[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6861-H6862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             HYUNDAI MOTORS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bright) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BRIGHT. Madam Speaker, earlier this week Hyundai Motors announced 
it would move production of its Elantra sedan from South Korea to its 
flagship American facility in Montgomery, Alabama. It was a welcome 
announcement for Montgomery and the surrounding area, which I am proud 
to represent.
  Since 2005, the Hyundai Motors facility in Montgomery has produced 
the award-winning and increasingly popular Sonata. Despite a slumping 
economy, production of the Sonata remains at near-peak capacity. In 
fact, production of the Santa Fe recently shifted from Montgomery to 
the new Kia facility in nearby West Point, Georgia, with relatively 
little change overall in production.
  What struck me about the announcement, however, is that Hyundai is 
embracing the global nature of the automobile industry. Instead of 
moving full production of the Elantra to the United States, Hyundai 
will split its manufacturing between Montgomery, Alabama and its 
existing Korean plant. A Hyundai spokesman noted: ``Hyundai's 
philosophy is to build our vehicles where we sell them, and with the 
addition of the Elantra to our U.S. production mix, we now manufacture 
our three most popular models right here in the United States.'' In a 
global economy, it makes sense to keep production close to where the 
car will actually be sold.
  Hyundai has been a wonderful community partner with Alabama and 
specifically within the River Region of our central Alabama location. 
In addition to the 2,700 direct jobs created from the $1.2 billion 
facility, Hyundai has brought in 72 suppliers throughout North America, 
creating an additional 5,500 jobs. This partnership has come despite 
the fact that needless trade barriers exist between the United States 
and our friends in South Korea.
  I can only imagine what both countries could achieve if we were able 
to come together and enact the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

[[Page H6862]]

  I recently joined with a bipartisan coalition to form the U.S.-South 
Korea Free Trade Agreement Working Group. This group, composed of 
Members of Congress who represent diverse districts from across the 
country, wants to see this agreement ratified.
  Despite being signed by President Bush over 3 years ago, Congress has 
yet to pass the agreement. President Obama cites the U.S.-South Korea 
Free Trade Agreement as one of our biggest domestic trade priorities 
and would like to see disagreements worked out by the next G20 meeting 
in November. It's already late September and very little progress has 
been made to get this agreement passed.
  The benefits to the U.S. are obvious. Passing a free trade agreement 
with South Korea, who is our seventh largest trading partner, would add 
an estimated $10 billion to $12 billion to our gross domestic product. 
What we have already seen in Alabama could be expanded across this 
great country of ours.
  Madam Speaker, our number one priority must be getting Americans back 
to work. We have already seen the benefits of a close partnership with 
South Korea. Let's expand on that relationship. I can think of no 
better way to create jobs for Americans at virtually no cost than to 
pass the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

                              {time}  1900

  Without question, there are many issues we must tackle in this 
difficult economic and political time. But trade, especially an 
agreement that enjoys bipartisan support such as the one with South 
Korea, can and should be an issue in which we work together. Let's not 
let partisan politics get in the way of this agreement.

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