[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22691]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        WTO MINISTERIAL MEETING

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the just-concluded 
World Trade Organization Ministerial in Doha, Qatar.
  The administration has announced that WTO members reached an 
agreement to launch new negotiations on a number of international trade 
topics. Our trade negotiations hailed this as a major victory.
  I recognize the considerable efforts of our trade negotiators in this 
process. That said, I am unsettled by the results of this session in 
several areas.
  The agreement reached today in Doha makes it even more clear why 
Congress must have deeper involvement in our international trade 
policy.
  Without a doubt, there are positive items in the documents to launch 
the negotiation. I am pleased that the United States was able to 
negotiate forward-looking language on agriculture. There are some good 
things there--for example, goals of improving market access and 
reducing market distortions, particularly export subsidies.
  But these are vague commitments, and Europe and some of its allies 
have already demonstrated their strident opposition to meaningful 
progress in this area. The devil is in the details--and the details 
have yet to be worked out.
  On the other side of the ledger, I am extremely troubled by the 
decision to re-open the agreements reached just a few years ago on 
antidumping and anti-subsidy measures. Both Houses of Congress have 
made it clear that they oppose negotiations to further weaken U.S. 
trade laws.
  Let's be absolutely clear on this point. Our trading partners have 
only one goal here: to weaken our trade laws. That is something the 
administration should not tolerate--and that Congress will not 
tolerate.
  These problems demonstrate why Congress must take a hard look at 
trade negotiations. The Constitution assigns responsibility for 
international trade to the Congress. Yet the administration is now 
acting without a mandate from Congress.
  Congress must have a more prominent role in trade negotiations. As 
chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I plan oversight hearings on 
these negotiations.
  The problems I have outlined also make clear why any new grant of 
fast track negotiating authority must address the concerns of Congress 
on issues like preservation of U.S. trade laws. It must also ensure 
that Congress has an active role in trade negotiations.
  I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________