[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21959-21960]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

  (Mr. LINDER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, we are told that silence is golden. However, 
what happens when the body being silenced is the House of 
Representatives?
  Most certainly my colleagues would object to the suppression of our 
voice and our role in the debate in consideration of legislative 
matters. Yet, without trade promotion authority, our voices are 
silenced regarding trade.
  Trade promotion authority allows trade agreements to be considered as 
congressional executive agreements. These agreements represent 
procedural compromises. The President forgoes his ability to single-
handedly negotiate treaties and, instead, agrees to consult closely 
with the Congress to ensure that congressional priorities are heard. 
Congress, in turn, commits to an up or down vote, but waives the right 
to offer amendments.

                              {time}  1030

  Some of my colleagues seem to think that our inability to offer 
amendments is too great a sacrifice. What then is the alternative? 
Without TPA, the President would unilaterally negotiate

[[Page 21960]]

a treaty which would then be presented solely to the Senate for 
ratification. This obviously begs the question where is the House. The 
answer, absent. Without TPA we have no role, no authority, and no voice 
in trade agreements. This is the people's House. Do not let our voice 
be silenced. Support TPA.

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