[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21223]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     PASS TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

  (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, we have to pass trade promotion 
authority now. If we do not, we will let down America's world-class 
workers, farmers and businesses.
  The global marketplace is increasingly competitive. Without TPA, 
America will lag behind. Our foreign competitors have negotiated some 
130 preferential agreements while we, absent TPA, have negotiated 
exactly three. We need to get back in the game.
  International trade is an essential and growing source of economic 
expansion. Exports accounted for over 25 percent of all U.S. economic 
growth over the last decade and support an estimated 12 million jobs. 
If we do not pass TPA, we risk losing our competitive edge to other 
nations who will continue to negotiate deals while we sit on the 
sidelines. With trade promotion authority, we can level the playing 
field.
  Mr. Speaker, U.S. companies, workers, and farmers are second to none. 
We need TPA to make sure the rules are fair. The companies, the workers 
and the farmers will do the rest.

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