[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 23153]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

  (Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, a week from tomorrow, we in this House are 
going to be voting on the very important trade promotion authority that 
the President of the United States needs. The administration has not 
had it, the past administration did not have it, it expired in 1994; 
and because of the fact that it was not there and has not been there, 
we have been a party to only 2 of the 130 free trade agreements that 
have been established worldwide in the last several years, basically 
meaning that the United States of America has ceded its very important 
leadership role when it comes to global economic growth.
  What is it that we need to do? We need to make sure that we step up 
to the plate and do everything that we can to militarily provide 
leadership, geopolitically provide leadership and, yes, economically 
provide leadership. That is what trade promotion authority is all 
about. It is an important vote. We will be giving this authority to the 
President so that he can pry open new markets and find opportunities 
for U.S. workers and businesses around the world. It is about creating 
jobs right here in the United States. I hope that a week from tomorrow, 
in a bipartisan way, we can provide overwhelming support for this very 
important measure.

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