[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15500]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                    AUSTRALIAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  (Mr. RYUN of Kansas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RYUN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Australian-
U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which will be good for our farmers, 
manufacturers, and businesses both small and large. Last year, 
Australia imported $44.5 million worth of transportation equipment, 
$20.9 million in manufactured machinery, and $7.1 million in food 
products from Kansas alone. These strong figures characterize the trade 
relationship between Kansas and Australia, which is destined to grow 
substantially.
  In 2003, Australia was the 10th largest export market for my State. 
With the Free Trade Agreement in place, 99 percent of Kansas' goods 
will enter Australia tariff-free. I believe this will translate into 
higher revenues for small businesses, greater agricultural trade for 
farmers and more jobs for Kansans.
  What will be good for Kansas will also be good for the rest of the 
Nation. In fact, it is expected that manufacturing exports will 
increase by at least $2 billion, significantly boosting the economy. We 
currently run a trade surplus with Australia, and the Free Trade 
Agreement will ensure that this strong trade relationship continues.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

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