[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21224]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          AMERICAN AGRICULTURE NEEDS TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

  (Mr. CALVERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, American agriculture needs trade promotion 
authority. Without granting the President the authority to negotiate 
preferential trade agreements, this industry is guaranteed to face dark 
days. Ninety-six percent of agricultural growers' potential market is 
outside of the United States. It is a business there for taking, but if 
we do not give our farmers and ranchers the tools they need to compete 
in the world market, other countries will gladly fill the gap.
  Today, of the 133 preferential trade agreements worldwide, the U.S. 
participates in only two. Compare that to the European Union, who 
participates in 27. Furthermore, the European Union also outspends us 
almost four to one on subsidies. Granting Presidential trade authority 
is our only weapon of combat on the uneven playing field of world 
agriculture.
  We cannot continue to stand idly by while other nations improve 
trading opportunities for themselves. Our agriculture industry is the 
most productive in the world. It is an honor and status that should be 
rewarded, and the best reward we can give our agricultural growers for 
their efforts, and to keep our country prosperous, is to pass trade 
promotion authority.

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