[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21827]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                   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 on behalf of the workers, 
farmers, and entrepreneurs of my State whose families are supported by 
exports from Illinois. Together, they exported more than $32 billion in 
goods and services to some 208 foreign countries last year.
  It is important to realize that these individuals not only are 
helping to keep our State's and Nation's economy rolling, they are 
sharing America's best with the world. Numbering more than 400,000, 
these workers expect their government to do everything in its power to 
protect their markets and new opportunities.
  Unfortunately, America's trade negotiators lack the one essential 
tool, trade promotion authority, or TPA, that they need to make the 
deals that eliminate barriers to trade and open doors to new 
marketplaces.
  Make no mistake, our foreign competitors have this authority and they 
use it to their advantage. Of the more than 130 free trade agreements 
in force today, the U.S. is party to just three. If this were the 
military, we would be charged as AWOL.
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot let our exporting companies and their workers 
down. Let us pass H.R. 3005.

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