[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 116 (Thursday, July 31, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10588-S10589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      UNITED STATES-CHILE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the clerk will 
report H.R. 2738, an act to implement the United States-Chile Free 
Trade Agreement.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:
  A bill (H.R. 2738) to implement the United States-Chile Free Trade 
Agreement.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bill for the third 
time.
  The bill (H.R. 2738) was read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Shall the bill pass? The yeas 
and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I announce that the Senator from New Mexico (Mr. 
Domenici) is necessarily absent.
  Mr. REID. I announce that the Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Kerry) 
and the Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Lieberman) are necessarily 
absent.
  The result was announced--yeas 66, nays 31, as follows:

                        [Rollcall No. 319 Leg.]

                                YEAS--66

     Alexander
     Allard
     Allen
     Baucus
     Bayh
     Bennett
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Breaux
     Brownback
     Bunning
     Burns
     Campbell
     Cantwell
     Carper
     Chafee
     Clinton
     Cochran
     Coleman
     Collins
     Conrad
     Cornyn
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dole
     Durbin
     Ensign
     Enzi
     Fitzgerald
     Frist
     Graham (FL)
     Grassley
     Gregg
     Hagel
     Hatch
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lincoln
     Lott
     Lugar
     McCain
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Miller
     Murray
     Nelson (FL)
     Nelson (NE)
     Nickles
     Pryor
     Roberts
     Santorum
     Schumer
     Sessions
     Smith (OR)
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stabenow
     Sununu
     Talent
     Thomas
     Voinovich
     Warner

                                NAYS--31

     Akaka
     Biden
     Boxer
     Byrd
     Chambliss
     Corzine
     Craig
     Crapo
     Dayton
     Dodd
     Dorgan
     Edwards
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Graham (SC)
     Harkin
     Hollings
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnson
     Kennedy
     Kohl
     Lautenberg
     Murkowski
     Reed (RI)
     Reid (NV)
     Rockefeller
     Sarbanes
     Shelby
     Stevens
     Wyden

                             NOT VOTING--3

     Domenici
     Kerry
     Lieberman
  The bill (H.R. 2738) was passed.
  Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote.
  Mr. LOTT. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today the Senate passed the United 
States-Chile and the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement 
Implementation Acts. This is the first time in our history that the 
Senate has approved two free trade agreements in a single day. The fact 
that we were able to achieve this goal is a testament not only to the 
high quality of these agreements, but also to the power of Trade 
Promotion Authority.
  It was almost a year ago today that the House and Senate gave final 
approval to the conference report for the Trade Act of 2002. This 
historic piece of legislation empowered the President, for the first 
time in almost a decade, to negotiate free trade agreements utilizing 
Trade Promotion Authority procedures. Today, with the passage of these 
two agreements, we are using TPA to take some of our first steps toward 
re-engaging the world through international trade. It is a welcome 
development.
  International trade has long been one of the most important foreign 
policy and economic tools in our Nation's arsenal. It was a key 
component of our post-World War II international economic strategy. For 
over 50 years international trade contributed to stability and economic 
growth throughout the world. It helped to lift the nations of Europe 
and Asia out of the ashes of World War II. And it helped America 
experience unprecedented prosperity here at home.
  International trade can play a similar role at the beginning of the 
twenty-first century. That is part of what Trade Promotion Authority is 
all about. Trade Promotion Authority represents a partnership between 
the executive and legislative branches of government. It provides the 
President with Congressional support so he can negotiate the best trade 
agreements for America's workers. It provides certainty to our trading 
partners that any agreement reached will get timely consideration and 
will not be ripped apart by the U.S. Congress. In exchange for the 
authority to negotiate, Congress requires intense consultation and 
notification procedures. It provides a legislative check on the 
President's ability to negotiate. And it provides greater certainty to 
Congress that its intent is being followed. The success of these 
procedures can be seen by the strong support these two agreements enjoy 
today.
  With our votes today we are locking in two strong trade agreements 
with our two strongest international trade allies, Chile and Singapore. 
With the passage of these agreements, we send a strong message to the 
world that the United States is back in the game.
  These bills would not have been possible without the able assistance 
of many people. First, I want to acknowledge the leadership of 
President George W. Bush and our United States Trade Representative, 
Ambassador Robert Zoellick. Their stalwart commitment to expanding 
export opportunities for America's farmers and workers was a major 
factor in passing Trade Promotion Authority last year and in concluding 
these two agreements.
  I would also like to take a moment to thank some of those individuals 
in the Senate who helped to make this historic day possible. First, I 
want to thank my colleagues on the Finance Committee, especially the 
Ranking Member, Mr. Baucus. Working together, we demonstrated that 
international trade is not a Republican or a Democratic issue, but 
rather an issue that works for all Americans.

  Next, I would like to thank my Finance Committee staff who has worked 
hard over the summer to get the implementing bills drafted and the 
materials ready so that we could consider these agreements before the 
August recess. It was no easy task, and I appreciate their hard work 
and dedication.
  First and foremost, I want to thank my Chief Counsel and Staff 
Director, Kolan Davis, whose ability to manage multiple legislative 
priorities is a key factor to the success of the Finance Committee's 
work. I also would like to thank my Chief International Trade Counsel, 
Everett Eissenstat, who successfully coordinated the efforts of the 
Finance Committee trade staff to enable us to move this legislation 
quickly. I also want to recognize the rest of my trade team, Carrie 
Clark, Zach Paulsen, David Johanson, Nova Daly, Stephen Schaefer and 
Cathy

[[Page S10589]]

McKinnell. This group sacrificed many long hours to bring these 
agreements to fruition. Without their hard work and dedication, our 
success today would not have been possible.
  Mr. Baucus had a good staff helping him as well and I would like to 
take a moment and thank them for their efforts. I thank Senator Baucus' 
Staff Director, Jeff Forbes, and General Counsel, William Dauster. I 
also appreciate the work of his trade staff led by the Chief 
International Trade Counsel, Tim Punke, along with Shara Aranoff, John 
Gilliland, Brian Pomper and Lara Birkes.
  A sincere thank you also must be given to Polly Craighill from the 
office of the Senate Legislative Counsel, for her patience and 
expertise in drafting this legislation. She is truly a valued part of 
this institution, and her knowledge of the law and devotion to task is 
without equal.
  We can all be proud of today's accomplishments. I look forward to 
President Bush signing these two bills into law.

                          ____________________