[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 45 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2054-H2057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT MIAMI, FLORIDA, SHOULD SERVE AS PERMANENT 
                    LOCATION FOR SECRETARIAT OF FTAA

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the 
Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 71) expressing the sense of 
the Congress that Miami, Florida, and not a competing foreign city, 
should serve as the permanent location for the Secretariat of the Free 
Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) beginning in 2005.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 71

       Whereas deliberations on establishing a ``Free Trade Area 
     of the Americas'' (FTAA) will help facilitate greater 
     cooperation and understanding on trade barrier reduction 
     throughout the Americas;
       Whereas the trade ministers of 34 countries of the Western 
     Hemisphere agreed in 1998 to create a permanent Secretariat 
     in order to support negotiations on establishing the FTAA;
       Whereas the FTAA Secretariat will employ persons to provide 
     logistical, administrative, archival, translation, 
     publication, and distribution support for the negotiations;
       Whereas the FTAA Secretariat will be funded by a 
     combination of local resources and institutional resources 
     from a tripartite committee consisting of the Inter-American 
     Development Bank (IDB), the Organization of American States 
     (OAS), and the United Nations Economic Commission on Latin 
     America and the Caribbean (ECLAC);
       Whereas the temporary site of the FTAA Secretariat will be 
     located in Miami, Florida, from 1999 until February 28, 2001, 
     at which point the Secretariat will rotate to Panama City, 
     Panama, until February 28, 2003, and then rotate to Mexico 
     City, Mexico, until February 28, 2005;
       Whereas by 2005 the FTAA Secretariat will have 
     international institution status providing jobs and 
     tremendous economic benefits to its host city;
       Whereas a permanent site for the FTAA Secretariat after 
     2005 will likely be selected from among the 3 temporary host 
     cities;
       Whereas the city of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and the State 
     of Florida have long served as the gateway for trade with the 
     Caribbean and Latin America;
       Whereas trade between the city of Miami, Florida, and the 
     countries of Latin America and the Caribbean totaled 
     $36,793,000,000 in 1998;
       Whereas the Miami-Dade area and the State of Florida 
     possess the necessary infrastructure, local resources, and 
     culture necessary for the FTAA Secretariat's permanent site;
       Whereas the United States possesses the world's largest 
     economy and is the leading proponent of trade liberalization 
     throughout the world; and
       Whereas the city of Miami, Florida, the State of Florida, 
     and the United States are uniquely situated among other 
     competing locations to host the ``Brussels of the Western 
     Hemisphere'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 
     President should direct the United States representative to 
     the ``Free Trade Area of the Americas'' (FTAA) negotiations 
     to use all available means in order to secure Miami, Florida, 
     as the permanent site of the FTAA Secretariat after February 
     28, 2005.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ose). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane) and the gentleman from Michigan 
(Mr. Levin) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane).


                             General Leave

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous matter on S. Con. Res. 71.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. Con. Res. 71 is a noncontroversial resolution which 
would express the sense of the Congress that the USTR should use all 
available means to make Miami, Florida, the permanent site of the 
Secretariat for the Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA, after the 
year 2005. The resolution passed the Senate by unanimous consent last 
November.
  The FTAA facilitates open cooperation and the reduction of trade 
barriers throughout the Americas. Right now the Secretariat is rotating 
among various cities until 2005. The permanent home is important 
because the host country gains international institution status and 
economic benefits. This legislation would send an important signal to 
the administration and to our

[[Page H2055]]

 trading partners in the Western Hemisphere that Congress wants the 
United States to continue its leadership role in trade negotiations.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Shaw) and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to 
yield blocks of time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek).
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. Con. Res. 
71, expressing the sense of the Congress that Miami, Florida, and not a 
competing foreign city, should serve as the permanent location of the 
Secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas beginning in 2005.
  In 1994, Miami was host to 34 heads of state and governments who 
gathered for the historic Summit of the Americas. From this meeting 
came the idea to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas by the year 
2005.
  The temporary site of the FTAA Secretariat has been in Miami and will 
remain there until February 28, 2001, when it will move to Panama City, 
Panama, and stay there until February 28, 2003. It will then move to 
Mexico City, Mexico, until February 28, 2005. A permanent site for the 
FTAA Secretariat will then likely be chosen from the then temporary 
host cities.
  The FTAA Secretariat is potentially the single most important job 
creation vehicle for Florida in this generation. The city that secures 
the Secretariat will become the business and trade capital of the 
Americas.
  As a resident of Miami, some may ask, why choose Miami? Trade between 
Latin America and the Caribbean with Miami totalled $36.8 billion in 
1998 as reported by the Beacon Council and the Bureau of the Census. In 
1998, $69 billion in international trade passed through Florida. 
Fifteen of the FTAA countries were among the top 25 trading partners 
with the Port of Miami. Exports and imports through Miami customs 
district, mainly with Latin America, reached over $47 billion in 1997. 
The Miami Free Zone is a valuable asset for international trade.
  Mr. Speaker, Miami is home to the tenth largest airport in the world, 
providing the most flights out of the United States into Latin America 
and the Caribbean. Miami International Airport is the leading airport 
for international air cargo. Miami International Airport provides air 
service that links 200 cities on five continents.
  The Port of Miami served 3.2 million passengers in 1997, reaffirming 
the Port of Miami as the cruise capital of the world. In July 1999, the 
Port of Miami signed a sister seaport agreement with Buenos Aires. 
Miami offers a vast highway system and a convenient metrorail system as 
an alternative to driving.
  Miami, Mr. Speaker, is a culturally diverse area. More than 2 million 
people reside in Miami, bringing a rich cultural diversity to the area. 
Fifty-four percent of the population of Dade County is Latin. The City 
of Miami is home to one of the largest number of bi-national chambers 
of commerce in the country.
  As for the quality of security that the FTAA will need, the Miami-
Dade Police Department is the largest police force in the southeastern 
United States, employing over 2,951 officers. They are recognized as 
one of the leading law enforcement agencies in the Nation. The State of 
Florida has five Air Force bases, 10 Naval bases, and two Coast Guard 
stations.
  Miami is strategically located between all the FTAA countries, 
providing a gateway for commerce, cultural exchange, and communication. 
Securing a permanent Secretariat in Miami is essential because it will 
expand our businesses' unique access to the international trade process 
and exposure to the potentially expanding locations of the OAS, IBD, 
World Bank, and international finance institutions.
  There is no doubt that the President should direct the United States 
Representative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations to 
use all available means to secure Miami, and not a competing foreign 
city, as the permanent site of the FTAA Secretariat after February 28, 
2005.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) 
for this opportunity to represent Miami for the Free Trade Area 
Secretariat.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), a distinguished member of the 
Committee on Ways and Means.
  Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to 
me.
  Mr. Speaker, first I want to applaud both the comments of the 
gentlewoman from Miami, Florida (Mrs. Meek), as well as the leadership 
of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), who represents Dade, Broward 
and Palm Beach Counties, who has been working very closely with our 
Florida Secretary of State in establishing what we hope will be an 
economic opportunity, an outstanding viable trade mission, something 
that will not only produce and provide jobs for Floridians and people 
who live in the United States, but will also serve as a welcome station 
for countries around the hemisphere.

                              {time}  1415

  Clearly New York is blessed to have the United Nations, where people 
from all over the world assemble to debate and discuss the merits of 
international treaties, trade, and other important things that they 
consider.
  We now have a chance, through this legislation, this resolution, to 
establish the permanent Secretariat in Miami. The United States has 
been negotiating with other countries in the Americas to establish free 
trade area of the Americas. As part of that, we agreed 2 years ago to 
create a permanent Secretariat to help further the FTAA.
  Miami, as was described by the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), 
is now the temporary home of the Secretariat. This bill would make 
permanent Miami as its home, and we believe strongly as members of the 
South Florida delegation that it ought to be here in Miami, in Florida.
  The State of Florida is now already the gateway to trade between 
North and South America, with much of this trade going through the Port 
of Miami. It is an international bilingual city that has long had roots 
in the Latin American culture, making it all the more equipped to be 
the center of trade of the Americas. Well over 700,000 Cuban Americans 
call Dade County home, and there are a multitude of other nationalities 
that equally call Miami their home now, Nicaraguans, Guatemalans, 
Haitians, all types of nationalities, which makes it even more fitting, 
and it makes it more equipped to be the center for trade for the 
Americas.
  We have a marvelous opportunity now to make a United States city the 
focal point for trade within the Americas, and Miami is clearly the 
best candidate.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, and again, I want 
to personally commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), who is 
looking to bring what I believe will be one of the most vital 
opportunities to his Dade County in both the creation of jobs, in 
recognizing that the United States is for trade, it is for open trade, 
and will make a hospitable location for future deliberations.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as indicated, this is a bill that passed the Senate. It 
was unanimous. It was noncontroversial. This is a bill mainly about 
facilities, about headquarters for the further negotiations of an FTAA. 
I want to support it in that vein.
  I also want to say, if I might, just a brief word about the content, 
about the subject matter. There is a reference in the concurrent 
resolution to greater cooperation and understanding on trade barrier 
reduction throughout the Americas. I am pleased that, as the ministers 
have been meeting, that their perspective on trade issues has widened 
and is more vast than relating only to trade barrier reduction, as 
important as that may be.
  I am pleased that in recent weeks, as I understand it, that the trade 
ministers have placed on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting 
of trade ministers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the issue of core labor 
standards and their role in the trade equation. I believe very much 
that that has to be considered, and in the end part of the negotiations 
relating to an FTAA.

[[Page H2056]]

  It seems to me that in view of the discussions to date, that there is 
an understanding among the trade ministers that there needs to be a 
diligent effort to look at all of the critical aspects of trade in 
these further negotiations.
  As I said, this bill, however, is not basically about the content of 
the negotiations, it is about where the Secretariat should be located. 
The Florida delegation very understandably would like to see that 
placed in Miami. I think there is an advantage not only to Florida, but 
to the rest of the Nation.
  I support this in the vein with the comments that I have made 
regarding the subject matter of future negotiations regarding an FTAA. 
At some point there will have to be consideration by this body as to 
the procedures which will guide the eventual negotiations.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), a distinguished member of 
the Florida delegation and chairman of the Subcommittee on 
International Economic Policy and Trade of the Committee on 
International Relations.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
time to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of making Miami, Florida, the 
permanent location for the Secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the 
Americas, FTAA. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation, which is 
being led by our colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw). His 
resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Miami, and not a 
foreign city, should serve as the permanent location for the FTAA.
  Mr. Speaker, Miami, Florida, is currently the temporary location for 
the FTAA, which is comprised of 34 free nations with a combined gross 
domestic product of $14 trillion. The only city in the United States 
being considered as the permanent location of the FTAA is Miami, but it 
is competing with Panama and Mexico City.
  I and my colleagues from Florida believe that Florida is indeed the 
best choice for the FTAA. Its strategic location, which many have 
hailed as the gateway to the Americas, makes Miami a natural choice for 
the FTAA. It enables our city to become the cultural, the diplomatic, 
and the commercial center of the Americas.
  Additionally, Miami is already considered by many as the business and 
trade capital of the Americas. Due to its geographic location, Miami is 
already positioned to house the permanent Secretariat. The city has the 
highest number of flights to and from Latin America and the Caribbean, 
and the Port of Miami serves over 100 ports in this area as well, and a 
very large number of international companies have already made South 
Florida their regional headquarters for Latin America, including 
Federal Express, UPS, DHL, to name just a few. They also have 
international service centers based in Miami.
  Winning the Secretariat means increased and strengthened 
technological investment, not just for us in Miami but for the entire 
state of Florida, and indeed, our Nation. The State's ten largest 
trading partners are located in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
Therefore, having the permanent Secretariat located in Florida would 
tremendously increase the State's hemispheric trade.
  An important issue that we must also consider in this matter is the 
opportunity for Florida to become the e-business center for trade and 
e-business start-up companies, and this is a wonderful opportunity to 
begin warmer relations with our neighbors to the south.
  The current revolution in e-commerce and the boom in e-business 
start-up companies requires us to seriously consider the consequences 
of not being a dominant player in the telecommunications industry. We 
cannot overlook the potential for hundreds and thousands of jobs that 
would be generated by a strong communications infrastructure arising 
from having the Secretariat in our Nation.
  A great number of high-tech firms have already made Miami their home, 
and we would capitalize on this fact. The creation of jobs is vitally 
important to our area, and the Secretariat would provide an environment 
that encourages more companies to establish their operations, thereby 
increasing employment opportunities throughout the United States.
  Having Florida as the Secretariat's permanent home benefits us as a 
whole. It would improve trade and commerce between the United States 
and the Americas, thereby enabling us to retain our current dominant 
position as a trade partner. It would also allow us the opportunity to 
surpass European exporters, who are moving forward to redouble their 
businesses with Latin America.
  The issue of having Miami as the home of the permanent Secretariat of 
the FTAA enjoys strong support throughout the State. The Secretary of 
the State of Florida has expressed her strong support for this, 
particularly as it pertains to accelerating e-business and trade in the 
Americas. The Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, is also committed to 
positioning the Internet in Florida for economic growth. The FTAA would 
help push these goals forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to support the legislation of the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) making the permanent home of the 
Secretariat of the FTAA to be Miami. It is a win-win situation, and I 
urge support of this important issue that is important for all of us in 
the State of Florida and, indeed, throughout the Nation.
  I congratulate the leadership of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Shaw) on this and many other issues.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 71, which is a bipartisan concurrent resolution expressing 
the sense of the Congress that Miami and not a competing foreign city 
should serve as a permanent location for the Free Trade Area of the 
Americas Secretariat, FTAA, beginning in the year 2005.
  I introduced the companion House concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 217, to the legislation before us today. I am 
pleased that nearly every member of the Florida delegation is a 
cosponsor of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1998 the trade ministers of 34 Western Hemisphere 
countries agreed to create a permanent Secretariat in order to support 
negotiations on establishing the free trade area of the Americas. The 
temporary site of the FTAA Secretariat is now located in Miami. 
Starting next year, the FTAA Secretariat will rotate to Panama City and 
then rotate to Mexico City until the year 2005.
  The purpose of this legislation is to put the Congress on record as 
supporting Miami for the permanent location of the FTAA talks. This 
legislation is particularly good news for South Florida. If the FTAA 
permanently locates in Miami, thousands of jobs will be created to 
support this institution. Miami will join the ranks of Washington, D.C. 
and New York as the only American cities to host a large international 
organization.
  If Miami is ultimately chosen, some day Miami may be as closely 
associated as being the center of world trade as now it is known for 
its famous beaches and sunshine and climate.
  Locating the FTAA talks in Miami also will make sense on a practical 
level. The city of Miami and Miami- Dade County and the State of 
Florida have long served as the gateway for trade with the Caribbean 
Nations and Latin America. Moreover, Miami-Dade County possesses the 
necessary infrastructure, local resources, and the cultural diversity 
that is necessary for the FTAA Secretariat's permanent site. Miami also 
is a multicultural, bilingual city that is de facto financial capital 
of Latin America today.
  In sum, Miami is the logical and most attractive location to 
permanently hold the FTAA talks. In a broader sense, the home of the 
FTAA should be an American city. Since the end of World War II, the 
United States has been the leading proponent of trade liberalization 
throughout the world. Today our leadership on free trade is under close 
scrutiny, with many of our allies openly questioning our continuing 
commitment to expanding world trade.
  Let us send a strong signal today that America will continue its 
leadership position on this issue, especially

[[Page H2057]]

to our neighbors in this hemisphere, by having a unanimous vote to 
locate the FTAA Secretariat in Miami.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Crane) and 
the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Archer) and all of my Florida 
colleagues for bringing this important bill to the floor today.
  I especially thank Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, whose 
tireless work on this legislation was a major reason for its 
consideration today. I am confident that under Secretary Harris's 
leadership, Miami will one day be known as the Brussels of the West.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask for a yea vote on this bill. It is important to 
Dade County and Miami, it is important to the State of Florida, and as 
my good friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) pointed out, it 
is good for America.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bi-
partisan resolution directing the President and the United States Trade 
Representative to pursue all available means to insure that the 
permanent home of the Free Trade Area of the Americas' (FTAA) 
Secretariat is located in the city of Miami, Florida. Miami already 
boasts a strong economic and cultural connection to our country's 
southern neighbors and trading partners, and is now positioned to 
become the ``Brussels of the Western Hemisphere'' by hosting the 
permanent home of the FTAA.
  For those who may be unaware, the Free Trade Area of the Americas 
(FTAA) is the product of agreements among the United States and the 
nations of the Western Hemisphere to establish a means for cooperation 
to promote trade and further reduce barriers to trade within this 
hemisphere. As part of that goal, the trade ministers of 34 countries 
agreed to establish an organization, the FTAA Secretariat, to aid the 
process of trade liberalization. By 2005 the FTAA Secretariat will have 
international institution status providing jobs and tremendous economic 
benefits to its host city akin to the European regional economic and 
governmental organizations in Brussels. The agreement establishing the 
FTAA Secretariat calls for its location to rotate on a temporary basis 
between three cities: Panama City, Panama; Mexico City, Mexico; and 
Miami, Florida. A choice on the permanent site of the Secretariat has 
not yet been made from among these three competing cities, but will be 
soon.
  The FTAA Secretariat will be funded by a combination of local 
resources and institutional resources from a tripartite committee 
consisting of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB), and the United Nations Economic 
Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
  Mr. Speaker, I would advise my colleagues that it does not matter 
what your position on free trade or on some of our Latin American 
trading partners may be, this resolution deserves the support of every 
Member of Congress. This is a noncontroversial and patriotic resolution 
which simply affirms that we, as a Congress, desire that the FTAA 
Secretariat should be permanently located in the United States rather 
than either Panama or Mexico. Miami is the only United States city in 
contention to become the permanent home of the FTAA Secretariat, and 
the city of Miami and the State of Florida deserve the support of 
Congress in this effort.
  The city of Miami and the State of Florida have long served as the 
gateway for trade with the Caribbean and Latin America. Trade between 
the city of Miami, Florida and the countries of Latin America and the 
Caribbean totaled $36,793,000,000 in 1998. Furthermore, Miami is better 
equipped with the necessary infrastructure to support the Secretariat, 
including the area of information technology. Miami is best positioned 
of the three locations to further accelerate the already rapid 
expansion of the Internet and E-commerce into Latin America through the 
FTAA, and become not only the ``Brussels of the Western Hemisphere'' 
but the Latin American gateway to Silicon Valley as well.
  I would be remiss if I did not thank Florida Secretary of State 
Katherine Harris, who is from my own Congressional District, and my 
colleague Congressman Clay Shaw for all their hard work to bring this 
bill to the floor and to bring the FTAA to Miami.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States has always been the leader in expanded 
trade and in this hemisphere, and Congress can help ensure that we do 
not abdicate that role by doing our part to locate the FTAA Secretariat 
here in this country, in Miami, Florida. I strongly urge my colleagues 
to vote in favor of this important resolution.
  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ose). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) that the House suspend 
the rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution, S. Con. Res. 
71.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof), the rules were suspended and the Senate concurrent resolution 
was concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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