Ron Kirk: “I think the President has said--is correct; the best way to address this is part of comprehensive immigration reform.”

If we don't repeal Jackson-Vanik, to the degree that Russia is opening up liberalizing its services market, investment market, we lose all of the benefits of that.

When Russia becomes a part of the World Trade Organization, they have committed to reasonably full liberalization of their services market.

We believe the right to vote is sacred. When more people participate in the democratic process, we all prosper. We stand together in a nonpartisan coalition calling on all elected leaders in Texas to support reforms that make democracy…

I respectfully ask this committee to move forward quickly with legislation to terminate Jackson-Vanik and empower the President to extend PNTR to Russia.