[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18959]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              SUPPORT FREE TRADE WITH CHILE AND SINGAPORE

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, the House will vote tomorrow on a free trade 
agreement, not just with Chile, but also with Singapore.
  Free trade agreements have transformed other countries now allied to 
the United States. For example, our agreement with Jordan boosted 
Jordanian trade from $5 million to $400 million. We have that 
opportunity with Chile, a country whose economic policy sometimes is 
more advanced than our own. We proposed this agreement in 1991 when I 
served in the State Department. It is about time.
  And Singapore. Singapore has become the de facto Southeast Pacific 
base for the United States Navy. With trouble from North Korea to Iran, 
strengthening our ties to Singapore strengthens our national security.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on free trade with 
Singapore and with Chile.

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