[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10135]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, last year's trade deficit reached $670 
billion. Our Federal deficit was over $300 billion. Top-rate jobs have 
gone overseas. How did we get in this situation? How did we get in this 
position?
  Mr. Speaker, over the last generation Congress has passed laws with 
good intent, but with terrible consequences. Our government has created 
barriers to creating jobs, and the results have not been good.
  Other nations are rising to the challenge of tomorrow's economy. 
China is graduating 350,000 engineers every year. India graduated 
80,000 software engineers last year. While we are reducing the number 
of visas for creative talent in America, other countries are developing 
their talent.
  Mr. Speaker, we have to change the environment in America and remove 
the barriers created by Congress. If we are going to avoid becoming a 
third-rate economy in the future, we have to pass legislation like the 
Central America Free Trade Agreement so we can create jobs, strengthen 
our economy, balance the trade deficit, balance the Federal budget 
right here in America. We can do it by passing this legislation along 
with others, Mr. Speaker; and as we lead the challenge for 
competitiveness in America, we hope that our colleagues will join with 
us from the other side of the aisle.

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