[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 25808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              IN SUPPORT OF H. RES. 298, THE ``MUST'' LAW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 19, 1999, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Mascara) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 4 minutes.
  Mr. MASCARA. Mr. Speaker, in November, representatives from across 
the global arrive in Seattle to negotiate changes in the international 
trade agreements of the World Trade Organization, the WTO.
  Trade has worked well for our country. We sell 30 percent of our 
agricultural products to foreign trading partners. In fact in 
Pennsylvania, my home State, $16 billion of farm products are exported 
annually.
  Our country relies on its ability to trade. And while I generally 
support free trade, I also insist upon fair trade. If other countries 
can produce products cheaper than we can without abusing its workers 
and without breaking international trade laws, so be it. They have 
every right to access our markets. But a successful global economy 
depends upon a level playing field. Everyone must play by the same 
rules: Rules against illegal subsidies, rules against illegal dumping, 
and rules against discrimination.
  Unfortunately, there have been a number of recent trade violations 
that our country has had to respond to. They include illegal steel 
dumping, bans on U.S. beef and bananas and other products. Our airlines 
and aviation manufacturers have been discriminated against and the 
Congress continues to deal with these inequities and justifiably so. 
Fortunately, we can respond to these violations because we have strong 
American antidumping and antisubsidy laws. These laws conform to the 
WTO laws and provide our only means to fight this illegal trade. They 
are our trading Bill of Rights. Without them we would be defenseless.
  Yet, the WTO agenda in Seattle includes an item that might strip away 
these very rights. That is, denying our ability to deal with these 
illegal trade activities.
  Mr. Speaker for this reason, the House must bring House Resolution 
298 to the floor. We must let the world know that we will not stand for 
foreign interference with our trade laws. Our country is the bedrock of 
global trade. We should not permit our trading partners to strip away 
our rights to free trade. We must insist that the WTO provide language 
that protects us against unfair trade and illegal dumping.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the Visclosky-Ney resolution, House Resolution 
298.

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