[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 108 (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H4912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RUSSIA'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Dreier) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, the cover of this week's Economist 
magazine covers it very well. Rebuilding America's economy is its 
point. We all want to do everything we can to create good, American 
jobs. Well, unfortunately, we're on the verge of losing a potential 
market of 140 million consumers. And the reason I say that is that just 
last week and today, debate is taking place in the Duma, the Russian 
parliament. The Duma is the lower house, and the Federation Council is 
the upper house. The Duma has passed it, and the Federation Council 
today is debating. They may have already voted on it. They are going to 
be joining the World Trade Organization.
  This Economist publication talks about the fact that the way we 
rebuild our market is through expanded exports. Well, we know that 
forcing Russia to live with a rules-based trading system is something 
that could inure to the benefit of U.S. workers. And that's what 
accession to the WTO is.
  Guess what? Russia is going to be a member of the World Trade 
Organization within 30 days. The question is whether or not the United 
States of America will be able to have access to that market. We all 
know that Putin engages in crony capitalism. They have a massive 
bureaucracy and a corrupt court system. Forcing them to live with a 
rules-based trading system is the right thing for us to do.
  Now, I'm happy to say that there has been an effort led by my 
colleagues, Mr. Long and Mr. Reed, within the freshman class that has 
brought 73 Republican Members to send a letter to the President of the 
United States urging support of permanent normal trade relations with 
Russia and urging this institution to support that. I'm happy it's a 
bipartisan effort. My friend, Mr. Meeks, has joined in this effort, as 
well.
  I would like to, at this point, yield to my good friend from Missouri 
(Mr. Long) and thank him for the effort that he has made to tackle this 
important issue. I'm happy to yield to my friend.
  Mr. LONG. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, we agree that we need to get our Nation's economy 
growing again in order to create jobs for American families. Increasing 
our Nation's exports is one area that would help grow the economy and 
create jobs without costing one thin dime. I support free trade because 
more exports equal more jobs.
  I recently led an effort, as Mr. Dreier mentioned there, to rally my 
freshman class to support permanent normal trade relations with Russia. 
After nearly two decades of negotiations, Russia is poised to join the 
World Trade Organization this summer, and without repealing a Cold War-
era trade restriction, American businesses will be at a severe 
disadvantage to international competitors. While the U.S. already 
trades with Russia, the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik provision would 
level the playing field for U.S. exports after Russia joins the WTO.

                              {time}  1010

  The media and some in this country like to portray my freshman class 
as a group that's not willing to work for the benefit of the American 
people or work in a bipartisan spirit. We can put those portrayals to 
rest. The President has shown an interest in increasing American 
exports, and the purpose of my letter was to show the President that 73 
Members of the Republican freshman class are willing to work on this 
issue to help support American jobs.
  I will continue to support efforts that will boost trade 
opportunities for American manufacturers and businesses. This is about 
doing what is right for our country and supporting efforts to create 
jobs for American families.
  Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, let me thank my friend for his very 
thoughtful contribution and, in fact, disabusing people of this notion 
that somehow this group of 87 new Republicans who have come to Congress 
are not willing to tackle important issues. They led the effort to 
bring about passage of the Panama, Colombia, and Korea Free Trade 
Agreements. And once again, they're providing tremendous leadership on 
our goal of creating good American jobs by prying open that market and 
ensuring that the United States worker will have access to it.
  If you think about not only creating jobs here, but dealing with the 
problems of crony capitalism, dealing with the problems of a massive 
bureaucracy, and dealing with a corrupt court system--which is what 
exists under Vladimir Putin today--this is the right thing for us to 
do. We should not lose access to the market.
  I also want to note that my very good friend, Mr. Herger, who has 
been a great leader on the issue of trade, is here. Mr. Berg is here as 
well, who's been very involved in this.
  I would be happy to yield, if I might, to my friend from New York 
(Mr. Reed), who has played such an important role on the trade issue.
  Mr. REED. I thank the gentleman, and I rise today in strong support 
to join my friend from California. As he knows, we've been supportive 
of free trade from the moment we got here, and I was so pleased to see 
Colombia, Panama, and South Korea be passed.

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