[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 153 (Thursday, October 13, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H6862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE SPIRIT OF COMPETITION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Schilling) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHILLING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in the spirit of 
competition, in support of American workers and as an advocate for a 
government that seeks to provide economic certainty for the businesses 
that create jobs in this country.
  Last night, the House voted on bipartisan trade agreements with 
Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. These agreements represent an 
opportunity to compete, grow jobs, and promote American exports.
  Here is what we know: Ninety-five percent of the world's customers 
live outside this great country. Here is another thing: If America 
gives itself the opportunity to compete with other countries, like 
these three agreements will, American manufacturers and farmers will 
deliver, and we will all win. Job creation is red, white, and blue. 
It's definitely a red, white, and blue issue, and that is why you saw 
both Democrats and Republicans coming together yesterday to provide 
this opportunity for American exports to compete.
  In the 17th District of Illinois, which I represent, I recently 
visited a company that makes the big mining trucks, and 80 percent of 
those trucks ship outside of the United States of America. This company 
employs 3,000 workers, which is equal to supplying jobs to 2,400 of 
those. These jobs are dependent upon exports. The same company also 
manufactures bulldozers. Eight out of 10 of those are sold to buyers 
from overseas. Yet again, this is an example of jobs being created 
because of the demand for American products by customers in a global 
economy.
  These trade agreements will reduce tariffs on goods and will remove 
barriers that are currently in place. By leveling the playing field for 
our manufacturers and farmers, we can further promote these 
cornerstones of the American economy. We need to enact these policies 
that strengthen our manufacturing base, which is why I am cosponsoring 
legislation offered by my colleague and friend Dan Lipinski that will 
pave the way for our national manufacturing strategy.
  Three million manufacturing jobs and almost 4 million ag jobs are 
dependent upon U.S. exports. The independent U.S. International Trade 
Commission estimates that these agreements will increase American-made 
exports by $13 billion and inject $10 billion into our GDP. President 
Obama estimates that these jobs could create a quarter of a million 
jobs. According to the Congressional Research Service, the last time 
the United States signed a trade agreement was back in 2006 with Peru.
  These three trade agreements the House passed last night could have 
been sent to Congress back in 2009. Every day we delay is a day we deny 
American workers job opportunities to compete. These trade agreements 
aren't about rhetoric. They are about results. We cannot afford to sit 
on the sidelines anymore while other countries enter into trade 
agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, causing us to lose 
more of the market share. Again, I support these free trade agreements. 
If as a country we are allowed to compete, I know we will deliver.

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