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Statements
from U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick on House passage of the
Trade Promotion Authority bill |
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Robert B.
Zoellick
US Trade Representative
[August
1 , 2002] |
July 27, 2002
 As
President Bush has made clear, this vote for TPA is a win for the American
people and for our economy. The Authority to negotiate these agreements lapsed 8
years ago, and we have paid a price - America fell behind other nations.
I want to
thank the House leadership and all the members who demonstrated with their vote
the importance of trade for the workers in their districts and the American
people. With TPA, we can get back to the crucial task at hand: growing markets
to benefit our farmers, workers, and families.
Now we are on
to the Senate, where we hope to secure a victory next week. We will then be
poised, with the backing of Congress, to move on all fronts to advance the
American trade agenda.
The TPA
package already contains trade openings for the four Andean countries, Africa,
and developing countries around the world. With TPA, we will be able to complete
our Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Chile and Singapore in short order.
Then we will initiate other FTA agreements and the President has already
highlighted Central America and Morocco.
Just last
week we put forward a far-reaching global agricultural reform proposal in the
global trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization. TPA gives us the
credibility and the ability to drive ahead those negotiations, which also cover
other sectors such as services and manufacturing.
And we will
push to complete negotiations regarding the Free Trade Area of the Americas on
the same aggressive time frame as the global talks.
August 1 ,
2002
 Eighteen
months ago, President Bush launched the drive to restore America's leadership on
trade. A fundamental component of this initiative was the passage of new Trade
Promotion Authority by the Congress. Today, with the hard work of Senators from
both parties, we achieved that landmark victory.
As President
Bush stated earlier, this is an historic day. After World War II, America
employed trade to help shape a positive agenda of growth and openness for four
decades. With the end of the Cold War, the Executive-Congressional partnership
for trade lapsed for almost a decade. Now it is reestablished, and the President
intends to press the causes of trade and openness to help shape the world at the
opening of a new century.
This package
of trade legislation offers a boost to the U.S. and global economy. America's
exports already account for about 12 million U.S. jobs. Over the past decade,
U.S. exports accounted for about a quarter of the country's growth. One in three
acres of American farms are planted for sales overseas.
During our
eight years without Trade Promotion Authority, America has fallen behind. Our
world-class products—from tractors, to software, to french fries—have been
squeezed out of markets by other nations aggressively negotiating free trade
deals around the world.
Today's
bipartisan action by the Senate, following the successful vote in the House last
week, will open America's markets right away to developing countries in Latin
America, Africa, and the Caribbean.
With TPA, we
will be able to complete free trade agreements with Chile and Singapore in short
order.
With TPA, we
will have the credibility and the ability to advance our agenda in the new
global trade negotiations—including our far-reaching agricultural reform
proposal announced last week, and our aggressive initiatives in services and
manufacturing.
With TPA,
vital trade preferences for Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia will be renewed
immediately, benefiting thousands of workers seeking to avoid the illegal
narcotics trade in those nations.
With TPA,
important amendments to the highly successful African Growth and Opportunity Act
will take effect right away, helping to lift families out of poverty in Africa.
With TPA, the
Generalized System of Preferences will now be renewed, assisting thousands in
the Caribbean and, over 100 other developing economies struggling to gain a
foothold in the global economy.
With TPA, we
will initiate new negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with Central America
and Morocco.
With TPA, we
are able to consider Free Trade Agreements with other nations, such as Australia
and in Southern Africa.
With TPA, we
will push to complete negotiations regarding the Free Trade Area of the Americas
on the same aggressive time frame as the global talks.
And with TPA,
we can get back to the crucial task at hand: expanding markets to benefit our
farmers, workers, and families.
As
President Bush has made clear, this vote for TPA was a win for the American
people for our economy, and for the world.
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August
5, 2002
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