[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21888]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 FREE TRADE CREATES PROSPERITY FOR ALL

  (Mr. CALVERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CALVERT. Since 2000, foreign trade has increased by more than 20 
percent. During that same time, more than 7 million new jobs have been 
created. Simply put, free trade works.
  I strongly urge Congress to move forward with passing the recently 
negotiated trade agreements with South Korea and Colombia. These 
agreements will bring down barriers in two of the fastest growing 
markets in Asia and South America. American business sectors such as 
automobiles, agriculture, textiles and services will be allowed 
unprecedented access. In addition, favorable trade environments will be 
created for intellectual property, telecommunications and workers.
  As Congress continues to examine its trade policy, we should not 
forget to take a close look at what we can do here at home to maximize 
the benefits of free trade while minimizing its impacts.
  Mr. Speaker, since 2000, southern California has seen a 40 percent 
increase in container traffic on road and rails. This is causing 
serious transportation problems for both businesses and constituents in 
my district. The Nation must address this concern so that businesses 
can receive their goods efficiently and Americans are not overwhelmed 
by increased freight traffic. Fortunately, free trade affords us the 
resources we need to address its infrastructure impacts so that the 
prosperity it creates is shared by all.

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