am very concerned about U.S. agriculture's 
position in the next round of negotiations. This resolution establishes 
clear direction to the Administration as it enters the Seattle 
negotiations this November.
  These process and procedural guidelines have been developed through a 
consensus process of the Seattle Round Agricultural Committee (SRAC). 
SRAC represents over 70 agricultural organizations--from the Farm 
Bureau to the National Oilseed Processors Association of Kraft Foods. 
This diverse group of agriculturalists have spent many hours developing 
these principles to ensure that our international agriculture markets 
remain strong, open and fair for our nation's farmers.
  The U.S. agricultural sector is one of the only segments of our 
economy that consistently produces a trade surplus. In fact, our 
agricultural surplus totaled $27.2 billion in 1996. However, we must 
not rest on our laurels; the United States Department of Agriculture 
projects that our agricultural trade surplus in 1999 will dwindle to 
approximately $12 billion. We must not let this trend continue.
  Free and open international markets are vital to my home state. 
Illinois' 76,000 farms cover more than 28 million acres--nearly 80 
percent of Illinois. Our farm product sales generate nine billion 
dollars annually and Illinois ranks third in agricultural exports. In 
fiscal year 1997 alone, Illinois agricultural exports totaled $3.7 
billion and created 57,000 jobs for our state. Needless to say, 
agriculture makes up a significant portion of my state's economy, and a 
healthy export market for these products is important to my 
constituents.
  As you know, farm commodity prices have recently been in a slump. 
This situation makes open debate on agricultural trade and the Seattle 
round even more timely and necessary. While the average tariff assessed 
by the United States on agricultural products is less than five 
percent, the average agricultural tariff assessed by other World Trade 
Organization members exceeds 40 percent. This situation is clearly 
unfair and certainly depresses U.S. agricultural commodity prices. 
Accordingly, this issue must be addressed in the next round.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on policies to tear down 
international trade barriers and ensure that our agricultural trade 
surplus expands and remains strong. This resolution is the first step 
toward ensuring that agriculture is a top priority of the 
Administration during the next round of multilateral trade 
negotiations.
  I want to recognize and commend my colleagues, Senators Grassley, 
Roberts, and Ashcroft, for joining me as original co-sponsors of this 
resolution. This resolution should enjoy bipartisan support, and I urge 
my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring this legislation important to 
our nation's farmers.

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