[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 20 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Pages 817-818]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Robert J. Portman as United States 
Trade Representative

May 17, 2005

    The President. Thank you all for coming. I'm pleased to congratulate 
a distinguished public servant, Rob Portman, on becoming our new United 
States Trade Representative.
    It's an honor to be with Rob's dad as well as Jane and Jed and Will 
and Sally. Glad you all are here. It's always great when our Trade 
Representative has teenagers in the house. [Laughter] It helps him 
become a skilled negotiator. [Laughter] I appreciate the other members 
of the Portman family who have joined us.
    I thank members of my Cabinet who are here. Josh Bolten, thank you 
for coming. I appreciate Peter Allgeier, who is the Deputy U.S. Trade 
Minister. Peter, good to see you, sir.
    I want to thank the Members of Congress who came, David Camp from 
Michigan, Paul Ryan from Wisconsin--and Janna. I appreciate--I'm not 
through yet--[laughter]----
    Audience member. I'm sorry, sir. [Laughter]
    The President. ----and Melissa Hart. Rick Lazio, former Member, 
thank you for coming.
    I want to thank the Ambassadors who are here, diplomatic corps, 
embajadores de Central America, as well as other ambassadors--welcome.
    Ambassador Portman will be carrying on the superb work done by Bob 
Zoellick. Under Ambassador Zoellick's outstanding leadership, the U.S. 
Trade Representative's Office has worked with Congress to pass trade 
promotion authority. We've completed free trade agreements with 12 
nations on 5 continents. And those agreements will open a combined 
market of 124 million consumers for America's farmers, small businesses, 
and manufacturers. I want to thank all the men and women at the USTR for 
the good work they have done.
    Ambassador Portman is the right man to carry on this important work. 
He has a great record as a champion of free and fair trade. In his early 
days as an attorney, he specialized in international trade law. 
Throughout his time in Congress, he built a reputation as a steadfast 
proponent of the power of open markets to spread hope and prosperity 
around the world. As an Ohioan, Rob knows how much American farmers and 
workers depend on our export markets and how the expansion of agreements 
around the world can contribute to our economy here at home.
    To advance our trade agenda, we have three priorities in the months 
ahead. Our first trade priority is to pass the Central American and 
Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA. That is an 
important priority of this administration, and it should be an important 
priority of the United States Congress. Last week, I met with the six 
Presidents from the nations. We all share an interest in prosperity for 
our people and peace in the region, and CAFTA gives us an historic 
opportunity to advance these common goals.
    The agreement does four key things: It will level the playing field 
for American farmers and businesses; it will help our economy; it will 
make the region more competitive with Asia; and it will strengthen 
democracy in our backyard. At the moment, about 80 percent of imports 
from the region already enter the United States duty-free. Our market is 
open to the goods from CAFTA nations. CAFTA will open the region's 
markets of 44 million consumers to our goods and our services and our 
crops. CAFTA will also lower barriers in key segments like textiles. 
This would put CAFTA countries and America in a better position to 
compete with low-cost producers in Asia.
    As it opens the Western Hemisphere markets, CAFTA will also bring 
the stability and security that can only come from freedom. Today, a 
part of the world that was once characterized by unrest and dictatorship 
now sees its future in free elections and free trade, and we must not 
take these gains for granted. These are small nations, but they are 
making big and brave commitments, and America

[[Page 818]]

needs to continue to support them as they walk down the road of openness 
and accountability. By transforming our hemisphere into a powerful free 
trade area, we will promote democratic governance and human rights and 
the economic liberty for everyone. CAFTA is a really important piece of 
legislation.
    Our second trade priority is to encourage the Doha Development 
Agenda now being pursued by the World Trade Organization. This new 
framework is the largest negotiation of its kind in history, and it 
would reduce and eliminate tarrifs in key industry sectors and unfair 
agricultural subsidies and open the global market in services.
    Finally, our third trade priority is to ensure that those who sign 
trade agreements live up to their terms. China's membership in the World 
Trade Organization has been a good thing for America. Our exports to 
China have increased 81 percent since China's entry into the WTO. When 
it joined the WTO, China also agreed to the rules of international 
trade, and it's in the interest of both China and the United States for 
China to abide by them.
    One reason I selected Ambassador Portman for this job is because I 
know he'll work to see that our farmers and our workers and service 
providers are treated fairly. Ambassador Portman will work to ensure 
that China stops the piracy of U.S. intellectual property, lifts the 
barriers that are keeping our goods and services out of China, and 
demonstrates its commitment to transparency and distribution rights for 
our products.
    America is a nation founded on the idea of open exchange, and free 
and fair trade is a win-win for all sides. By opening new markets, we'll 
increase prosperity for our small businesses and farmers and 
manufacturers and create jobs for American workers. By enforcing trade 
laws and agreements, we will ensure a level playing field for America's 
workers. American workers can compete with anybody, anytime, anywhere 
when the rules are fair.
    Rob Portman is America's Trade Representative. He's also my friend. 
I know his integrity and his wisdom and his dedication. And I know he's 
the right man to carry out our bold agenda at this important moment for 
world trade.
    I want to thank you all again for coming. Congratulations, Rob.

Note: The President spoke at 2:34 p.m. in Room 450 of the Dwight D. 
Eisenhower Executive Office Building. In his remarks, he referred to 
Ambassador Portman's father, William Portman, his wife, Jane Portman, 
and their children, Joseph ``Jed'' Portman, William Portman, and Sarah 
``Sally'' Portman; Janna Ryan, wife of Representative Paul Ryan; and 
former Representative Rick Lazio of New York. The transcript released by 
the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of 
Ambassador Portman.