Mike Levin: “I think, therefore, Mr. Speaker, both of us are making it clear that we expect the administration to follow through on…”

“I think, therefore, Mr. Speaker, both of us are making it clear that we expect the administration to follow through on the commitments and on the indications that are in this letter. It is a very serious matter, indeed. Also, I wanted to mention, regarding the QIZ program, another aspect. That is, the lack of conditions within it. The QIZ is unlikely to have a major economic impact. It does also, though, involve relations between Israel and Turkey. Those are important ones. So we are not talking, and I hope everyone understands this, about a likely major instrumentality in terms of trade in the near future. Because of our important strategic relationship with Turkey, on balance it made sense to let this proceed and allow the implementation of a QIZ program. However, I am very hopeful if that occurs and as it occurs that our government will pay attention to the issue of criteria. In the GSP statute, we have criteria. Here we do not, for example, as to protection of U.S. investors, as to protection of intellectual property, as to core labor standards, as to environmental issues. If the QIZ were going to become a significant factor in our relationship economically, it would be important for our government to work on this and to make sure that criteria, and appropriate ones, were incorporated in any further understanding with the Turkish government.”