Mike Levin: “why in the world are we bringing up this bill when it is sure to fail? Mr. Speaker, this is too important an issue to…”

“why in the world are we bringing up this bill when it is sure to fail? Mr. Speaker, this is too important an issue to sacrifice long-term considerations for any short-term political advantage. Trade issues do deserve better than this. This is not a question of whether we want and need more international trade. We do. That is why I worked actively to help shape the Uruguay Round, and voted for it. The question is, more international trade under what conditions? There is little controversy about granting fast track for WTO negotiations on services, information technologies, agriculture or, probably, for that matter, Chile. I say, by the way, to my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), we can start negotiations in these matters with or without fast track, as was true of the Uruguay Round. The main issue underlying the fast track controversy is how to respond to the burgeoning trade with industrializing nations, Brazil, India, China, Mexico. Our trade with these nations has exploded in the last 5 years from one-third to almost one-half of our imports. These Nations have very different rules regarding environment, labor markets, State subsidies, et cetera. What will be the rules of competition with these nations? The fast track proposal before us limits the ability of the President to negotiate on these items. It limits it.”