[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  (Mr. PORTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Central 
American Free Trade Agreement. The Central American Free Trade 
Agreement. We use this acronym frequently, CAFTA. It is Central 
America, our brothers and sisters and the future of the world when it 
comes to the corridor for an economic base that is unlimited into South 
America and Central America.
  Exports to Central America from my home State of Nevada grew 56 
percent from 2000 to 2004, far higher than the 16 percent average 
increase. In 2003 alone, Nevada experienced an 88 percent increase with 
significant gains in machinery, computer and electronic manufacturing.
  Manufactured goods accounted for 69 percent of Nevada's exports to 
Central America. Not only will the passage of CAFTA immediately 
eliminate tariffs on 80 percent of exports on Nevada's manufacturers; 
it will also abolish all remaining tariffs within 10 years, including 
the tariff on chemicals, electronic equipment, machinery, and 
transportation equipment.
  Mr. Speaker, Central American Free Trade Agreement, the future 
economic base of the world is Central and South America.

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