Wendy Sherman: “I wish to bring two new developments to the attention of this House, developments that show that we need to negotiate a…”

“I wish to bring two new developments to the attention of this House, developments that show that we need to negotiate a better deal. First, the International Trade Commission and the official authoritative body of the Federal Government issued a report. It says this deal will increase our $70 billion trade deficit and cost America 872,000 jobs over the next 10 years. That is right. Permanent NTR does not just make the trade deficit permanent, it makes it bigger. Second, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) presented an amendment to the Committee on Rules this afternoon which would simply state that China will lose its access to our markets if it invades or blockades Taiwan. This amendment is consistent with GATT. But I expect that the Committee on Rules will reject it because the administration will reject it because China will not accept it. Now, who is to blame? China? If it interprets the proceedings of this House as a green light to blockade or invade Taiwan, and if this House is willing to grant permanent NTR, even if China blockades or invades Taiwan, what would the other body do? What would the proponents of trade suggest? We must insist that the Berman-Weldon language is included in this statute. If it is not, then we are being vague when clarity is called for.”