[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4195-S4196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. NELSON, of Florida (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Martinez, 
        and Mr. Dodd):
  S. 780 bill to amend the Andean Trade Preference Act to add Paraguay 
to the list of countries that are eligible to be designated as 
beneficiary countries and ATPDEA beneficiary countries; to the 
Committee on Finance.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a 
bill, the U.S.-Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009, to add Paraguay as a 
beneficiary under the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.
  I want to thank my colleague on the Finance Committee, Senator John 
Cornyn, for joining me in sponsoring this legislation. I understand a 
companion bill is being introduced in the House today as well by 
Representatives Engel and Burton.
  Paraguay, located in the important Tri-Border region of South 
America, shares borders with Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina. Paraguay 
is one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere, with 30 
percent of its population surviving on less than $2 a day. In 2007, 
U.S. exports to Paraguay exceeded $1.2 billion, while Paraguayan 
imports to the U.S. totaled just $68 million. Florida has historically 
served as a key source and transit point for U.S. two-way trade with 
Paraguay and will likely benefit from increased economic links between 
our two countries. Florida's deep-water ports serve as the main 
shipping points for goods coming from or going to Latin America. In 
addition, Paraguay, a major drug transit hub, has been a reliable U.S. 
partner for many years in our counternarcotics and counterterrorism 
efforts in the region. Nevertheless, we have neglected to include 
Paraguay in the important Andean trade program.
  I believe that Paraguay is deserving of inclusion in this program.
  The Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act is a preference 
program that was established in 1991 and reauthorized with the drug 
cooperation element in 2002. It currently grants duty-free access to a 
range of exports from four Andean countries including Colombia, 
Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. This bill will add Paraguay as the fifth 
beneficiary country of this program, which will help connect Paraguay 
to the U.S. market and foster closer cooperation on a range of 
important anti-drug trafficking and national security issues. 
Currently, Paraguayan products are not competitive in U.S. markets 
because they are subject to higher tariffs than other Latin American 
and Caribbean countries that ship these same items duty-free to the 
U.S.
  You may recall that the very first Summit of the Americas was held in 
1994 in Miami, FL, where delegates discussed trade, combating drugs, 
and promotion of democracy. The new administration and our 
international partners will continue to grapple with these vital issues 
at the 5th Summit of the Americas, which will take place in Trinidad 
from April 17 to 19.
  President Obama, who will be leading the U.S. delegation to the 
Summit in Trinidad, has said that we must work to develop a 
``partnership based on respect that the people of Latin America are 
looking for and that will be beneficial to the United States.''
  The upcoming Summit of the Americas is dedicated to promoting 
prosperity and democracy in the Western Hemisphere. Surely, the thirty-
four democratically elected heads of state who will be in attendance in 
Trinidad must focus on the situation of poverty-stricken countries such 
as Paraguay and Haiti. The election of President Fernando Lugo of 
Paraguay in May

[[Page S4196]]

2008 marked the democratic transfer of power in Paraguay after six 
decades of uninterrupted rule by the Colorado Party. It is in America's 
interest to support democracy and economic prosperity throughout the 
Hemisphere and I believe that adding Paraguay to this trade program is 
a positive step in that direction. The proud Paraguayan-American 
citizens of Florida and of other States, who have made important 
contributions to American society, will no doubt support this move.
  In the spirit of the Summit of the Americas, we should strengthen our 
relationship with Latin America as a whole. We should continue to 
support representative democracy and expand prosperity in the 
Hemisphere. Therefore, I urge the Senate to include Paraguay in the 
Andean Trade Preference Act, a decision that will benefit both our 
countries as trade expands. Together with the other nations of the 
Western Hemisphere, we must strive to find common solutions to common 
problems, given the tremendous challenges we face today.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I rise to speak in favor of the U.S.-
Paraguay Partnership Act of 2009. I introduced this legislation earlier 
today along with my colleague from the Finance Committee, Senator Bill 
Nelson of Florida.
  This legislation will do two things; it will reduce trade barriers 
between the U.S., and Paraguay and it will encourage continued bi-
national security cooperation. Paraguay is a friendly ally in Latin 
America, and it is beneficial to support and empower our allies in this 
sometimes-hostile region of the Americas.
  The U.S.-Paraguay Partnership Act will add Paraguay to our Nation's 
existing trade pact with four countries in the Andean region of Latin 
America. The Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Enforcement Act, ATPDEA, 
enacted in 2002, is an economic tool that provides incentives for 
Andean nations to grow and manufacture legitimate products in order to 
reduce the grip of illegal drug cultivation and trafficking.
  The ATPDEA has helped reduce the flow of narcotics from Peru, 
Colombia, and Ecuador since its enactment. In addition to the illegal 
drug eradication function, the accord also fostered much greater 
economic cooperation between the Andean region and the U.S. Moreover, 
the two free trade agreements President George W. Bush negotiated and 
signed with Peru and Colombia were borne out of the cooperation 
developed by the Andean trade accord.
  Paraguay is an important ally in U.S. counternarcotics efforts and is 
helping crackdown on terrorist financing activities in its region. The 
government of Paraguay recognizes the value in developing its economy 
by promoting legitimate alternatives to narcotics cultivation and 
trade. Our bi-national eradication strategy is working, and this bill 
will provide economic incentives to continue the fight against narco-
terrorism from the ground up.
  The ATPDEA is a temporary trade preferences law and is due for 
reconsideration later this year. I encourage my colleagues to seriously 
consider the merits of adding Paraguay as a beneficiary country when 
the ATPDEA is reauthorized. It is time to extend the benefits of the 
ATPDEA to the nation of Paraguay.

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