[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20646]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           CONGRESS SHOULD SUPPORT TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

  (Mrs. BIGGERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support granting the President Trade Promotion Authority, or TPA.
  Formerly known as Fast Track Authority, TPA has worked well in the 
past, giving our Presidents the flexibility and authority they need to 
negotiate the best deals for America. From our first free trade 
agreement with Israel, to the FTA with Canada, the NAFTA with our two 
North American trading partners, and the Uruguay Round of GATT world 
trade talks which created the WTO, Trade Promotion Authority has proven 
effective.
  Trade Promotion Authority for the President does not mean no 
authority for Congress and the American people. Our trade negotiators 
have proven their commitment to developing consensus positions so that, 
once the negotiations are concluded, the trade agreements will win the 
approval of Congress and the American people.
  Without Trade Promotion Authority, there can be no more Free Trade 
Agreements. Without free trade, America loses.

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