[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17980]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY NEEDED

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                           HON. DOUG BEREUTER

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2001

  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member commends to his colleagues the 
following editorial, entitled President Needs Trade Authority, from the 
September 5, 2001, edition of the Norfolk Daily News, which emphasizes 
the need to grant the President ``fast track'' trade negotiating 
authority.
  This Member is a longtime supporter of Trade Promotion Authority 
(TPA), or ``FastTrack Authority'' (as it was previously called), 
because TPA is necessary to enable the United States to commence, 
conclude, and implement trade agreements with foreign nations. Without 
the enactment of TPA, the United States will continue to fall further 
behind in expanding its export base, which in turn will cost America 
thousands of potential jobs. Congressional passage of TPA for the 
President is absolutely essential for America to live up to its export 
potential.
  Therefore, this Members urges his colleagues not only to carefully 
read this editorial, but also to support granting trade promotion 
authority to the President now!

                [From the Daily News, September 5, 2001]

                    President Needs Trade Authority


Former secretaries of agriculture of one mind regarding ``fast track'' 
                                 issue

       Members of Congress ought to be impressed that 10 former 
     secretaries of agriculture, Democrats and Republicans alike, 
     are in agreement on an important matter of trade policy. From 
     Orville Freeman, who served under President Kennedy, to Dan 
     Glickman, who served under President Clinton, all were in 
     agreement that President Bush ought to be granted ``fast 
     track'' trade negotiating authority.
       With some exceptions among those in farm organizations who 
     fear only big companies find ways to profit from exports, the 
     agricultural community seems unified regarding benefits of 
     foreign trade. That accounts for broad bipartisan support of 
     measures to promote it.
       Presidents had fast-track authority beginning in 1974, and 
     until congressional Republicans failed to renew it for the 
     Clinton administration in 1994. They erred, and that error 
     should not now be compounded. Trade negotiations are already 
     conducted under broad guidelines approved by Congress and the 
     president.
       Having arrived at specific trade pacts under such 
     authority, Congress must not pick and choose, second-guess 
     and thereby jeopardize agreements. With the fasttrack 
     arrangements, it can either accept or reject an agreement, 
     not nitpick and rewrite the terms. Thus Congress retains an 
     overall veto; the president retains negotiating power. It is 
     the right balance.
       Through the administrations of Presidents Ford, Carter, 
     Reagan, Bush I and early in the first Clinton term, the fast-
     track authority existed in the White House. The error of 
     failing to restore it after 1994 should not be compounded now 
     by defeat of the proposal.
       America's efficiency in all phases of food production means 
     it can compete effectively on a worldwide basis. This 
     advantage cannot be exercised to improve the economic status 
     of agriculture by tying the hands of the one individual who 
     can, with a cooperative Congress, do most to encourage 
     beneficial trading terms to reach consumers in foreign 
     nations.
       The letter to current Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, 
     signed by those 10 former secretaries, said, ``American 
     agriculture has much to gain by passage of Trade Promotion 
     Authority and too much to lose if Congress fails to seize 
     this opportunity.''
       Re-establishing this authority would do much to assure 
     Americans, and especially those involved in farming and 
     ranching, that their economic opportunities will not be 
     hostage to narrow partisanship.

     

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