[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 83 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. DEVIN NUNES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 28, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4660) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, 
     Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2015, and for other purposes:

  Mr. NUNES. Madam Chair, the United States has a strong history of 
negotiating high-standard trade agreements that grow our exports and 
create jobs. Already, international trade supports more than 4.4 
million jobs in California and 38 million jobs nationwide. We are in 
the midst of negotiating significant trade agreements with partners in 
the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and elsewhere. But because Trade Promotion 
Authority is not in place, we are negotiating with one hand tied behind 
our back.
  As a result, some of our negotiating partners are seeking to lower 
the standards of our trade agreements by excluding key products from 
full tariff elimination. In the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, 
countries such as Japan and Canada are seeking to exclude critical 
agriculture products from full tariff elimination. I am deeply 
concerned about this development for several reasons.
  First, such exclusions from full tariff elimination would harm U.S. 
exporters and put them at a significant disadvantage, denying them 
valuable market access and leading to a ripple effect as other 
countries seek to exclude their sensitive products from liberalization. 
In fact, just yesterday, key agriculture groups called on the 
Administration to conclude TPP without Japan if it continues to resist 
opening its agriculture market.
  Second, allowing exclusions in TPP would make it harder to reach good 
outcomes in future negotiations. Already, EU negotiators, empowered by 
Japan's intransience, argue that they should be able to exclude 
products in the TTIP negotiations. And the Chinese are doing the same 
in negotiations to expand the information technology agreement in the 
WTO.
  Madam Chair, I had intended to introduce an amendment today that 
would ensure that the United States concludes only high standard 
agreements by prohibiting the Administration from negotiating or 
entering into a trade agreement that excludes any product from full 
tariff elimination.
  Such an amendment would ensure that we continue to secure maximum 
market access for our job-creating exporters. However, I decided not to 
introduce this amendment based on an understanding with the United 
States Trade Representative, Ambassador Froman, that he would work very 
closely with Chairman Camp and me to conclude a strong and ambitious 
agreement and would keep us informed about these negotiations in detail 
so that we may advise the Administration. I take that commitment very 
seriously, and it is only with this specific understanding that I am 
not offering this amendment tonight.
  Again, I note that the current state of our negotiations shows the 
urgent need for TPA. Negotiating trade agreements with a strong 
Congressional mandate is vital to ensuring the best agreements 
possible. That's why I joined in introducing H.R. 3830, the Bipartisan 
Congressional Trade Priorities Act, earlier this year. This legislation 
gives our negotiators maximum leverage to get the best deal possible in 
our trade negotiations and is key to unlocking new markets and creating 
U.S. jobs.

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